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Flaring now. What do you eat during a flare?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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MmeMulot
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 158
Posted 2/1/2021 8:37 PM (GMT -6)
I've been pretty lucky until this past year, in that my flares have been infrequent and able to be nipped in the bud by increasing my balsalizide and adding Canasa suppositories in the morning (enemas are a standard at night for maintenance). But this year has been rough. I had my first flare in years in December 2019 (I stopped birth control pills and went into menopause, and I'm convinced that triggered the flare). Then with the stress of the pandemic, being laid off in September and still being out of work, I've been flaring periodically since then. I've seemed to get it under control, then after a couple months, I'll see blood again.

Over the past week, I've been having the worst symptoms I've had in many years -- blood, a lot of abdominal discomfort, major urgency and loose stools. So far my usual step-up measures aren't working. My gastro is hesitant to prescribe prednisone right now because of COVID (and I'm not wanting to take it anyway because of that). I've gotten some hydrocortisone enemas to try. The next option he's mentioned is Uceris, but I'm still hesitant, because it's also a steroid, though not as problematic as prednisone.

I had a calprotectin test in September when I was seeing blood, and my results were good: 35.6 mcg/g when <=50.0 mcg/g is normal.

I'm struggling to figure out what to eat. To be honest, the stress of everything has pretty much ruined my appetite for months. My usual go-to foods when flaring are baked salmon, sauteed spinach, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, egg noodles, eggs, boiled pierogies, bananas and rice. I'm a pescetarian, so seafood is the only meat I eat. I'm curious to see what foods others find soothing or at least not so problematic to eat during a flare.
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Old Hat
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 5712
Posted 2/1/2021 11:40 PM (GMT -6)
Sorry that you have stress from job loss; I think that work-related problems are worse to cope with than menopause! The pits!!!!! It's good that your doctor isn't pushing Prednisone. Maybe you can get rid of the blood with a few weeks on steroid enemas, worth a try. RE diet: if you don't have wheat intolerance, cooked farina (5 minutes) can be very soothing to the colon, also white bread toast, natural applesauce, steamed vegetables like carrot & seedless squash. Be sure to get adequate calcium & vitamin D supplements if you're avoiding dairy foods. / Old Hat (40 yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)
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Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 418
Posted 2/2/2021 12:17 AM (GMT -6)
Stress management is key. I meditate daily and try to reduce stress during flares. I also had the worst flare this year since I got a new medical problem + covid in the background.

During a flare I have bone broth or chicken soap twice daily (you can the soap without chicken), fish, squash, well cooked veggies, bananas, SCD yogurt, eggs. Sometimes avocado is okay for me too.

Best of luck to you!
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ambling
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 1075
Posted 2/2/2021 1:52 AM (GMT -6)
*chicken soap.... clean eating 😁😁😁

I try to rest the guts with bland food that doesn't need much digesting 😫
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Michelejc
Forum Moderator
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 2752
Posted 2/2/2021 4:05 AM (GMT -6)
I eat chicken broth, toast, bananas, cooked/mashed carrots, apple sauce
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poopydoop
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 1487
Posted 2/2/2021 8:07 AM (GMT -6)
My go-to foods are chicken, rice, pumpkin, sweet potato, cooked carrots (i don't know what it is about orange vegetables...) scrambled eggs. Bananas are ok if they're ripe.
No soap!
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TroubledTurds
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2004
Posts : 8705
Posted 2/2/2021 2:57 PM (GMT -6)
i agree - definitely no soap !

unless absolutely necessary ;-)


TT

btw, am i mistaken, or is rambling making light ? what's this covid world coming to ??/

;-)
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ambling
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 1075
Posted 2/2/2021 7:33 PM (GMT -6)
once a turd always a turd smile
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clo2014
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2015
Posts : 1437
Posted 2/3/2021 1:14 AM (GMT -6)
You made me LOL! Thanks I needed that!

SCD yogurt, boiled and mashed carrots, chicken bone broth (SCD), thin watery oatmeal with honey, white bread toast, applesauce, soft scrambled eggs, bananas, walmart equate chocolate nutrition replacement meals on crushed ice, and this I don't understand why or how it works only it does calm my tummy....lays potatoe chips and ginger ale or 7 up. When I was at my sickest I could only eat puffy Cheetos and plain homemade beef or chicken jerky with ginger ale. (Not alot of it but when its the only thing that will stay down....it'll do in a pinch)
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MmeMulot
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 158
Posted 2/3/2021 8:58 AM (GMT -6)
Thank you everyone for the replies! I was just about to ask about oatmeal, and am glad clo2014 mentioned it. I'm having oatmeal this morning with almond milk, turmeric and some frozen blueberries from my summer garden. I hope the blueberries are OK. I generally find oatmeal bland, not sure during a flare. It's not my favorite thing to eat.

I neglected to mention one other stressor at the moment. (Warning: Maybe TMI for the guys here.) After a year of no periods with menopause, I had a few days of spotting last month. My gynecologist wants me to have an ultrasound to check my uterine lining to make sure nothing bad is going on, because it's not normal to have spotting after a year of none. This of course has added to my stress level in a big way. A complication is that she is no longer on my health insurance since I lost my job and had to switch to a more limited-network ACA plan, so I'm having to work through my primary care physician to find a new gyno. That will take awhile. I'm also terrified of going into a doctor's office or anywhere really because of COVID, especially while I'm flaring.

