Flair Up

[ldrandler]

Hi, My flare ups are getting more frequent. I have had two in the past three weeks. Both of which took 2 1/2 days to get over. I will describe my flare up to you, then ask a couple of questions.

Day 1 - Severe stomach cramps and severely constipated. I will also throw up clear liquid several times. I usually burp when this happens. I can not do anything or eat anything for 24 hours.

Day 2 - The stomach cramps lessen slowly thru the course of the day. Near the end of the day, I begin to have bowel movements. Very firm at first, loosening more and more thru the evening until it is just water. I may be able to eat broth or soup run thru a blender very late in the day.

Day 3 - Almost back to normal. Stomach muscles sore from all the cramping. Very weak, only able to do light to moderate activities.

First question - Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ?

Second question - I think but am not sure that the flare up is caused by something that I ate. I try to stick to a low fiber diet. That has become very boring. But I am unable to figure out what food triggers the flare up. Any ideas ? ? ?

Final question - The primary issue with the flare up seems to be that I am severely constipated. Is there anything that will immediately relieve the constipation ? ? ? I am considering prunes or prune juice. Does this sound like a possible solution ? ? ?

Thanks in advance, les

 

[ronroush7]

Everyone is different. You may or may not have some form of inflammatory bowel disease with the symptoms you have described. Have you seen a doctor? You might try a food diary to see what foods your body tolerates.

 

[Scipio]

Do you have any intestinal strictures that might result in a gut blockage? The constipation with vomiting to the point of clear vomiting sounds like the time I suffered a small bowel blockage in the ileal region.

 

[ldrandler]

Yes, I have a stricture. When the area around it becomes inflamed, that's when I get really bad. The remicade is supposed to help control that but I an not sure it is really effective. I was in the hospital in the early part of November and they wanted to cut out the stricture and some of the intestines on either side of it. I desperately do not want another surgery. The first one cost me 25 pounds of body weight that I have not yet been able to get back six years later. I only weigh 134 and could not stand to lose another 25 pounds.

 

[Layla]

Your episodes certainly sound like blockages to me, especially since you know you have a stricture. Do you know if the stricture is caused by inflammation or whether it's permanent scar tissue?

If it's due to inflammation then I would think the Remi isn't working very well for you. Have you had any imaging done lately to figure out which it is?

If it's scar tissue then surgery sounds like the best option. I know you don't want that, I'm facing the same atm so I truly understand, but it will be very difficult to put on weight with a stricture and you're also risking emergency surgery if the blockage won't clear one day which is way worse than having planned surgery.

 

[ldrandler]

It is permanent scar tissue, primarily. The flair ups occur if the area becomes inflamed. Don't know for sure what causes the inflamation. My guess is some kind of food that I ate but can't pin it down exactly. I am scheduled for a colonoscopy in June. Should know more for sure then.