What Constitutes a Flare???

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:32 pm

I often wonder about how a flare would be defined. Guess I think of it as 3 or more watery BM's a day, which would drag on for at least a couple of days???

Would love to hear other people's take on this.

Thx,
Kari

hoosier1 · Post by **hoosier1** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:36 pm

For me, Kari, it is at least 5 or more... and to make it a really nasty flare, it is battery acid D. I also feel toxic and foggy brained.

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:40 pm

Kari I think for me it would be a combination of D of 3 or more times a day for at least 3 days and might be combined with other aches and pains in my hips, back and knees.

While there will most likely be lots of similarities I would say each of us has our own threshold for what we would call a flare.

--Joe

Post by **tex** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:16 am

For me, a flare was like the mother of all flu viruses.

Love,
Tex

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:41 am

my classification;

when any of the symptoms (D, pain, joint ache, foggy brain etc) are continual for more than 60 hours.

my reactions to a small dose of any of my trigger items (gluten, soy, stress) rarely goes beyond 48 hours.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:55 pm

Well I'm in the middle of a nasty flare, I'm thinking stress and dietary mistake induced, but I don't have any non-GI symptoms (besides dehydration).

Mags · Post by **Mags** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:20 pm

Kari--

For me at least, I define a flare as:

Incontinence/constant D
Nausea/vomiting
extreme fatigue and body pain

I have fallen asleep on the toilet more times than I can count. Fortunately, this is extremely rare now. The last time it happened I was out of town and got "lactosed" at a restaurant. I did not have any Lomotil or cholestyramine with me and got stuck for a week! ARGH.

Hope this helps!

Mags

klhale · Post by **klhale** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:09 pm

Well, I was in remission for four years. I had a flare in April and I am still very sick.
It started out as having to go immediately, about 2-3x a day, and it continued to progress, having 6-10 water bm's a day and having the general feeling of being very ill.
I had to radically change my diet, as I did 10 years ago, and I have a whole new list of items I cannot eat.
I don't have any idea when or if I will go into remission again, but I refuse to give in to MC. I will stay on Entocort as long as it takes.

Karen

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:23 pm

Thanks for asking the question, Kari. This is something I had wondered about, so it's nice to know others define a flare.

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:25 pm

Zizzle, I am very sorry to hear that you are having a nasty flare. Take care of yourself. :bigbighug:

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 3:19 pm

Thanks for your feed-back everyone. For those of you who are "flaring" now, hope it passes quickly!!!

Love,
Kari

ant · Post by **ant** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:03 am

For me, if D last for more than two days I start calling it a "flare".

Here's wishing we all have shorter and shorter flares ...... until they visit us rarely, if at all!

Best, ant