In the meantime, I've gone off my hormone replacement therapy, as that can be a potential cause of the spotting. Given that I am convinced that going off birth control pills triggered my flare in late 2019, I wonder if going off HRT has contributed to this flare -- though this flare is worse than that one, but so is my stress level (exponentially more so). I've been doing so many dang guided meditation YouTube videos and started video counseling with a therapist, but the job/financial/health stress and anxiety are still massive.
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Michelejc
Forum Moderator
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 2752
Posted 2/3/2021 9:35 AM (GMT -6)
I also think oatmeal is bland. I add honey to it. Sometimes I also add dark chocolate chips.
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Old Hat
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 5712
Posted 2/3/2021 2:43 PM (GMT -6)
RE oatmeal during flare: it depends on whether you use rolled or steel-cut oat type. The latter has more fiber. If you use the 5-minute rolled oats meal, it cooks to a smooth consistency. Try it w/o any fruit added at 1st, a little pure maple syrup or honey or brown sugar should be ok. I have also found the Quaker Oat Bran hot cereal to be ok; it also cooks to a smooth result. *** RE menopause spotting: yes, you need to have it checked out, and beware of HRT. Friend of mine who was always very healthy got a terrible problem from a since-discredited formula. It's tough when you have to switch insurance & gyns, besides. Try not to panic. The gyn may ask for uterine biopsy through cervix in addition to u/s, or pelvic MRI with contrast in case those two turn up anything suspicious. It's important to stay positive when faced with these procedures because catching problems early-on definitely enables less complicated treatment. / Old Hat
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clo2014
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2015
Posts : 1437
Posted 2/3/2021 9:27 PM (GMT -6)
Gosh, I am sorry you are going thru this. I totally understand not wanting to go into doctor offices. The insurance, and financial stress during this pandemic is crushing. Its bound to impact you.

I have a friend in my ostomy support group that said her flares were caused from going off birth control and hormone therapy also. There have been others in the group that have indicated the same. I just realized that I became ill after I had food poisoning and while I was going thru menapause. Unsure if there is a correlation or not.

UC and Crohns are wicked diseases. I wish they'd push for a vaccine/cure for us after they finish with Covid.

Oh....and during a flare. I try to avoid fruit. Once I start feeling a Little better I add 1 new item every 4 days. If I start feeling ill I back track and start again.

Clo
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MmeMulot
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 158
Posted 2/5/2021 11:20 AM (GMT -6)
Thank you, clo! That is interesting that your friend and others also pointed to stopping birth control and HRT as flare triggers. I Googled the heck out of it at the time of the first flare, and I could find next to nothing online linking the two, even anecdotally. I think there clearly needs to be some study on this.
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LeafsFan
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2008
Posts : 333
Posted 2/5/2021 12:33 PM (GMT -6)
I have found bone broth works well for me. I try to drink it daily for the nurtients and collagen. Super easy to make and cheap! You can add ginger or turmeric as well. I even cook carrots in it, then blend them up and add them back to the broth.
Can add some rice and crack an egg into it, makes almost like a rice/broth porridge.

Good luck!
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Old Hat
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 5712
Posted 2/5/2021 2:30 PM (GMT -6)
There are gastroenterologist studies on endocrine effects in IBD, sub-specialist topics that get discussed at medical symposiums. From my own experience of treatment at major medical centers where a lot of research goes on, I'd say there's not enough collaboration between gynecologists & gastroenterologists because they have so many complications to deal with in their own specialties. My longtime gastroenterologist focuses additionally on immunology but has a younger colleague interested in pregnancy-related issues, involving endocrinology. That's what a UCer has to pursue to find out what research is going on: sub-specialist physicians who generally are affiliated with urban and/or university medical centers. There was a senior female posting here a while back who had gyn issues, too, and switched to Johns Hopkins-affiliated doctors owing to their research collaborations. / Old Hat
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Max_Power
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 43
Posted 2/8/2021 10:52 AM (GMT -6)
When I was hospitalized they put me a low-fiber diet (dairy, etc) to help w/ healing. I thought this was counterintuitive but I gave it a shot and actually felt better. After I got out, they recommended I eat cereal, I made sure to eat something low in fiber and low in sugar. It actually was tricky to find something, I ended up eating Corn Pops or Kix (I can't recall which had less sugar).

Stress is definitely a major factor for me. Make sure to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Marijuana also helps my symptoms.
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Old Hat
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 5712
Posted 2/8/2021 11:45 AM (GMT -6)
For Max: puffed rice and plain Cheerios are better (cold) cereal choices in U.S. during flares. 5-minute cooked farina is excellent for people w/o wheat issues, being low-fiber + iron-supplemented. RE Poopydoop's comment on COVID vaccines-new virus variants: right now in U.S. news reports are surfacing that say UK variant is increasing the most here & SPECULATION is that AstroZenica & other later-certifiable vaccines will be more effective against variants than Pfizer-Moderna. / Old Hat
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