anyone tried imuran for crohn"s with stricture

for those of you who helped me< am still much indebted> no need for surgery now as dr> still doesn"t know what is up> thinks perhaps imuran will help clear inflammation and may even prevent more strictures> so today no surgery but no one can tell me what to eat> nightowl is tired> too much time trying to figure out things i think doctors and others should be helping me with> so grateful you are all out there> thanks> nightowl oh yes< there was no cronicity with the second colonoscopy (ugh) and so doctor couldn"t get to the stricture to biopsy it anyway> not sure if that means they didn"t rule out small bowel cancer> who knows> already tried cipro
when first diagnosed< pentassa working if take every four hours on dot and endocort does not work> doctor says it is not a bacterial overgrowth or h phlori (at least two things are known) but still doesn"t help me make food decisions> ahh< i will sign off< rambling tired owl>

I was put on Imuran for a stricture, didn't work and I ended up with surgery. Doc said it was too far along for the Imuran to help, but it was worth a shot. Imuran is working great as maintenance now though. Get some sleep!!

you guys are great> because there was no cronicity with either colonoscopy (both took place within a year) doctor still thinks it is crohn"s because the stricture is in the terminal ileum>

she said< i am sure it will show cronicity< but of course she couldn"t get to there> she said before the second colon> that if there were no cronicity she would have to get together with the other doctors and see what to do next>

originally her plan was to do a resection as these same doctors thought that this stricture was scarred
and was too far narrowed (not sure how they knew) for balloon or strictureplasty> she tried me on
endocort at that time and i still had dull pressing pain in upper abdomen (which he attributed to referred pain from the stricture)>

i take adderol and depakote> all the tests only showed inflammation> i do not think they know how or why the stricture came about and just today when i told another doctor about the imuran she said< go see this homeopath> if there is no cronicity on either colonoscopy< >>>>(my computer is broken< sorry)
so< right now i am having no dairy> went off foxomax last frebruary< began the fish oil l tsp but so hard to take (even tho it doesnt smell) does anyone have fish oil and amounts that work for them __esp> the person with three strictures and what is the homeopatic remedy and what do you eat for foods and the person for whom the strictures were too far gone< do you think then it is wise to do what she suggests before mine get that way or try the homeopathy? can i do both? i am so tired and no one seems to have any answers> do i eat wheat or not< do i eat sugar or not< any splenda? rice or potatoes again or not< just bakery sourdough or not? nutritionist wants me to drink blue and red juices and doctor wants me to take the oj with calcium and d as i am very very low in d and hate dairy> anyway< i have eliminated all but chicken< chicken soup< mashed up rutabegas< cinnamon< garlic< salt< ginger< fish< some sour dough bread added< york peppermint patties and then at night as a chaser to the fish oil some m and m"s (left over when i was doing no fibre and yes sugar__i>e> fish white breads< chicken< rice< rice crakers< cheese crakers (annie"s)< some whole foods sirloin burgers and milano cookies< cake and lactaid milk>

i am so tired> so will stop rambling> your emails make me think i should do the imuran as if it is inflammation< it might make it stop>

this doctor who told me to see a homeopathic doctor (she is both) while i wait for the blood work to come back from prometheus to see if i can metabolize it< told me that the homeopathic doctor may want me to get off my adderol< depakote and pentassa> all i know is that i am willing to dispense with the add drugs but i do know that if i take the pentassa exactly every four hours< four times a day< the pain is not there (unless i eat or drink something weird which i cannot tell what that might be or if it is if i eat too big a meal) anyway< advice please about amoutns of meds and where to get pure probiotics
except for the probiotics (which i am taking two pro_b eights in the a>m> does anyone know if i should be taking more or spreading them out___i am taking all natural nordic natural vitamens> a synergy two times a day(multi) two b twelves and three calcium tablets with one vitamen d three> i am drinking a teaspoon of the artic cod liver oil lemon flavor but it is like drinking oil and i just can"t take it tonight>
oh yes< also drinking tropicana pomegranate blueberry juice or pom juices or tropicana oj with calcium and d but does anyone know of a better idea for the omega oil that doesn"t smell like fish but that i do not have to swallow> if it is inflammation< i would love to dry vitamen d three and that oil (as much as i can tolerate__so how much is a lot) as well as more pro_biotics if anyone thinks that would work_esp> if they think i should take some at night>

i do not like dairy but am def> in the osteo range before i took the fosomax and probably back there now> i was trying to eat yogurt but could only stomach the aspartmane kind columbo i think it is< vanilla> now i am afraid to eat that (gave up the diet coke about ^ cans a day habit a while ago) but not having any dairy< not that i miss it but just wondering what things you eat with the three strictures> do you worry about the one that is closed up obstructing??????? help help help> thanks again< each of you were so thoughtful and i will look forward to hearing from you tomorrow if possible so i can move forward> sweet dreams

hi -- my GI gave me a low-residue diet for stricture - theory being the less that can get caught up in the stricture the better.There is a good one an www.about.com. Does seem to help.  It is not my idea of healthy but GI says it is only temporary until things subside. Also his suggestion to take multi-vitamin was excellent.  Just be careful that vitamins and any other supplements you take are ok'd by your pharmacist as Imuran can react badly with them.  I found that out the hard way.

Hope you feel better soon.

nitghtowl,

I had my first stricture last year. Very painful. My GI did a barium test and found scarring. He put me on prednisone to see if the problem was partially inflammation. Luckily the pred opened the stricure (after several weeks) so no surgery was needed. I was then put on Imuran as a maintenance drug. it's been 9 months now with no problems other than weight gain. I still have the scarring, of course, but the Imuran has prevented any more blockage.

Good luck!

I found Hillary Steinhart's books to be helpful re diet for low residue.

Exercise, Yoga, Acupuncture, Massage and not obsessing about it all (hard to do)
have been the best medicine. I never ever thought I would exercise. When you
get backed into a wall it is amazing what one will do. So, for any of you who
think you can't exercise, Start with a beginner's yoga class or a class of
swimming aerobics. I found that my hips went to osteoperotic this past DEXA
so I guess I in fact do have Crohn's. (denial much?!) Anyway, feeling more
positive and very much blessed for all of you out there who reached out to
me when I was really really freaked out. Those times will happen again. So
glad you are all there.

Oh yes, getting some sleep is also the next best medicine! over and out: nightowl

unbelievable! you are an inspiration!
how does the scarring occur? inflammation?
is there any way of getting rid of inflammation besides what I wrote (and
meds/surgery?)

I am 57 and have had this 2 years. I cannot even imagine what you
have been through.

my stricture is in the terminal ileum and they cannot get in there
(too much inflammation) to see anything or get biopsies and none
of the biopsies of other parts showed cronicity. did they
balloon your terminal ileum or just the stricture in the rectum?
is that just to open it up? every three months? you are my hero!

I know inflammation will subside if i would go to sleep. so really,
off to bed. Thanks so much for sharing!!!!!!!! nightowl