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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/15/2009 10:39 AM (GMT -5)
i was meaning to ask how long do poeples flares last? For instance how long do you go with seeing blood in your stool to not seeing blood in your stool then back to seeing it.

How much is a lot? and what does a blood clot look like in your stool? I'm not sure if i ever had one.

also is anyone trying a diet they would care to share?

Posted 7/15/2009 10:52 AM (GMT -5)
Length of flares is highly, highly variable. I've only ever had one, and it pretty much lasted from mid-November 2008 to May 2009. But, I wasn't diagnosed until the end of January, I was "hard" to get into remission (according to my GI), and I had an unexplained reprieve in December. I started on pred in mid-March, and the symptoms go immediately better, but since I was on pred, I didn't consider myself to be in remission until I was off of it. I personally didn't have much trouble with blood...my main issue was URGENT diarrhea, up to 15-20 times a day.

The biggest thing to remember with this disease is that it's really unpredictable and variable. There aren't any "averages" for ANYthing. It's frustrating!
Posted 7/15/2009 11:04 AM (GMT -5)
i think thats the thing that freaks me out the most is the blood. not to jinx it or anything but its usually not that much, but then again i dunno really how to gauge how much blood is alot
Posted 7/15/2009 11:15 AM (GMT -5)
Why don't you ask your doc about rectal meds? They seem to be pretty useful at getting blood under control. Where is your UC located, again?
Posted 7/15/2009 11:32 AM (GMT -5)
left side mainly. i will ask about rectal meds. im expecting a call from him today i hope. i want my results from the tests done. i hate office that won't call unless theres something wrong. Either theres nothing wrong or they dont' have them yet ahhhhhh.....i hate it.
Posted 7/15/2009 11:40 AM (GMT -5)
You should definitely be on rectal meds, then. The enemas can reach a good portion of the left side, and are more effective at getting inflammation under control than oral meds, simply because you don't have to worry about them breaking down properly, etc. It just goes up there and does its job!
Posted 7/15/2009 12:05 PM (GMT -5)
Nick, the general rule of thumb we use on blood is that there's usually much less than it looks like. It only takes a small amount of blood to turn the water in the toilet red and make it look like you're bleeding to death.

One good way to follow blood loss is for your doctor to do periodic CBC's. Most GI's do them at least quarterly.
Posted 7/15/2009 12:25 PM (GMT -5)
I have questions about the blood too. I feel kind of embarrassed being so graphic (I know I shouldn't, it's just there for some reason), but here is my experience. I take meds every day. I get blood a few times every 2 months, in a row. The last couple months it has increased, every 2 weeks, every 10 days, every other day. Going from red mixed in stool, to dripping. I am on some rectal prednisone now, and things seem to be calming down.

When I was not treated last August I had much more blood. The doctors were so convinced it was internal hemmorroids that I had to be very persistant to be seen as not a hypochondriac. At that time all that really comes out was blood clots, of varying sizes. Sometimes it felt like a bm, but it was only blood and mucus. Sometimes the toilet bowl was red. They gave me a sig scope, and then completely freaked me out by telling me the ulcerations were severe.

My doctor now is not very concerned about occassional blood.
Posted 7/15/2009 12:49 PM (GMT -5)
i got a question for you. what do blood clots look like then ?

and don't be embarassed, tahts something that will go out the window real quick = ). its a shame that its a very humiliating condition to talk about but it inadvertinly trains you to talk about pretty much anything.
Posted 7/15/2009 1:16 PM (GMT -5)
Hello Nick and Others,
I would like to thank the forum for giving me support when I initially got diagnosed with colitis.

This diet seems to help m. Also I am very regular with my enema.
Drink two glasses of water as soon you wake up after brushing your teeth.
Two bananas and bread (No jam no peanut butter just plain bread) for breakfast.
No cheese or butter (Complete avoidance)
No sweets.
Only fish and shrimp occasionally.
Only use olive oil.
Rice and Vegetables mainly.
Less spice
NO Icecream, beer.
One glass of butter milk and water (50/50) in the morning or night. 8 oz glass
One glass of fresh lemon juice - one lime (green) squeezed, 2 spoons of honey and water in a 8 oz glass
One glass of vegatable juice very day (Cabbage mandatory- 1/4)
Try to get 15- 30 min of running.
Wait atleast 30 min - 1 hr after eating before going to sleep.
Eat small portions

Hopefully it helps someone
Posted 7/15/2009 1:25 PM (GMT -5)
Nick, you won't mistake them. I figure if I can't tell right off the bat then I am not going to worry about it. The only time I am not sure is if its mostly mucus and I can't tell if it's tinged with blood. For me it looks like a clump of blood. They are always red, but a maroon or darker color more than bright red.

If its in the stool then its maroon. Yes it is embarrassing, but I have been helped so much by people talking frankly here.

