"Mini-flares?"

[JDTM]

Aw man... and I was doing so well...

Last night I woke up around 3:00PM with my stomach enduring waves of pain -- each one would come on strong, and then fade. I kept hoping each one was the last one, but they kept coming for a couple of hours. I opted not to go to the hospital and I eventually fell back asleep as the pain subsided. I got up this morning feeling a little off but not full on horrible (yet). Up until this point, I was doing pretty well. Have any of you experienced a "mini-flare" or something like it? I'm thinking something along the lines of a 24-hour uptick in disease activity that goes beyond just eating something that doesn't agree with you.

Apologies if this isn't the clearest explanation in the world.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Yes, I know what you mean and I've had mini-flares too. I'm not sure what causes it or why, but I've heard others on the forum mention having similar experiences, so it seems to be pretty common.

I hope you feel better soon and that this isn't a full-blown flare! Hang in there and have a restful weekend.

 

[JDTM]

Thanks Cat -- say hi to Madison for me! (By the way, I might be in your neck of the woods in August, will keep you posted!)

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Didn't you say once that you're from Madison, or you used to live here, something like that? I will definitely say hi to Mad City for you, I plan on going on a nice bike ride around the city tomorrow as it's finally feeling like springtime here.

 

[JDTM]

Lived there for nine years, and my sister-in-law lives there so we're hopefully going to visit this summer. I miss riding those bike paths! Especially the one around Lake Monona... when there isn't a smelly algae bloom, of course.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

The bike paths here are indeed awesome. I live on the south side just a stone's throw from the bike path that goes up to Olin Park and on to downtown, so I have pretty much a direct bike path from my house to downtown. I'm thinking of riding to the farmer's market tomorrow. Although a ride through the arboretum tempts me too.

 

[carlysy]

Everyone's Crohn's presents differently and mine is quite unique in that most of my flares have presented just as you have described. They usually range from 1 to 5 days (sometimes I get 24hr ones) where the pain comes and goes in waves. The pain is sometimes bearable at home with a heat pack and pain medication but sometimes I need to be hospitalised and be put on morphine because the pain waves are so intense I feel like I can barely breath. This type of pain (from what my specialist has told me) is from a partial blockage in my bowel where there is a narrowing. The bowel goes into spasm as it tries to keep pushing things through and eventually (hopefully) the partial blockage relieves itself. I often find for a few days after this type of flare I feel kinda yuck, like you described, like I'm a bit bruised and sore, like my intestines have copped a battering.

I've since had this severely strictured section removed so I'm hoping I won't have to go through any more of these flare ups!