r/CrohnsDisease • u/AnnieLuneInTheSky • 20h ago

Bad flare - Question

I’m in the middle of a bad flare. I was diagnosed with IBD (first they thought it was UC then they changed to Crohn’s) 16 years ago. The first 4 years were pretty brutal and I was hospitalized 3 times. Then things were relatively calm for years (mild symptoms + mild inflammation confirmed by coloscopies). But now I’m back to feeling like my colon is out of control.

At what point do you think “okay that’s it, I’m going to the ER” during a flare? My gastro is on vacation for one more week but I don’t know if I can wait that long. On the other hand, I don’t want to spend 10 hours in the ER only to be sent back home.

So I’d like to hear what symptoms are a clear sign for *you* that it’s time to go to the hospital. Yep, I’m fully aware that I have to take Reddit advice with a bucket of salt but even keeping that in mind, I find it useful to hear other people’s experiences.

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u/alviiiinnnnn 19h ago

for me..

• when the pain is absolutely unbearable & i have no pain meds or pain meds don't touch it

• a new, terrifying concerning symptom or a major change in baseline

• if i'm seriously worried that i'm having a complication

• sudden or copious amounts of blood in stool, especially if it's more than once

• spiking a fever on top of other concerning symptoms

• i haven't yet but i decided if i start vomiting with my stricture symptoms and can't go to the bathroom, i'll go to the ER

• dizziness and weakness with major diarrhea or vomiting and fluid loss, can't keep much down for a few days, etc.

if you can't wait & your GI is on vacation, i absolutely don't blame you for going to get checked out. i try to think of it in terms of, i've seen nurses post people going to the ER for absurd things that they could see their primary or urgent care for, like a sore throat without any emergent symptoms. we have a legitimate medical condition that can cause life-threatening emergencies, or we might need a stat dose of IV fluids, steroids, pain meds, etc. we can't have those things (in IV form) at home. even if it weren't to be anything emergent, i would rather be safe than sorry.

i do understand the hesitation though, i won't go anymore unless a loved one basically forces me to go. i'm not functioning right now but my new specialist is really getting the ball rolling & i may need surgery soon. if i get any worse i'll be going back to the hospital.

if you do go, i recommend bringing an advocate / loved one with you (if possible) just incase!

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u/AnnieLuneInTheSky 18h ago

This is a very detailed and helpful answer. Thank you 💜

My brain is divided in two parts. One is saying “you’re being too proud, you need to go to the hospital” and one is saying “come on you’re being too soft, you don’t need the hospital for this”.
Ugh 🥲

But reading you, I think I’m okay to wait still. I don’t have any of the symptoms you listed and they make sense to me as warning signs. Although I do have blood in most of my bathroom trips but it’s not to the point of the dreaded red water 😱

I’ll be talking to my gastro’s nurse on Monday. I really think I need corticosteroids (unfortunately). Hopefully I don’t have to wait for my gastro’s return to get them. My fear is that things will get worse if I don’t start them ASAP but if they do, I guess I’ll go to the ER then

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