What are your tell-tale signs that a flare is coming?
Some flares surprise us, and some we can see coming from a mile away. How can you tell that a flare-up is right around the corner? By sharing, you can help others recognize and manage their own flares more effectively.
There’s a change of sorts;
1.) urgency
2.) blood in the stool
3.) Fatigue - like you’re in a coma—dead-tired; like you have 3 seconds to count-down; then your battery is unplugged till you are Re-charged; 3 hrs later!
4.) Almost zero time to the BR;
Like; 0-2-1-3-times-up😱
sounds like you've got some pretty clear signs when a flare-up is around the corner! Is there anything you can do (when you notice these symptoms) that helps keep a flare at bay? Or lessons the length or severity of the flare? Thanks so much for sharing with the community here! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member) 
I feel your pain on this! Mine is pretty similar. But before "urgency," I usually get an uncomfortable rumbling in my lower gut. Sometimes instead of a rumbling, I experience just plain ol' gut pain that forces me to double over, and that pain usually carries over to my bowel movements. Then, the urgency and blood in stool symptoms like yours begin. Thank you for sharing your list. I think it can help newly diagnosed people recognize the signs of a flare. Hope you're having a flare-free day. Sincerely--Traci, UC-IBD Team Member
Sometimes when I get a flare-up, it's either one-off or ongoing. I get symptoms like urgency, blood and mucus, pellet-like/loose stools. I find changing my diet and steriods help if it's ongoing and getting worse.
Eating out also gives me flares. It is due to the cheap cooking oils they use, I feel. Glad to see you tend to eat home-cooked food most. I hope you have been feeling well lately. Best, Elizabeth (team member) 
Hi Elizabeth (
). What you said about the cooking oil is really interesting. Do you find that if you go to a "fine dining" establishment thinks are better due to better ingredients and processes? Best, Richard (Team Member)
This is going to sound super weird but the first sign for me is that my right ankle starts to hurt. Followed shortly by fatigue and yellow, fatty stool.
Hi
. Joint inflammation and pain can definitely be an issue with IBD (see: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/symptoms/inflammation-of-the-joints-skin-and-eyes). It is interesting that the ankle pain comes first. Do you get other arthritic type symptoms? How are you currently doing? Best, Richard (Team Member) Not weird at all, my first sign is my left ankle pain. From there it's mucus in my stool that progresses to blood if I don't take notice quick enough to increase my meds.
It is very interesting. I do get joint inflammation further along in a flare but my ankle is always the worst and the first. I had a colonoscopy about a month ago, it came back clear but I have been really struggling with flare symptoms. My doctor has never looked for a Crohn's flare in other parts of my digestive tract though so I don't tbink a colonoscopy can rule it out completely. I've been really struggling with issues in my mouth actually.
Thank you! I have reached out to my GI's office and am hoping they will get back to me soon! Hi
. That's great to hear - a conversation about options can't hurt. Please feel free, if you like, to keep us posted and to ask additional questions. Plenty of people here have experience. Best, Richard (Team Member)
