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Chronic diarrhea and Fistulas

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 5/4/2011 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
I am a Crohn's patient, Diagnosed in 2001.

I am on Reimicade and have now had 3 infusions.  Just wondering if my fistulas are going to get better with the Remicade, and if anyone can give me some advise/remidies on my cronic diarhhea problem.  I am taking one imodium a day but wondering if this is what is making me flare up.

Any advise/suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks friends!!

Posted 5/5/2011 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not on Rem, but have been told that it is one of the best for treating fistulas.

As for the chronic diarrhea, I take 2, sometimes 3 immodium per day. My doc told me I can take as many as I need to get relief as it's a pretty safe OTC med. Good luck!
Posted 6/12/2011 6:05 AM (GMT 0)
I had no luck with the remi and my fistula, but I was only on it for 5 doses before I had a reaction, so who knows? I have had pretty good success in controlling my bm's with a combo of calcuim, saccharomyces boulardii, flaxseed oil, and chamomile supplements. You have to watch the calcium though, it can make cipro less effective....

Granted, I have my days where I have to take Immodium as well (if I'm eating a trigger food, or if I'm super stressed), and I find that it can make me really painfully gassy. If I'm having a bad week, I'll take the Immodium for a few days, then give myself a day off.

Good Luck!!!
Posted 6/12/2011 6:12 AM (GMT 0)
I had great luck with remicade and fistulas. They healed dramatically and quickly. Before the treatment, it looked like surgery was my only option. That may not be a usual result though.

I keep immodium everywhere I go. I work out of my car and keep a bottle in my glove compartment. My wife usually keeps some in her purse for me as well. It's a pretty safe medication. You can buy a bottle of 96, I believe, at Walmart for a much better price than anywhere else I've found.
Posted 6/12/2011 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Camy!! Remicade is one the best meds there is for fistula's. I hope it works well for healing yours. Some folks also have had success doing the SCD diet in conjunction with meds to help heal the fistulas too. Hope yours heal quickly. Gentle hugs!
Posted 6/12/2011 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Camy.

Taking imodium every day could cause a reverse effect. It used to happen to me all the time. I could only take imodium for a few days, then I had to stop for a few days because the imodium just wasn't working the same.

I now use cholestyramine, which bulks up the stool a bit.
Posted 6/13/2011 12:05 PM (GMT 0)

Remicade is supposed to work wonders on fistulas.  I was "lucky" enough that my fistula healed up with the high dose antibiotics followed by a seton.  I am saving Remicade for if (and I hope not) I ever get another fistula that does not respond to Cipro or a seton.

For the D, I also use cholestyramine.  I am missing my TI and also my gallbladder so my D is caused by the resection and surgeries, not the crohns.  Ask your docs about cholestyramine and if it would be right for you.  Some won't prescribe it because you can go to the other extreme of having severe C.

Posted 6/13/2011 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Camy,

Unfortunately after several treatments, I am unable to use remicade. However, when I was on remicade, it worked wonders for my Crohn's and for the fistula that I had at the time. It actually seems to be the only thing so far that has helped the fistula. While on Remicade, I also had a seeton put in for the fistula. That kept it clean while it healed!! Ask your Dr about that as well. It just helped speed up with the healing process!
Good Luck!
Posted 6/14/2011 10:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Camy, Remicade can work on fistulas as long as they haven't been there for too long. I have one that I'd had for years before Remicade. The surgeon told me it was too established and had been there too long. But on the bright side, it did heal the new one that I had. As for immodium, I never take it simply because it makes me feel worse. Good luck!
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