About remission

[edamame]

Does remission mean the intestine can absorb nutrients normally and the fatigue and pain is completely gone?

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I believe so, at least for me it is. I do have times still where I don't feel good, but I'm not receiving blood in my bowls. So, I do know that I'm not in a flare.

Did they say that you're in remission?

 

[ronroush7]

I am not sure. I am going to tag Clash.

 

[D Bergy]

I never had pain until I was really ill, so in my case lack of pain was not a good early indicator of remission. Blood of course, is not normal so having blood in the stool that cannot be attributed to hemmeroids is certainly a flare indication. For myself, mucous in the stool was the reliable indicator along with BM frequency. No mucous, no problems. Not going to the bathroom several times a day is a good indication of remission for most people.

I have had my ileum removed so that certainly influences the number of Bathroom trips by itself so you have to account for the new normal when the surgery itself increases the number of bowel movements.

Dan

 

[Scipio]

Does remission mean the intestine can absorb nutrients normally and the fatigue and pain is completely gone?

"remission" usually refers to the state of the bowel, mostly defined as an absence of inflammation and ulcers as determined by colonoscopy (or MRE for the small bowel) and microscopic examination of the gut tissue biopsies.

In remission the absorption of nutrients should be more or less normal provided that there is not already extensive permanent scarring and damage from prior inflammation and that sections of bowel have not been surgically removed.

Pain and fatigue should be reduced but may still be present to some degree due to causes such as lingering anemia or painful scars or adhesions.

 

[edamame]

I've seen "remission" so many times on this forum and wonder how people really feel when they say the word. For me if I follow a strict diet and exercise moderately, there are 2 to 3 days in a week when I feel mostly fine, but it would contradict the test results. I guess when the inflammation is silent, feelings can't be relied upon.

 

[Scipio]

For me if I follow a strict diet and exercise moderately, there are 2 to 3 days in a week when I feel mostly fine, but it would contradict the test results. I guess when the inflammation is silent, feelings can't be relied upon.

Correct. If you feel okay but the inflammation and ulcers are still there, that's not "remission" in the medical sense. I'd call that "having a good day" despite the presence of active disease.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Correct. If you feel okay but the inflammation and ulcers are still there, that's not "remission" in the medical sense. I'd call that "having a good day" despite the presence of active disease.

Right, I forgot to say that this last year I had a colonoscopy and my GI found no inflammation at all. Which is why I put that in my signature...