How do you know your flaring?

[theone]

how do you know your flaring?

What are your signs of flaring?

Believe it or not but after 20 years I still don't know when to be concerned. For instance 2.5 years ago when my GI told me my crohns was severe after a colonoscopy, I was surprised. I had no pain, loss of appetite, or other signs. Going to the bathroom has been the same as long as I can remember, ever in times of remission.

What do you look for?

 

[PENWESTERN]

I understand. I have had severe crohns for ten years plus and for most of the time did not even know it except I had "D" once or twice a day with some urgency.

I had a serious flare in Nov. It started with weight loss, eye dr. noticed inflammation and prescribed prednisone drops for my eyes which I refused, then a few months later vomiting, profuse "D", dehydration and then kidney faiilure ended up in ICU for a few days. I took meds felt fine and did not want surgery. GI Dr. recommended it and I had elective resection two weeks ago. Surgeon said my ileum/cecum was 8.5 on scale of 10 with ten being worst case he has seen in 20 years. I did not even think I needed the operation. My current situation is healthy ends are sewn together. Now I also need to know when I start inflaming and probably will not know til my GI Dr. finds it as the pain is no longer there for me. I am currently taking 50 mg Imuran and will likely start 300 mg Remicade up again to try to keep the crohns away. I can only hope. I also take fish oil capsules and Florastor on my own to try to stay clear of inflammation.

 

[D Bergy]

Do you have more than one bowel movement a day?

Normal people usually go once a day, if your normal habits are out of line with that you may be in constant low grade flare.

I never had any amount of pain associated with my Crohn's either. My H-Pylori infection was the only painful experience I had when I was very sick.

Pain is usually a good indicator, but a few of us are different in that respect.

Dan

 

[BWS1982]

Dan is right, a "flare up" is anything abnormal as far as symptomology....if you are having any looseness to stools, going more than 2 a day or so, having anything that a normal person wouldn't have (on more than a fluke occurance, as normal people still get food poisoning, diarrhea, gas, etc... but it is fleeting and temporary) means you have a mild flare still lurking. Remission was defined each time I research it and ask about it, as an absence of symptoms, as if you never had Crohns. I know it can be hard for some of us to remember those days, though, if at all, so defining it can be difficult.

 

[daisy_dueller]

Well...if remission is a complete absense of symptoms...I've never experienced true remission...even now after a resection. I've had D ever since I can remember...on average, about 3 or 4 times a day. this, to me, is GOOD...I remember the days of 10-12 times a day. Maybe it's just reactions to food i'm eating though...it's entirely possible.

 

[mommy1st]

I guess I know I'm flaring when everyone in my house looks for me in the bathroom before anywhere else. Usually when I am flaring I have D about 15+ times a day, now since recent resection I only go about 2 times a day, sometimes a little more depending on what I eat.

 

[D Bergy]

Since I have been normal most of my life, it is easier for me to tell what abnormal is. Even though I do not have the most obvious symptom of pain.

I have had times in the not to distant past when I had to go to the bathroom 3 or 4 times a day. Even if I only went once, it was loose, watery or abnormal in some other way. I also had sensations in my Ilium that were not supposed to be there. This was post surgery, my pre-surgical symptoms included vomiting, wasting away of muscle mass, and extreme tiredness. The surgery resolved these problems.

This was the basis for my flare indicators. When I resolved all of these symptoms, I was pretty sure I was in the clear and as normal as I could be.

A doctor cannot really monitor the more subtle symptoms that are not normal. I suppose we all have to tune in to our symptoms to make sure we are on the right road to recovery.

Dan

 

[My Butt Hurts]

My first sign that I am flaring is wanting to know how far away from the bathroom I am when I'm in public.
Once I start thinking about my disease for more than a few minutes each day - I know it's a flare. When I forget about it (except for taking my meds) I know I am in a remission.

 

[Colt]

How do I know I'm not having a flare? I check my pill box and there's no prednisone. :yfrown:

 

[theone]

I'm going to see my GI today to discuss my symptoms. It's been a while since I felt the need to be concerned about my crohns.

These are the bad days

 

[Mark33180]

I usually notice that when i start a flarei begin to sweat alot at night for a few days, enough to have to change the sheets in the middle of the night, and then there is the bleeding when going to the bathroom, getting fatigued really easily and not getting much of an appetite