Posted 9/2/2010 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I finally went back to the GI - it had been a year or so since I last saw him. I went to my rheumy this spring because I was so frustrated with my knee and lower back pain, and after helping me understand those problems he strongly encouraged me to follow up with the GI. He seemed annoyed that I am taking so many meds and the GI was not keeping up with my blood work.
Anyway, this is my 3rd GI in 10 years (I started down the diagnostic road in '00, getting my first IBD diagnosis in '01). I like him. He's very conservative about meds (I've never progressed beyond the 5-ASAs). Last year he added sulfasalazine to help with joint pain in my wrists and hands, but other than that he's done nothing to my prescription plan.
So we met. I happen to be having some more problems than usual so I got to complain about how tired I am, no appetite for 5 days, a little blood last week....all in all, I'm really doing fine for a Crohnie but it still sucks sometimes.
He did tell me to take my 6 capsules of Pentasa in a 3-morning/3 night plan, just like some of you are doing - hallelujah! Now I can get my whole dose without forgetting. I asked him about moving up the list of meds to address my sacroileitis, and he just about freaked out. He's had a few patients with nasty, nasty side effects and he basically said unless I came to him having lost 30 lb and diarrhea 15xday he wouldn't change a thing. sigh.
He ordered some blood work (full count and metabolic panel) and we'll see if anything turns up there. The highest my CRP has ever been is ~4.
I'm going to see how my new Pentasa plan goes; maybe getting my full 3 g in every day will resolve some of these lingering problems. If not, I think it's time to try out GI #4, at least for a second opinion.
What do you guys think?