Signs Of Ulcerative Colitis Flares:
- rectal bleeding
- blood mixed in with stools
- cramping in all parts of the abdomen
- loss of weight
- fatigue
- joint pains that may come and go
- psoriasis break outs
- waking up in the middle of the night while sleeping
- more usual bowel movements
- loose stools
- anxiety that causes headaches (rare but possible)
Figuring out what the common signs of your ulcerative colitis flares are is something that is very valuable. Most people who have ulcerative colitis will at some point deal with the occasional flare up. Whether it lasts for just a few days or weeks or even several months or even years is never known, but there are things that you can do to be prepared.
Prepare for your Colitis Flare:
- Know what signs there might be, so if it happens you are not caught off guard
- Make sure to contact your doctor to keep them informed
- Don’t freak out, ulcerative colitis flares do happen to everyone(or almost everyone)
- Take it easy on your body, cut out very physical activity, give your body a rest until you are feeling better
- Talk to your best friend, and let them know what is happening with you, it will make you feel better
- Try to reach out and find someone else who has ulcerative colitis, and share your story with them
- Don’t panic, you will be back to normal soon enough
Ending A Colitis Flare:
Like most things in medicine, ending an ulcerative colitis flare is not always super easy. For some people, there flares leave as quick as they came. But not always. What is more common with ulcerative colitis is that people take a decent amount of time to completely get rid of their flare up symptoms. This is normal. Don’t worry if it is taking several weeks to come out of your UC flare. What is more important is that you treat your body like it is in a semi-fragile state. Don’t be trying to run any marathons when you are getting out of your flare up. Try to continue to rest as much as you can. The reality is that your body will probably be somewhat weak from all the changes in the colon, and it will need some time to work back into the pre-flare condition it was in before.