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What do you do if you think you are about to flare?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/30/2022 6:25 PM (GMT -5)
I am on 7 400 mg Asacol a day (I was tapering down from 8 which I took for years) + 1 Rowasa, and also Visbiome 2x a day, curcumin 2x a day, fish oil 2x a day.
I've been in remission since 2022. Hoping this is just a blip, but if not, what would you do? Amp up the Asacol? Change what you eat? Add a second Rowasa? (I did this once for awhile years ago.)
I've never taken anything stronger than mesalamine and would love to keep it that way.
Posted 3/30/2022 6:28 PM (GMT -5)
You've been on Rowasa nightly?...and for how long?
What are your symptoms that makes you think you're flaring?

q
Posted 3/31/2022 6:27 PM (GMT -5)
I would increase the Asacol. You can take up to 12 a day.
Posted 4/1/2022 9:28 AM (GMT -5)
Diet modification is what I would do first
Posted 4/1/2022 12:35 PM (GMT -5)
1. Do a fecal calprotectin test to see if I'm actually flaring 2. Make sure I get enough rest 3. Call or email my GI for a treatment plan (depending on the results of the FCP test)

Bear in mind a flare could have been brewing for months before you started to experience symptoms.
Posted 4/1/2022 1:47 PM (GMT -5)

poopydoop said...
Bear in mind a flare could have been brewing for months before you started to experience symptoms.

And this is why they aren't spontaneous or that blood isn't the first symptom of a flare.
Changes arent noticed until they're a bit more obvious...then we suspect, cross our fingers, wish it away or justify it. However...some wait till blood appears even though symptoms aren't that bad but obvious. Still flaring, however. Recognising the confirmation earlier is a good thing so that we can treat earlier if symptoms are consistent or increasing. I don't depend on my doctor to tell me yea or nay.

q
Posted 4/2/2022 1:35 AM (GMT -5)
Plain diet ASAP, reduce all stress to zero, and increase my intake of antioxidants like crazy.

If things spiral to the cascade point, I hit it hard with prednisone.
Posted 4/2/2022 8:01 AM (GMT -5)
Max out your oral meds, use enemas nightly, modify diet. If it continues to get worse use some hydrocortisone enemas. Hopefully that will kick the flare to the curb before it can escalate.
Posted 4/6/2022 8:49 AM (GMT -5)
These are all really helpful suggestions. I have a call in now to my dr. After the initial post things calmed down a bit and I thought maybe it was a false alarm. But blood seems back this AM (very tiny evidence of slight pinkness on TP, very hard to tell) so I put in the call.
Increasing Asacol... sigh. I took too much Asacol (like more than 12) for years basically bc of paranoia... I had *finally* gotten it down to 7 this Jan. after 16 years of whittling! So the idea of pumping it back up to 12 sucks, but I would definitely do it if it is the way to avoid other things.
Stress is a big factor here. There has been a ton going on, difficult sleep, bad reflux, possible hormone component (I'm menopausal but just had one of those phantom periods you get, if anyone knows what I mean(), you name it, and now my husband is about to travel for 3 days and I'll be alone, no doubt quaking with anxiety. I am just trying to get back to my normal exercise routine after having had this injury that made it hard to do anything physical for about a month. That helps enormously with everything, sleep above all.
VanJordan, what's the thinking with the antioxidants? I actually just recently went down from 2 Vitamin C (500mg) a day to 1 for other reasons. I can definitely get back on the second one!
Thanks so much to all!
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