What do you define as a flare up?

[David]

I'm curious what everyone here defines as a flareup. Coming out of remission? Symptoms worse than normal. Eating something that tears you apart for a couple of days? Thanks

I PERSONALLY define it as a period where the disease is active and causing symptoms and then, at some point, is followed by remission where the symptoms either decrease significantly or disappear. But it seems like some may be using it differently here?

 

[Astra]

I call my flares inflammation, and that manifests itself everywhere, joints et al.
I have symptoms ie diarrhea on a daily basis, but I don't call it flaring. It's normal for me.
And to be honest, I've only had one really bad un that needed hospital treatment. And that was excruciating agonising doubled over pain, vomiting and explosive diarrhea, joint pain and back ache etc. Oh, and I was blocked too!
So, flaring is inflammation, for me anyway.

 

[Caiten]

I'de consider a flare up as a return of inflammation personally (alongside subsequent symptoms).

 

[Rebecca85]

Personally I wouldn't class eating something and having symptoms from it as a flare up. That's normal for me. I would class a flare up as having symptoms that are worse than normal, over at least a few days, so chances are it's active inflammation causing the symptoms rather than food, stress, illness etc. I have only had one flare (the one that led to diagnosis), and I was in a kind of 'limbo' after, where I had few symptoms but ESR and CRP were still raised- I referred to it as 'almost remission'.

 

[Tony]

When I start seeing mucous followed by bleeding after a bm I would consider that a flare up,, just happens I started flaring yesterday.

 

[Dunbar]

When my toe knuckles hurt-everything else follows

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I set a time limit on mine. If I have increased diarrhea (my main symptom) for more than 2 weeks, it's a flare. In remission, I only get diarrhea after eating Taco Bell or drinking too much alcohol. Otherwise, it's once a day. If I start getting diarrhea daily, I cross my fingers and hope it's just a bug. After 2 weeks, I declare it a flare and call my GI.

 

[littlefreebird]

i only use the term flare-up to describe worsened crohn's symptoms that result in me either contacting the dr for more treatment or i end up takin myself to hospital and the dr's admit me.
i also use the term mini-flares for when my symptoms worsen around my time of the month or during a cold/flu lol.
i use the term remission if i class myself well enough to work and do my job well with minimal symptoms if any.

 

[KaLa]

Blood, diarrhea more than 4 times a day and bad cramping.

 

[Jennifer]

I'm pretty much the same as you David where a flare is when the disease is active and you are out of remission. You're disease is either in control (remission) or its active (flare). Flares can be severe to mild or in the process of being treated but there really is no in between cause the disease is either active or its not.

 

[LindaS]

For me, I consider it a flare if my symptoms worsen for more than a week, and it isn't related to anything else (something I ate, a virus or such). Symptoms can be diarrhea, pain/cramping, blood or mucous in the stool and backaches.

 

[sunflower]

I always thought of it as a period of time with exaggerated symptoms and inflammation. Pain and D are all part of me now.

Just so happens I am having a flare right now, but without the usual symptoms. No D - constipation this time. Started having bloody mucous, though and that is always a sign for me.

 

[Crohn'sFor Life]

Blood, diarrhea, needing to go more than 4 times a day. Just one of the three symptoms is enough for me to label it a flare-up.

 

[YJ120]

Hey all,

I was diagnosed again on Monday. I say again as I was diagnosed last year, in November, but then an idiot Consultant said he thought it was infection because and in his words 'I wasn't going to the toilet 15 times in a day with bloddy diarrhea'!! Anyway after getting a new consultant and further tests I have finally been diagnosed. I was just going to start a thread asking what is considered a flare up and then found this.

I guess everyone classes it different. I don't know if I'm having a flare at the moment and woudl appreciate opinions? I had a CT scan on 16th June and results are back diagnosing crohns - the last lot of medication I had, was stopped mid Feb 11, I have been having really really bad abdominal pain for a while but over the last 2 weeks, it's got so bad that I'm off work and I am absolutely exhausted all the time. I just sleep and when I'm awake I'm like a zombie. Is this a flare or is this normal?

Hopefully my medication will kick in soon

Thanks all

 

[Jennifer]

@ - YJ120 The only times you really feel the effects of the disease are when you're currently in a flare. While in remission you have little to absolutely no inflammation and do not suffer from any symptoms other than lack of absorption on nutrients at times especially if you've already had a bowel resection. But we take supplements or have shots to help with that. For instance I've always been low on B12 because of my resection and it makes me feel tired and low on energy. I have monthly shots to help with those symptoms.

 

[YJ120]

hi, thanks for your reply. So in my case the disease is currently active and i'm in a flare? I presume when the medication starts to work i will then hopefully go into remission? Sorry it's just hard to get your head round at first. Thanks, yvette.

 

[Gwen pippy]

Oh Man after 24 yrs, flare ups and remissions have had many different faces. In the early days many BM's daily, mucus, blood, cramps and it would take weeks to months of symptoms for me to hit bottom. Now post 2 births and 2 miscarriages since 2006, it has completely changed.
I apparently was in bad flare since Nov 10 and was only having 1 BM, little mucus and NO blood daily but it doesn't take long to hit bottom these days but equally it doesn't take long getting back on feet. Strange I know!!!
One thing that hasn't changed regardless is smell, If I'm in flare its bad but if it's a tummy bug or just eaten the wrong thing that bad smell just isn't there.

 

[crohny66]

I feel like I have had crohns disease so long I don't know the difference between a flare up and remission anymore.....

I am not on any medication but I do deal with cycles of D (needing the bathroom 5+ times a day) and pain. It is particularly bad leading up to my time of the month. Some times the pain is so bad I am nauseated and vomit. Once I get my period the pain subsides and I have 2 good weeks before we start again... I don"t consider this as a flare up because it is not constant. When I have had flare-ups in the past the pain is always there regardless of the time of month. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never be symptom free and do my best to live with it.