fistulizing Crohn's

Hi changeisgood and welcome to Healingwell. Remicade is one of the best meds out there to help heal fistulas. Dietwise many have had great success with SCD diet in helping their fistulas also. But you should always consider diet and medication as complimentary of eachother. They work together to get you feeling better. Hugs!

Remicade is the best thing you could do for fistulizing Crohns disease.

I've experienced the weight loss several times. When I first got sick I weighed about 150...I ran the mile in 6 minutes flat, I could do 86 sit ups in 60 seconds, I could do 16 pulls up, so I was very in shape, now I didnt have a '6 pack' abs but I did have a little '4 pack' lol. Point being I was extremely in shape when I had gotten sick.... what happened next was I went competely down to 96 pounds and then once I was diagnosed and found the right medication I went back the other directions from 96 pounds to 177 pounds but this time instead of in shape... it was all fat from prednisone...but to be honest I couldn't be happier being fat because I felt great compared to when I was 96 pounds and didn't know what I had yet. Even though I had already got a rectal abcess and had to have a surgeon drain it... which is tell tale sign of Crohns Disease.

I too have fistulizing crohns and I too am a full size ripe woman. I just finished my loading dose of Remicade and my fistula is gone and my fissure is half the size it was! Which means no surgery! Yay! When I found out I had crohns I thought wow, now that's a hellava way to get me to lose weight. :-( but oh no. Not me. I have gained. I blame the prednisone and.... I thank the prednisone, for working! I hope things go well for you. I for one will not worry about my weight unless half of it somehow melts away.

I also have fistulizing Crohn's and am and has always been fat.  I just started remicade and I am also on SCD diet.  I started the diet right before the remicade and was feeling better before the remicade.  I am hoping between the 2 that the fistule heals and the inflamation is lowered.  If the fistule heals I will go off remicade (with my Dr ok) and continue with SCD. 

I have met other fat Crohn's people.  You  aren't alone 

My husband has fistulizing Crohn's, and Remicade has been his miracle drug. He has been on it for almost 3 years already (gosh!). It healed his 2 fistulas and has not looked back! He still has some symptoms of Crohn's of course, but NOTHING like before.

GL with your decision.

I am overweight and have been my entire life.  I have a fistula (rectal-vaginal) that my doc has been having me "wait and see if it will heal."  I've had it since October, it is not going to heal on its own.  I am trying to see a specialist to get things moving, because I don't think my GI doc is doing a good job.  I also have been through the process of getting approved for bariatric surgery (sleeve), but that is on hold since I can't get clearance from my GI.  He wants me to wait until we have the Crohn's managed better.  I have it pretty well managed, but the fistula still bothers me (mainly the discharge, but also about once a month it swells up and gets painful and uncomfortable).

changeisgood- I also would think twice about going off Remicade. Chances are, you won't be able to go back on it because of a high risk of allergic reaction to it. I was forced to go off Remicade after it was working wonders and my the perianal part of my Crohn's just took a dive from there. I think, why stop something that is working well for you?

buddyr503- You have an excellent point. Remicade is supposed to improve fistualas. Maybe the Remicade isn't working as well for you as it should if you are forming fistualas while on the drug? I know lots of people take other medication in addition to Remicade. Maybe talk to your doctor about going this route? :)