Trying to straighten something out...

Ok...Im getting a little confussed....

Uc can range from D to constipation, there never hardly seems to be a middle ground at times. What you are experiencing is a form of constipation and actually fiberous foods or supplements can actually make the stool bulk together easier so you can eliminate it easier. Are you drinking enough fluids? Are you on any rectal meds? If not, then you should ask your doctor about them such as Rowasa. Asacol treats almost the entire colon but sometimes it fails to reach the rectal area. The rowasa targets the rectum or slightly higher.

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So it sounds to me the UC is very close to IBS except there is a little more mucos and some bleeding.  I am drinking my 8 glasses of water a day.  I am not on any rectal meds yet as both my doctors left for vacation the same day they diagnosed me and wont be back until the end of the month.

In my lifetime with UC, I have run the gamut from excessive diarrhea to constipation. Again, all of our bodies seem to react differently from others and different over time.

In a flare I will get cramps like I have to go, and get there and nothing except blood and mucous. That can happen a lot. So over time, for me anyway, what has worked is eating to create bulk.
But the last time, the constipation was so bad, and passing the marbles so painful, I was in tears.

I started on fiber (metamucil) twice a day (two tablets) and Collace stool softners (no laxative though). As well I started on the probiotics. I have been feeling the best I have felt in years and having the most normal bowel movements in years.

It is a crazy disease and who knows if this will work for others. But for me, it has helped a lot.

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diagnosed with UC in 1962
regualr meds:
Asulfadine (500mg tablets, 6 daily)
Folic Acid
Zantac as needed
open heart surgery in 2005 for removal of aortic root aneurysm

You can have various symptoms with IBD, you don't necessarily have to have D in order to be flaring.


:)

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My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it!  LOL  :)

Hi FosterDad...it seems you're still flaring...and yes, you should be on rectal meds. But that can wait till the docs get back.

What kinds of foods are you eating in general? Bulking up the stool is what we all need. Certain foods help as well as fibre supplements

The rectal meds aren't so bad.
quincy

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Hi,

Hi....I actually just ate for the first time in 3 weeks tonight.  For the last 3 weeks all Ive been living on is Ensure Plus and broth.  But today I just couldnt take it anymore and had a cup of white rice for lunch and some plain pasta and a peice of white bread with peanut butter.  I needed to get some protien in me.  Ive lost 25 lbs in the last 3 weeks so I figured I better get something in me and see how it sits over the next couple of days.

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Just diagnosed Aug. 14/07

Yes, start eating eggs at least. Better yet...eat!! more often and smaller meals. You should have a protein with at least 3 of them.

There is NO benefit to eat what you have been. Was it your idea to not eat or did that come from your doctor?

Where in your colon is your UC limited to?

q

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also wildwood baked tofu is a good protein "bland" food but tastes delicious. i eat it with hummas when i flare.

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diagnosed with cecal volvulus, 2006; two colon resections in the same year
diagnosed with colitis 2007

my doc told me to avoid peanus or any nuts because they are high in fiber , just fyi

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Tenoch
28 years old
Male

Diagnosed March 2007
2.4 g Lialda (type of 5-ASA) per day
Upped it to 4.8 g Lialda per day
Tried the Enamas - put me in remission for 1-2 months
Flaring up again now trying Colozal 9 X 750mg per day

I cried like a little kid when I had to do my first enema....probably cuz I didn't really know what was happening with me yet and was really scared.  Its actually not bad at all.  You get used to it real fast so don't stress to much about it!

So far all I know is when I came outta my colonoscopy sleep, the nurse handed me a peice of paper that the surgeon wrote on and it says, "Colitis up to transverse colon.- I left prescription for Asacol."  Thats it, and he was gone on vacation.

Hi...for you to just consume Ensure and broth until you stop bleeding is not in your best interests. Very few of us would follow such a diet regimen. My opinion, clearly....but it's not based on anything that will help your flare. Besides that, you could bleed for months (which can be normal)while you're healing. It's good you have figured out that point.

What did you normally eat before you got diagnosed?

Eggs (that means the whole egg....that's where all the vitamins and minerals are.

What is it you "want" or are craving to eat?

quincy

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Both my mom and a friend of mine have UC, they will do liquid diets for a couple of days at a time to rest their bowels, their GI's have recommended they do this during severe flares...this won't necessarily stop the bleeding, you need to see your GI about the bleeding so he can prescribe some rectal meds like cortifoam, this won't necessarily stop the bleeding in it's tracks either, it could still take some time...bowel rest is fine for a few days at a time, it won't hurt anything.

