What is your definition of a flare?

[Domsmom]

You might all think that I'm crazy asking this, but I'm not 100% sure that I've ever had a true flare. I pretty much just have constant D (1-5x/day depending), mucous, intermittant abdominal pain, pain with BM, back pain that dissipates after BM, and hemmroids like you wouldn't believe (well, maybe you would ). I've had this basically for the past 3 years...this is my Crohn's. Nothing has seemed to help it, but I know that it's nothing like what many have experienced (though it still sucks!!!). Meds don't help much...prednisone just covers up some of my symptoms. But if I eat the wrong foods or am too stressed, even the prednisone doesn't help. My Dr. always asks if I'm flaring, but things are pretty much the same for me day-in/day-out. What is life in a flare like for you vs. life not flaring?

 

[Astra]

Hiya Kirsten

Yeah, that sounds like a flare with inflammation, if that makes any sense!
Flaring to me is Diarrhea, urgency and joint pain. I've been like this for donkey's years!
But back in January, I had the worst abdo pains. LRQ with back and hip pain, then the projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea. Ambulance and hospital job, I was blocked.
My gastro came to visit, and when I asked what's up with me, he said I was flaring! WTF?
So to him, flaring is inflammation, partial blockage, obstruction, vomiting etc.
Now, I'm not flaring, I have no pain, no D, nothing, but headache.
But when I get D, I call it flaring!
I believe it's what's 'normal' for you Kirsten, cos when I started vomiting, I knew something was wrong, cos that's not normal for me!
xxx

 

[Squadinho]

Being someone who never, ever used to get diarrhea before I became ill with CD, to me a flare is just that. Diarrhea mixed in the abdo pain and lethargy.

 

[effdee]

I consider a flare up anything but remission. Then mild/moderate/severe flare up depending on the symptoms.

 

[Welsh-bird]

Flaring for me is intense abdo cramping, followed by urgency, and I usually bleed and pass loads of mucus. Cramping tends to pass once I've been to the loo, but the whole cycle returns on an almost hourly basis. My flaring usually gives me more problems during the night, and it's the constant interupted sleep that causes my lethargy. I never used to suffer with night sweats, but this flare (almost 10 months long now) has brought them with it. I guess I have a new symptom to add to the never ending list that I previously held!
The joys of IBD eh??
And x

 

[skapaya]

Wow. I'm so glad I found this post. I was told by my doctor on Monday that he thinks he I have Crohns. We are waiting for blood tests, Endoscope, and CT results to confirm. After coming to this thread and reading other posts, I was positive that what I read is not what I have. This post made me give more credence to the doctors hypothesis.

My symptoms are off and on, and at their worst consist of diarrhea, stomach cramps, fatty stool, and nausea. It seems to be worse when stressed, however it has never been bad enough to keep me from day to day activities.

I've had stomach issues for as long as I can remember and am hoping that whatever is, it's diagnosed and I can begin treatment.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Hi Skapaya, welcome to the forum!

For me, when I'm not on meds, I typically have frequent diarrhea (maybe 5 or so bathroom trips a day), some nausea, lower-right abdominal pain, cramping and fatigue. I don't consider that a flare - it's not remission either, it's somewhere in between I guess. I just consider it my "new normal" although now that it's been a year it's not so new anymore.

When I'm flaring, everything is 10 times worse than my "new normal" - when I'm flaring I have d anywhere from 10 to 30 times a day and it's much more watery and mucus-y, a little blood, abdominal pain much worse and joint/lower back pains too, fatigue & weakness are much worse, dizziness and low blood pressure, dehydration, night sweats, awful nausea (hardly ever vomiting though). Certain foods bother me in a flare that don't bother me when I'm not flaring - spaghetti being the one that comes to mind. I can eat that no problem when I'm feeling okay, but in a flare it's murder on my guts. Oh, and I'm much more emotional too when I'm in a flare - I tend to cry at anything and everything, sometimes I cry for no reason at all.

 

[Domsmom]

Thanks everyone...it's interesting to hear how much different it is for everyone. I guess that we don't all fit under the same umbrella.

 

[ChefShazzy]

True enough, we all get our own set of symptoms that tell us we're flaring. For me, it's extremely urgent and frequent bathroom trips (20-30 per day), passing blood & mucus, nausea, cramping, pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and some vomiting.

 

[Mountaingem]

Flaring for me is joint pain that is swollen red and tender;followed by exhaustion, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Fistula opens up, intense rectal pain and drainage. These symptoms get progressively worse until pred, Cipro, Flagyl or Remicade breaks the flare ie the symptoms improve/go away.

 

[BLM]

When Im flaring everything is magnified a 100 times over. Pain, Pain pain...all over my body especially in my lower right quadrant and wraps around into my back and down my leg. I vomit, I go D all day, with lots of blood and mucus. I hurt all over, even my skin touching the sheets kills me. I get really disoriented and usually have a low grade fever. Its different for everyone....but its all very real for each and everyone of us. Good luck

 

[Jessica]

If you don't think you're in remission, then you're not. That's how I have to categorize myself. If I am talking myself into believing I'm in a remission, how it will always be, then I know it's a flare. If I don't think I'll ever feel better that I do that day, then I'll call it remission.

Don't talk yourself into settling for a flare up as remission.

Always strive to feel better.