Should I call my doctor?

[BigRedd]

Hey. I got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis a year ago and I think I'm having my first flare since then.

symptoms:
-diarrhea for a week and a half
-sharp pains/cramps in my lower belly
-blood in stool only once yesterday
-the usual tiredness

My GI's assistant/nurse gave me a number to call in case of emergencies. Should I be calling her about this? Or will it pass?

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Yes, absolutely. The general rule is: When in doubt, call your doctor. The other rule is, if you're wondering whether or not to go to the ER - go to the ER. It's better to be safe than sorry, and if you're flaring, it's best to catch it and treat it early before it gets worse and/or starts causing damage such as scar tissue. So yes, long story short - call your doctor.

 

[2thFairy]

I wouldn't call it an emergency, but definitely call your doctor's office and let them know you are flaring. They will either want to see you or might prescribe more meds for you without an office visit.

 

[scottsma]

I don't know about other posters,but I usually know how to manage flares.
I have occassionaly been on the brink of phoning my Doc. and things have started to ease up.But you're comparatively new to IBD and it can be very worrying and stressful,which doesn't help things.So I agree you should go to your doctor.The fact that you've posted for advice means you're concerned.Your meds may need a tweek.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I too am one of the seasoned ones. But, totally agree with the others. It'll take a little time to get to know yourself better as far as what to do and not to do. Right now while you're still learning is a great time to ask questions of your doctor/nurse and/or go in to see them while you're flaring.

 

[2thFairy]

When I was first diagnosed, I asked my doctor how long I should wait before I called him whenever I was having a flare. I thought maybe I should wait and see if it would fix itself since I was already on meds. He said, don't wait, call right away and we most likely can handle things over the phone. True to his word, we handled things over the phone for the first year. After that is a different story, but that's just because my gut didn't cooperate.

 

[FrozenGirl]

Same as 2thFairy my GI and I handle lots of stuff over the phone, both for geographical reasons ( it's almost an hour drive) and he is super busy, it is easiest to call. Either way your GI will be glad you called so he can deal with it. Better not to let yourself get too bad, the farther in you are the harder it is to get out.