:)

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My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it!  LOL  :)

Not for weeks, and certainly not for any longer than a day or two at the very most. If you're nauseated and cannot eat, it's not going to hurt. At least the intake of something is better than nothing.

It can,however, become a habit for some...believing it will heal the bowel.

It's not usually recommended for UC unless you're going an unusual amount of times. I was going almost 20 times a day, the doc didn't suggest bowel rest. He did, however, suggest dicyclomine to help slow things a bit...it helped with the spasming and cramping.

But...I was also given rectal meds.

No, I never said for weeks...although it's been known to happen for UCers as well to have to go into the hospital for bowel rest (tube feeding) to help the bowels rest as this can be healing, sometimes for a few weeks, under supervision of course (hence, being in the hospital).

Never, never starve yourself, liquid diets with some nutrients won't hurt, starving for a day or more is not recommended, you need to constantly get nurishment.

:)

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My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it!  LOL  :)

fosterdad, glad you're eating again. It takes a while to 'learn' with this illness- and the education never stops. My opinion on not eating is that it does little to no good-- you're hungry, miserable, depriving the body of nutrients, and you STILL end up bleeding.

Especially drinking Ensure all the time-- YUCK. It is pure crap (look at the ingredient list), full of sugars and other baddies. I got D from Ensure, big time, and now avoid it like the plague.

Find what foods you can tolerate, and eat them! Consider taking some oils (olive, fish, flax, coconut) to get your calorie count back up. I'm giving that a shot myself now.

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Dx:

Left-sided UC, Jun 2005. Flex-sig only... clear for first 20cms, then inflamed through next 30cms.

Therapies:

Pharmaceutical: Pentasa 3G/day, hydrocort 1x every 7 days
Probiotics: Acidophilus Pearls, Primadophilus Bifidus
Naturals: Caprylic Acid, Methylated B-12, Vit ACDE, Zinc (w/copper), Selenium, Turmeric, Bromelain, Luteolin
Killer Foods: Soda, Fried Food (especially french fries!), Beer, Red Wine, Pepperoncinis

Wow....thank you guys so much for all the input.

Well, I guess its my bad for dragging out this liquid diet (fast)  Usually about 2 times a year I will go on a 3 - 4 day fast just to let my body have a break, but never this long.  I guess my thinking was that because when I eat I get somewhat constipated and with the flare going on, its like sending a tennis ball wrapped with sand paper through my gut.  I just wanted to lessin that.  I guess Im going to have to find something to soften things up for me instead. Without Laxitives.

Yesterday, I had white toast and peanut butter and white toast and scrambled egg. (best darn egg Ive had in ages....lol)

What am I craving?  Cheese burger, hotdogs, fries, BBQ chicken and Ceasar Salad, chocolate cake, stir fries, fish and chips, and Chinese food. (lots of veggies in all that too)  That is probably the bulk of my diet up to approx. 3 months ago. 

Thanks again guys for all your help, keep it coming its greatly appreciated.   

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Just diagnosed Aug. 14/07

Of course, everyone's body is different, but I, too, avoid Ensure now. Just full of sugar that I don't need. I have some in the fridge that have been sitting there for months.

Egg omelette with veggies seems to work best for me. Try to get organic eggs or, at least, the ones with Omega-3. They normally come with 200mg of Omega-3 per egg. Some up to 300mg but much more expensive.

Personally, I would avoid greasy stuff, as it'll be hard to digest. Try to have much veggies as you can..steamed or stir-fried with olive oil. I would avoid sweets as well.

...my two cents..hope that helps.

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Ash 39 NH, vegetarian
Diagnosed with UC July 06 (I think 6/6/6) during 10 day hospitalization
Current meds: Asacol 12, Imuran 150mg
Centrum Silver, VSL #3, olive leaf extract, DHA-Omega 3, L-glutamine

FosterDad,

I'm sorry you have to deal with this disease. For me, when I first started on medication for this disease, it took a few weeks for the symptoms to be controlled with the meds. I initially took azulfadine and then later Asacol. It may take a little while for the meds to begin working. The last bad flare I had was in the early 90's, when I had the bright idea of tapering off the Asacol and trying to do without meds, and I lasted about 4 months without symptoms. When I flared, my doc put me on a temporary round of prednisone along with the Asacol and that brought my symptoms under control pretty quickly. Prednisone doesn't work for everybody, though, and it can have some bad side-effects.

I wish you the best.

Rick

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53 yr old male, UC since 1978