Hello All!
I am a 21 year old from the west coast, and was diagnosed with UC in January. I am currently about 2 weeks into my first flare up, and it doesnt seem like its going to end/taper off anytime soon. I feel the need to go to the bathroom(pressure, pain) almost every time after I eat, and often have to get up 2-3 times during the night, ending up with 7-10 trips to the bathroom per day. The amount of blood has reduced recently, but I still feel the pain and need to go very often.
Is this typical for a flare up? This is my first one, so still trying to figure out what to do and not to do. Should I try to hold in my bowel movements, or is going as much you need better? Also, any tips on diet/lifestyle changes during the flare? I haven't been able to go to the gym since this started for fear of needing to use the bathroom, and have tried mainly white bread/rice and oatmeal, and cutting out dairy and vegetables during this flare.
Any help or advice would be appreciated!
Edit: I am currently on Lialda, 3.6g non-flare, 4.8g now during flare. GI suggested trying a prednisone course, but wasn't sure if I should start that yet.
Reply posted for palmtree98.
Hi. The only thing that helped me significantly with the bleeding was prednisone and Canasa suppositories. Good luck!!
Reply posted for palmtree98.
I’ve got no good news on the passing blood issue. I rarely saw any in my stool, it just blended in with the diarrhea, but I found out I was severely anemic and was hospitalized for blood transfusion. Got five pints. I eventually had to have 23 pints transfused.
Reply posted for charbs.
Thanks for your response! I'll definitely stop trying to avoid bowel movements. Also any tips on how to control blood in the stool? Even while on Prednisone and Lialda 4.8g, I've still been losing a lot of blood, especially in the mornings.
Reply posted for palmtree98.
Don’t try to hold it in, that’s a game you’ll lose. I have learned to go to the bathroom after every meal. If I’m going to a restaurant I always go before I leave the restaurant and again as soon as I get home.
prednisone was the only thing that worked for me, but you can’t stay on it long term. The side effects are awful.
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