How soon to flare after scope demonstrating remission?

[wondering]

So I'm mildly concerned I may be flaring. I've been having an increase in pain and decrease in appetite. Also some low grade fevers every evening. Thought things were improving and ate a larger (but fairly bland) lunch and spent several hours with more severe pain and nausea. I've had to dip into my zofran supply for the first scan in months.

However, I was scoped 2 months ago and was in remission. Is it possible to be flaring? I've talked to my doctor and he wants me to try to give it a bit longer and see which way things go, but is willing to do a work up if things don't get better or get worse.

 

[Lisa]

Are you on any type of maintenance medications? Everyone is different, but it does sound like you may be starting a flare. From experience, my doctor used to stop medication when I was in remission, then start again when I would flare.....however, the remission times kept getting shorter and shorter.......and then other complications such as fistulas started reading their ugly head.

 

[kristihelene]

My GI has done extensive research on patients who are in endoscopic remission but having flare symptoms - it may be a flare, but it may also just be your disease process. In his clinical study, 50% of patients who were in endoscopic remission were still symptomatic -- you're not alone!

 

[wondering]

pasobuff - I'm on imuran, which has worked well for me (been in remission for 3 years). Have been on Remicade in past but had to stop it.

kristhielene - that's interesting, thanks for the info!

Sometimes I have trouble knowing what's a flare and what to just wait out. I've been lucky and only had one bad flare, but it lasted over year and landed me in the hospital. In retrospect, had I been more aggressive about treating it earlier, I think I wouldn't have gotten so sic. Instead I just kept tryinig to ignore everything, and I'm afraid of doing it again.

Thanks all!