Are you worried you have them? Whats going on that makes you suspicious?
Posted 7/15/2009 1:35 PM (GMT -5)
well i don't have them often if i do have them. I am in a flare right now. just curious, i may have had one or 2 in my time. My doctor has the results of some tests that were ran. I know this becuase i called in and tehy said they were in and he would give a call when hes between patients. just anxious/worried about those results is all right now.

i am hoping there is nothing seriously wrong. i mean i was in an accident in march, a very serious one. and they ran soooooooooooooooooooo many tests and took sooooooooooooo much blood from me. One would think if anything was alarming that they would have alerted me or said something.

just waiting anxiously right now
Posted 7/15/2009 2:35 PM (GMT -5)
why are you afraid something is wrong?
Posted 7/15/2009 3:00 PM (GMT -5)
well yes that is a fear of mine. but they have had my results in even before 1:00 today. so im kinda thinking if it was urgent they would have called me already?
Posted 7/15/2009 3:37 PM (GMT -5)
yes I do. I think you are ok. But why are you worried?
Posted 7/15/2009 3:41 PM (GMT -5)
because i haven't flared for two years and I just won't want it to get out of control or anything like that. I guess i worry about the what ifs
Posted 7/15/2009 5:28 PM (GMT -5)
oooh you are in the beginnings of a flare, after being in remission for 2 years. I think you are going to be ok. you are not on a high dose of the asacol. Some people have luck increasing their dose of asacol temporarily. I think the top dose for it is 3 pills 3 times a day. I know it can scary, but I think this will just be a small bump in the road of your summer. (((hugs)))
Posted 7/15/2009 5:50 PM (GMT -5)
You can go up to 12 pills a day on Asacol.
Posted 7/16/2009 1:15 AM (GMT -5)
ask the doc for the Rowasa (if you're in the US) retention enemas and hold off with the increase of the Asacol...definitely not to 12 anyway.

quincy
Posted 7/16/2009 4:05 AM (GMT -5)
How long do my flares last?

Everyone is different. I've had three flares:

Flare 1: six months, 1 year remission - no blood
Flare 2: six months, 2 years remission - no blood
Flare 3: three months, currently in remission - no blood

How much is a lot of blood?

A lot of blood is more than the amount I loose when I have my period.

What does a blood clot look like?

I get blood clots that are about one-inch in diameter. They are roundish balls, dark red, very thick, with stringy red blood hanging around them. I can crush them with my fingers.

Diet?

Anti-inflammatory diet when flaring.

Anti-inflammatory foods/ingredients (Eat/Drink):

Turmeric
Omega-3 (cold water oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, canola oil, pumpkin seeds)
Fish (especially salmon)
Rice
Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk
Whole grain products (if not intolerant)
Oatmeal
Seeds and Nuts (if you can handle nuts, walnuts, almonds)
Green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach)
Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
Ripe fruit (bananas, pineapple, citris)
Garlic
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Ginger
Lemongrass
Licorice
Catnip
Tilia
Water

Other foods to try:
Olive oil
Lean poultry
Cooked vegetables (onions, red onions, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, asparagus, squash, carrots)
Herbal teas
Cayenne
Rosemary
Boswellia
Parsley

Tension Tamer tea from Celestial Seasonings contains Chamomile, cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, licorice, catnip, and Tilia--all of which are anti-inflammatory.


Pro-inflammatory foods (Avoid):

Junk Foods
Fried Foods
Spicy Foods
High-Fat Meats
Processed meats (lunch meat, hotdogs, sausages)
Sugars
Artificial sweeteners
Dairy
Eggs
Nightshades (Tomatoes, White Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Chili, Paprika, Eggplant)

Tigger Foods (other foods to avoid when flaring)

Shellfish
Chocolate
Carbonated drinks
Caffeine
Alcohol
Salty foods
Posted 7/16/2009 1:48 PM (GMT -5)
just thought i would post this as i got the results of most of my tests back. The doctor called me and was kind of awkward too. He just said hello this is Dr. Stein and then a loooooong pause. So i just said, what are my results. He said he was missing a couple but has most of them. Asked a few personal questions, then just blurted out, what are my results.

he said for what what he has now everything looks perfectly normal, blood count and all that other jazz. huge relief. Def said a colonoscpy is in order cuz i havent had one in 3-4 years. I will no doubt get one. Then i asked a question my wife was freakin me out about was the cancer question. He said i am at a prety low risk right now and wouldnt' worry about that and to just get the colonoscopy.
Posted 7/16/2009 4:18 PM (GMT -5)
Good. Try to stop worrying!

It's scary looking and I'm sure people who have never had blood in their stool would find it shocking, but I never worried about the blood. I always bled a little, even when I was feeling pretty good. My body makes more (just like for women and their periods). Only when I was in a bad flare for a while did I get anemic, but that was treatable.
Posted 7/16/2009 6:23 PM (GMT -5)

I was told by my new doc (with 30 plus experience with UC and Crohns) that blood is not the worst symptoms especially if your blood tests remain normal.

ElaineNY

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