How do you handle a flare?
- Thread starter mom5272
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Were you on a pred burst ( only 5 days )?
Otherwise even at 5 mg a week it takes a few weeks to taper down so you don't flare
If you taper pred too quickly that alone can trigger a flare which is why most Gi
Docs either do a 3-5 day burst
Or pred is done longer with a slower weekly taper
What does your Gi say ??
Otherwise even at 5 mg a week it takes a few weeks to taper down so you don't flare
If you taper pred too quickly that alone can trigger a flare which is why most Gi
Docs either do a 3-5 day burst
Or pred is done longer with a slower weekly taper
What does your Gi say ??
Sorry that you are in a flare. I'm in one at the moment too. I cut out all fibre and now I'm on an elemental diet for 2-3 weeks, after which I'll follow John Hunter's LOFFLEX diet. According to some studies, it is just as effective as corticosteroids (80% remission). It's just so difficult though! The first time I did it, my remission lasted for 2.5 years. Depends on your circumstances though. Anyway, reducing fibre does help me a lot too. Especially if you're in a lot of pain. Good luck!
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Medication, meditation, relaxing, dietary alterations, more sleep, seeing friends (at least calling them if no other chance to see them), not thinking too much.
Water, water, and plenty of water throughout the day and night when i wake 
An all liquid plan, ensure, boost, (sorry (for me) the no caraganeen goes out the window when in a severe flare) since i can't stand long to make my own. Once i can, i go to vega one protein drinks. Broth, yogurt, bananas, soft, bland foods, low to no sugar (after im off ensure, boost). Slowly re introduce foods. Rice, toast, peanut butter, honey, goat cheese, soft vegetables, miso soup, tofu....
Meditation, relaxation, sleep, sleep and more sleep. Calm your body, mind as much as possible.
Gratitude for everything, prayer.
An all liquid plan, ensure, boost, (sorry (for me) the no caraganeen goes out the window when in a severe flare) since i can't stand long to make my own. Once i can, i go to vega one protein drinks. Broth, yogurt, bananas, soft, bland foods, low to no sugar (after im off ensure, boost). Slowly re introduce foods. Rice, toast, peanut butter, honey, goat cheese, soft vegetables, miso soup, tofu....Meditation, relaxation, sleep, sleep and more sleep. Calm your body, mind as much as possible.
Gratitude for everything, prayer.
When I was on pred. 40mg for 5days,30mg for 5days,20mg for 5 days 10mg for 5 days then 5mg until the prescribed course is finished. But even doing that I flared during the last week.
Feel better soon.
Feel better soon.
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I am right there with you. I was taking 30 mg. of Prednisone after leaving a 3 day stint in the hospital. Felt great. GI doc wanted me off it and Humira ASAP. Took a while to get it set up b/c I'm uninsured right now. So I was able to take the Prednisone for a solid month. Got the Humira started two weeks so now the doc. wants me off the steroids. He wanted me to come down at 10 mg, I refused did it 5mg. a week. Now I'm down to 15 mg. going to 10 tomorrow, guess what has happened. The bad gas, bowel upset and pain has returned. My next dose of Humira is Thursday, but I have to say I wish he'd let me stay on the steroids until the Humira starts to work. I've read it can take months for it to work if it does. I had a bad flare up this week actually. Spent yesterday on a liquid diet. Just reintroduced toast and almond butter this morning. Plain gluten free pasta for lunch. Dinner will be baked chicken and rice with chicken broth. If I stick with this diet for a couple days it usually eases my gut and I can resume life. Hope yours eases soon.
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Hope you feel better soon.
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What does your new Gi say?
I know if we wean Ds too quickly he will flare and only steriods at the high level again will help get it down.
Weaning as fast as you did can be risky since your body won't know to produce enough cortisol on its own that's why they wean by 5 mg every 7 days after you have been on a steriod for more than 5 days .
No one likes to be on steriods but if you wean too fast you flare and end up on higher doses longer .
As an aside humira can take 3-5 months to be fully effective
I know if we wean Ds too quickly he will flare and only steriods at the high level again will help get it down.
Weaning as fast as you did can be risky since your body won't know to produce enough cortisol on its own that's why they wean by 5 mg every 7 days after you have been on a steriod for more than 5 days .
No one likes to be on steriods but if you wean too fast you flare and end up on higher doses longer .
As an aside humira can take 3-5 months to be fully effective
Cat-a-Tonic
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When I flare, here are some of the things I do.
First of all I cry. A lot. Then I call my doctor and cry to him. Have him schedule tests, appointments, put me on steroids, whatever needs to be done. First priority is definitely to get the flare under control.
Rest, rest, rest. It's incredibly exhausting being in a flare and you need all the rest and sleep you can get. Don't worry even if your house gets messy, that can wait (I say this as someone who just vacuumed her house for the first time in over a month).
Distractions are good. In this current flare, I've done a LOT of crocheting (I finished an entire blanket in 5 days which is a new record for me). I also played with Legos a lot. Yes, I'm an adult. But I found it was a really nice distraction to get a new Lego set, follow the instructions, put it together. It's fun and kept my mind off of how icky I was feeling, and I could do it from the couch.
As for food, it was not my friend at all in this flare and I had to do an elemental diet for a couple weeks. Now I'm doing low-FODMAP and starting to feel well again. If food isn't going so well, try just having liquids like broth or Ensure for a couple days. Then move on to very bland foods like plain rice.
Do something nice for yourself. Prednisone has made my skin not so pretty, so I got some fancy face masques and have been pampering myself a little bit. That has made me feel better mentally, like I'm worth pampering.
Oh, and online shopping is your friend. Some days I could barely drag myself to the couch, there was no way I was going to make it to a store. I got my legos and face masques online, so much easier than physically leaving the house.
Having said that, exercise as much as you are able. Even if that means just walking from one end of your house to the other. Walking is important and good for the gut. Don't overdo it, listen to your body and do not push yourself. But do try to walk as much as you are able.
First of all I cry. A lot. Then I call my doctor and cry to him. Have him schedule tests, appointments, put me on steroids, whatever needs to be done. First priority is definitely to get the flare under control.
Rest, rest, rest. It's incredibly exhausting being in a flare and you need all the rest and sleep you can get. Don't worry even if your house gets messy, that can wait (I say this as someone who just vacuumed her house for the first time in over a month).
Distractions are good. In this current flare, I've done a LOT of crocheting (I finished an entire blanket in 5 days which is a new record for me). I also played with Legos a lot. Yes, I'm an adult. But I found it was a really nice distraction to get a new Lego set, follow the instructions, put it together. It's fun and kept my mind off of how icky I was feeling, and I could do it from the couch.
As for food, it was not my friend at all in this flare and I had to do an elemental diet for a couple weeks. Now I'm doing low-FODMAP and starting to feel well again. If food isn't going so well, try just having liquids like broth or Ensure for a couple days. Then move on to very bland foods like plain rice.
Do something nice for yourself. Prednisone has made my skin not so pretty, so I got some fancy face masques and have been pampering myself a little bit. That has made me feel better mentally, like I'm worth pampering.
Oh, and online shopping is your friend. Some days I could barely drag myself to the couch, there was no way I was going to make it to a store. I got my legos and face masques online, so much easier than physically leaving the house.
Having said that, exercise as much as you are able. Even if that means just walking from one end of your house to the other. Walking is important and good for the gut. Don't overdo it, listen to your body and do not push yourself. But do try to walk as much as you are able.
