cause and trigger

I've come across this line on lots and lots of websites since I've been finding info out about UC.

They have just discovered that there is a defective gene that Ibd'ers have that is normally not turned "on" unless certain circumstances occur such as possible food poisoning, environmental pollutions, illness etc. Once it is turned on, then the inflammatory process begins. Once it begins there is no going back to the way it was (unless they find a way to turn it off in the future). So that is possibly the cause. Triggers for flares are things that our bodies don't like or can't handle because our bodies are already turned "on". It's like an overload in our systems.

I'm not sure if I buy into the theory that stress doesn't turn our Uc on because stress can play havoc on anyones system if we are under it for so long.

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Stress is a very general term. If you get the flu or food poisoning it creates stress on your bodily functions (and immune system) and that can trigger a flare but you already had UC (the disease). Many people with UC, like me, have never had their flares triggered by just emotional stress rather my flares are always triggered by "stress" on my immune system from major illnesses (flu, mono, other viruses, food poisoning, etc.). Once in a flare condition, however, emotional stess can aggravate my symptoms. All I know is my immune system is dysfunctional now and reduction in stress is always a good idea to keep the immune system healthier.

Also remember that people without UC get sick when stressed. In emotional situations or when there is stress int he body like Burli said, the body is weakened. When in any stressful situation a person is more likely to get ill, uc or not. My husband gets D when he is stressed out at work. He has never had any medical problems. This only happens when the stress is really bad and its just a day or so.

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Kelly, 29

Left sided UC diagnosed 1/98 age 19, Pan colitis diagnosed 1/07
Currently on 4x3 Asacol, Rowasa every other night, down to 15 mg pred.
75mg Imuran starting 8/23/07---fingers crossed!
Prontonix once daily for acid reflux, zofran twice daily for nausea

personally, i believe stress can be a primary factor in flares. just like people without UC can get sick when they are stressed, so can people with UC. as we all know, just because we can't see it doesn't mean it is not there....love to you and hope you stay stress free...

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katie
23
diagnosed with cecal volvulus, 2006; two colon resections in the same year
diagnosed with colitis 2007
malrotated colon
no cecal valve, removed during surgery
gastritis

VSL #3
Amitriptyline to slow gastric emptying
Forvia
compazine

I know I've said this before and I'll continue to say it.

Stress is what caused my UC. I'm not talking about a term paper due in 2 days or work stress. I had some family related stress I lived with every hour of every day for a good 3-4 months before it just turned on. It's not your typical "stress" you think about with people everyday. It was far worse, and I had to live with the base cause of it because I was only 15-16 years old.

Bring up any scientific study showing me anything, and I wont care. I've never been allergic to anything all my life, I've never got colds hardly at all. I was always one of those "healthy as a horse" kind of people. But prolonged hardcore stress can cause your immune system to break down because your body gets too much cortisol. Cortisol is basically what prednisone is. Pred is just given at much much higher dose to completely shut off your immunesystem. When our body creates too much of it naturally is when things start going wrong because it starts throwing everything off balance.

That's why stress causes many different things for us in todays world.

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

Post Edited (Eric704) : 9/25/2007 8:28:23 AM (GMT-6)

Stress causes me to loose sleep, which I read that is when your immune system is at work.  If I have stress over a length of time and not sleep well, I will get cold sores and a flare.  To me stress on a body can include both physical illnesses and emotion illnesses, both can compromise your immune system sending it into a speedwobble.

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For me personally, I see "cause" as the multiple elements that combine to produce the initial diagnosis of UC. A "trigger" can be any element(s) that bring on an increase or worsening of symptoms.

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Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999

Thanks for this. I'm with all of you in saying that stress is a big part of UC!