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Post resection medicine plans

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Posted 6/9/2011 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
After resection, I plan to continue taking some sort of maintenance meds. Did you keep taking meds after surgery & what was your drug of choice?

My dr wants me to stay on the heavy hitters like humira +6 mp.
Posted 6/9/2011 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on the same meds since waking up after surgery. 6mp, Xifaxan and a minimal dose of prednisone. There is a chance I may have one of the heavy hitters added in since we aren't sure surgery fixed the problem. I have never understood why people are taken off their regular meds during surgery. I have had 4 resections and never stopped any of my medications. They have all been ordered in the hospital and I have continued to take them. But we get a lot of posters whose doctors want them to wait some period of time before starting back up.
Posted 6/9/2011 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
They wanted me to not take my last dose of humira to minimize post operative infection risk. I'm not on that or 6 mp while inhospital for same reason. They are bringing me my supplements.
Posted 6/9/2011 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Yes please do make sure you stay on your meds afterwards. I was told after my first resection I no longer needed the meds, but all that did was cause me to have another resection only 3 years later. So yes, stay on your meds. Hugs!
Posted 6/9/2011 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on the Pentasa since my resection 20+ years ago and have been well maintained. Hope you can be on as minimal drug as I have been fortunate to stick with.
Posted 6/9/2011 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
They took me off my meds but the biopsies never confirmed crohn's. I did have a positive blood test via prometheus, so I am on guard. If I had a diagnosis of crohn's from a biopsy or if a doctor said he thought I had it, I wouldn't go off meds. It's too risky and it will probably come back with a vengeance. I am praying it doesn't happen to me.
Posted 6/9/2011 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
I am the same as clonehead. I was taken off Humira and prednisone before surgery to improve my healing ability. My other drugs (pain obviously, asacol and nexium) were continued.

The resection seems to have been a success. I am no hurry to restart Humira (since I was taking it for the fistula) - I would like to save it as a last resort if I ever don't get better on prednisone. I did not like the increase in hot flashes when I was on Humira :) and it never really did anything for the fistula...

Unfortunately, my incision/wound opening is not healing very fast. So much for getting off the nasty drugs :)

Good luck to you!

Sudsmom
Posted 6/10/2011 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have talked to my dr about maint med plan after surgery. I'd like to know what other folks post operative plans have been.

After my dr's talked during the week - i believe we are going to humira only -no 6 mp - starting in two weeks. Basically treat my hospitalization as a "humira injection" then have my next actual injection in two weeks.
Posted 6/10/2011 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
I am one week post-resesction and have not stopped meds. I am on entocort, pentasa and imuran. Prior to surgery I was on humira, but my dr. Does not want to go to those meds right away. I highly suggest continuing....
Posted 6/10/2011 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
I've often wondered if I have been so fortunate w/a 20 year remission of disease activity after my resection was due to the fact that I spent 6 weeks in hospital on IVs w/a nasogastral tube prior to my surgery. I wish I knew what meds were being pushed thru those IVs back then but I do know I was NPO all that while.

I do know that when and if I run into that kind of trouble again I would insist on a couple of weeks of NPO/TPN before another resection on the theory that the complete bowel rest and the IVs meds pounding the disease might well make for a better surgical recovery and outcome. I would think that no disease activity at time of surgery would make for a better outcome. Just my uneducated theory.
Posted 6/10/2011 2:40 PM (GMT 0)

CrohnieToo said...
I've often wondered if I have been so fortunate w/a 20 year remission of disease activity after my resection was due to the fact that I spent 6 weeks in hospital on IVs w/a nasogastral tube prior to my surgery. I wish I knew what meds were being pushed thru those IVs back then but I do know I was NPO all that while.

I do know that when and if I run into that kind of trouble again I would insist on a couple of weeks of NPO/TPN before another resection on the theory that the complete bowel rest and the IVs meds pounding the disease might well make for a better surgical recovery and outcome. I would think that no disease activity at time of surgery would make for a better outcome. Just my uneducated theory.

That was certainly my GI's thought behind my plan. I could have had the resection earlier this year but GI wanted to get me healthier & have as little of active disease as possible. A blast of steroids for two months. Humira for 2 months (1st month of H was 2nd month of P)

My GI stopped by yesterday to tell me that the strictured areas removed had very little active disease. She and surgeon believes this will go long way to maintaining remission.

I also had option of delaying surgery until it became more of an urgent/emergency issue, but she advised against waiting for my next flare because the surgery and recovery would have been much more difficult.
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