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Symptoms with UC in remission?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/9/2018 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
It has been two weeks that I have started having symptoms like bloating, smelly gas and very soft and unformed stools. I am just going once per day and I usually can control when to go, with no feeling of urgency or tenesmus. I have not noticed any blood either.

I did blood work and stool tests. The blood work came back fine, only a mild anemia, but CPR, ESR and WBC are all close to the lower end of the normal range. The stool test for infections was negative and the fecal calprotectin is just 1ug/g, with the negative range being 0-50ug/g.

My GI has a lot of confidence in these lab tests and so he thinks that this is not a flare and he is keeping me on the medications in my signature. I am wondering though if these symptoms are not really due to a flare, but to something else. I have not changed anything in my diet over the past several months and I am regularly taking psyllium husk and probiotics, but neither of the two seem to help with the stool consistency or gas. I have also started to take sodium butyrate, for the first time.

Am I worrying too much about a flare? Could this be IBS or something else?
Posted 4/9/2018 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Is there also a significant increase in stool volume?
Posted 4/9/2018 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
"Am I worrying too much about a flare? I am just going once per day and I usually can control when to go, with no feeling of urgency or tenesmus. I have not noticed any blood either."

Yes. What medications and doses are you taking again?
Posted 4/9/2018 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Why are you taking sodium butyrate?

What meds are you on......please put them i a signature and make sure it's visible when posting.
q
Posted 4/9/2018 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know why my signature is not showing...

I am taking 4.8g/day mesalazine (Mezavant/Lialda) and 4g mesalazine enema nightly. In addition, I am taking Vitamin D 5000IU, VSL3 one sachet daily, Saccharomyces Boulardii and psyllium husks (one dose, 4g daily).

I started sodium butyrate because some people with IBS-D suggested it to me, but I am not well aware of any evidence in UC.

The stool volume is increased, but I am having one BM/day anyway.
Posted 4/9/2018 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
I'd say keep an eye on your symptoms. If your frequency jumps, you start seeing blood, or experiencing urgency then I'd worry more about a flare. Stool softness, bloating, and gas aren't necessarily a flare in my mind when devoid of blood/urgency.
Posted 4/10/2018 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
"I started sodium butyrate because some people with IBS-D suggested it to me, but I am not well aware of any evidence in UC."

when did you start using it ? and also the VSL3 one sachet daily, Saccharomyces Boulardii and psyllium husks (one dose, 4g daily).?
Posted 4/10/2018 4:38 AM (GMT 0)
Flare doesn't have to have blood....

How long on the enemas nightly?

q
Posted 4/10/2018 6:38 AM (GMT 0)

TroubledTurds said...
"I started sodium butyrate because some people with IBS-D suggested it to me, but I am not well aware of any evidence in UC."

when did you start using it ? and also the VSL3 one sachet daily, Saccharomyces Boulardii and psyllium husks (one dose, 4g daily).?

Sodium butyrate about ten days ago, while I have been taking psyllium and probiotics regularly for 6 months already.

Have you tried yourself sodium butyrate?

Post Edited (adamas) : 4/10/2018 12:51:53 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/10/2018 6:49 AM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
Flare doesn't have to have blood....

How long on the enemas nightly?

q

4g nightly enemas since ten days, but before that I was on a 2g nightly maintenance dose anyway.

I know that flare doesn't mean necessarily blood, that is why I am a bit anxious. But my doctor trusts a lot the calprotectin test and the fact that now, and also two months ago, I had a calprotectin level of respectively 1ug/g and 3ug/g, so basically none, being the threshold 50ug/g.

He also gives more importance to typical symptoms of UC such as number of BMs and urgency, rather than stool consistency and bloating pain.

I would like though a definite answer from him about what these symptoms are...
Posted 4/10/2018 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Did your symptoms correlate with the sodium butyrate?

q
Posted 4/10/2018 10:34 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
Did your symptoms correlate with the sodium butyrate?

q

I started sodium butyrate a week after my symptoms appeared, hoping that it helps, since it is used by some people with IBS-D. But so far it doesn't seem to have had any effect, as typical with many supplements with UC...
Posted 4/11/2018 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
I'll suggest it again.....get on another probiotic. I suggest the Genuine health Advanced Gut 50 billion.

q
Posted 4/11/2018 7:36 AM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
I'll suggest it again.....get on another probiotic. I suggest the Genuine health Advanced Gut 50 billion.

q

I'll have to look if that's available in Europe or find something similar. I see that it contains the same strains as the probiotic I am currently taking (VSL3), just in much lower CFU, but it also has more strains.

Does it need to be refrigerated? Does it make a difference the time of the day you take it and if on an empty or full stomach?

I am also wondering if I overdid and took too much probiotics over the past months, causing me this bloating, flatulence and mushy stools...
Posted 4/11/2018 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
It doesn't need to be refrigertated, but it's optimum levels if its kept in the fridge.

The probiotics might cause it....i only take them at bedtime.

q
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