I called my GI yesterday and I he wants to see me next Tuesday because I have been flaring pretty much since June.  I would be on the steroid enemas (taper) and flare again. However, this has been a flare different then what I am used to.  My main symptom this time around is bleeding, pain, mucous and urgency.  I am having somewhat solid stool...well that changes sometimes from day to day, hour to hour - from sometimes D to solid and everything in between. 

But the bleeding is what is getting me.  I have been having a lot of bleeding this time around and I am feeling frustrated!  I have been back on the steroid enemas for a week now and normally the bleeding would've stopped but it's not.  I mean it's not a lot a LOT of blood, but obviously my body is not happy if I wake up at 3 in the morning because I feel I have to go just to expel it.  And then when I do, it feels like someone lit a match in there....it burns something fierce!  Aaagggghhh!

Not a clue what he is going to do. I am already on 6mp, which doesn't work right anyway because I can't metabolize it correctly. But I have a feeling I'm getting down to the wire with this flare.

I am having a very similar type flare with virtually the same symptoms as you except my stool has been consistently well formed for the most part except the very first part which sometimes is a bit loose (oh yeah, and I never have to get up at night to go). I originally did a course of oral pred which cleared it up only to have it come back to a lesser degree upon tapering. Normally I cushion the pred taper with cortifoam to keep the rectum from flaring as I taper, but the stupid nurse wouldn't let me do it this time.

After the mucous and blood came back, only then would she give me cortifoam, but by then, it was too late and I couldn't get the genie back in the bottle so to speak. Still pissed about that to be honest.

I made things worse when I tried curcumin a few days back and now I am having looser stools and heavier bleeding.

So far my doc has refused to let me try steroid enemas instead of the steroid foam, but I am going to raise hell today, and if he won't let me try it, I am going to go to another doctor. He keeps pushing remicade which I have zero interest in. The next step for me if I can't get this flare under control is surgery.

What the person posted about doing 2 enemas/day sounds interesting if you have no other options to try at this point. Rectal inflammation can be really stubborn.

To make sure you cover all the bases, I'd make sure you get some stool cultures if you haven't already...Just to make sure no C diff...My son's bleeding didn't seem to want to stop until the C difficile he had was treated. Just a thought....Hope you feel better soon.

Jo (son 15 y.o. w/ proctosigmoiditis)

I also wonder whether Cortifoam would help with your "burning" sensation-- depends on how low down the tissues are that cause your misery. I'd beware of Proctofoam, though, because it's really more of a hemmie treatment than a major anti-UC med. Sorry that you're still not able to turn this flare around. Pillsbury farina has a lot of iron in it-- in case you need to supplement safely. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

I will see what he suggests. I felt a bit better yesterday afternoon - yesterday morning was pure hades though! I didn't wake up last night to go to the bathroom but I did go a little this morning (nothing but bright red blood and mucous).

But when I do see him, if he suggests prednisone I will tell him that I absolutely refuse to go on pred. I have not been on it in the whole 18 years of having this and I refuse to do it now. I am sensitive to steroids and the last time I tried a VERY low dose for my arthritis I was a wreck for the three whole days I took it (I was supposed to take it for 7 days). Nervousness, bad bad leg cramps, facial flushing, extreme mood swings and insomnia - yes I know it can take a few days for these normal side effects to hit someone but I have a strange body. I am sensitive to many things. I am at the point that if he suggests Remicade, I may try it but I would much rather just have the ole traitorous colon just yanked out!

that stinks! When you say bleeding, do you mean dripping into the toilet, or on the TP? I bleed a lot too, still. I'm just in denial, apparently, as I tell my GI I'm doing great! Can you be sure it's not from hemmorhoids? Is it bright red & liquidy, or darker & mucousy? I hope things go well at your GI visit- please let us know what he suggests! Take care, get extra rest, maybe try lots of liquid foods, yogurt, oatmeal, soft stuff...

C_G_K, I haven't taken my Celebrex for a long time because yes I know it can cause bleeding. I stopped it in June, I just didn't take it out of my sig because I may start back on it again whenever this flare gets under control. And yes my joints are screaming at me for it too!

Eva Lou, my blood now is bright red, both dripping in the toilet and on the TP but sometimes it's dark red too with mucous. I've even noticed blood stains on my underwear.

Aguywithuc, I am allergic to Sulfasalazine but I do take Bentyl to help relax my colon and I just recently got put on Klonopin to help with my anxiety level. I'm glad you found something that works for you and I hope the upward trend continues.

Still seeing Dr. K then? Are you still liking him?

On the other hand with Remicade, remember how it helped Judy2. Maybe she will sign on & advise you because she also has complications/sensitivities ... Hang in there & let us know what your gastro thinks about the latest turn of symptoms. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

Our GI said to steer clear of vitamin E while flaring because it can actually increase the bleeding. that's my only bit of info, sorry.