Dealing with an Episodic Flare

[Tummyache]

Hope this helps someone else, who has episodic flares like me rather than the continual type: When I feel like I am at the start of a full-out episode of diarrhea and vomiting, etc.... I immediately quit eating solid foods and go on an all-liquid diet for at least 2-3 days - this means juices, ginger ale, tea, clear broth, jello - all I can tolerate. [Initially, I tend to sleep off and on around the clock for a day or two along with running a low grade temperature, interspersed with bathroom visits, of course.] When I feel more settled, I have one day on white rice, apple sauce + liquids..maybe 2 days depending on how well things are going. Usually my intestines have calmed down by now, so I can slowly return to my usual, normal restricted diet. This usually stops these episodes from continuing on and on. Before I discovered this worked for me, if I tried to "eat" through the episode, it ended up lasting a lot longer or quickly got a lot more serious.

 

[orangeleprechaun28]

I've been through the same methodology as you. I'm currently going through the diagnosis process. Before any doctor mentioned crohns, I had to learn ways to deal with my stomach issues. I kept catching "stomach bugs" even though no one else was sick. I learned to do what you did. I'd drastically restrict food intake, sleep most of the day (17+ hours of 24), and essentially started the low residue diet even though I didn't know that's what it was called at the time. Within 10 days, I'd be back to my normal diet. Unfortunately, earlier this year I had a couple episodic flares within 2 weeks (have been flaring since) and then started the diagnosis process with doctors and GIs. I'm starting new medicines to try and control this. I wish you (and everyone on the forum) the best of luck.