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Just started meds a week ago W/questions

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/13/2012 10:05 AM (GMT 0)
I wondering if anyone could give me a general idea of when the medicines start working? Or maybe how long it took for them to work for you as I do know everyone is different. I started taking my Medicines about a week ago in the hospital the Cimzia will be a week on Monday. All that Im taking is in my Signature. I have noticed the urgency has calmed down gone form 20+ bowel movements down to I would say 6 to 7 depending on what I eat. The nightly waking up to go to the bathroom have calme way way down I now Only get upat about 4:30 to 5 but usually a headache promts that and I end up in the bathroom.

How long does it take the rectal meds to work? Ive noticed that by the evening Im a little irritated down there.  I do have several fissures.

What happans if the Cimzia doesnt work are there other medicines to try?

Thanks in advance for your responses. I have a feeling with this type of disease I will be considered a newbie for a while.

Well dont know where my Signature went but here is the list of meds im on

40 mg Prednisone

4000 mg Pentasa (hate those little beads coming out my butt they hurt) I have chrones in my rectum

2x Canasa Sup a day

Cimzia injection just started

Previcid

Xanax as needed

Post Edited (Mom2Type1JD) : 10/14/2012 3:35:51 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/13/2012 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
the 40 mg of pred is probably the reason your urgency and frequency has calmed down, it is a very fast acting medicine.

1000 mg of Pentasa is not a therapeutic dose. Why are you not taking 4g? Hopefully as your bowels slow you will stop passing the medicine undissolved.

The Canasa suppositories should be effective fairly quickly. I'd hope that after a month of using it 2x/day you'd see significant improvement in the rectal inflammation.

I have no experience with Cimzia.
Posted 10/13/2012 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
The prednisone probably acts the fastest - usually some difference in just a couple days, and quite a bit of difference by a week or so.
The cimzia should kick in over a period of a few days to a couple weeks, with more improvement after more doses.
The canasa, as kazbern mentioned, probably will gradually kick in over a month or so.
The pentasa, well, studies have never shown it to be effective for fissures, or for Crohn's in general, so if it's bothering you, ask your doc about stopping it. No need to take something that's not likely helping and is making you worse in any way.
Posted 10/14/2012 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
Made a mistake on the Pentasa Dosage I actually take 4000 mg a day I seriusly need to get my eyes checked. I do feel better with the exception of my rectum and anal area. I have several fissures Im not sure whats causing the bleeding its not severe its just enough to notice on the toilet paper the bleeding just started about 2 days ago. I dont understand I thought that was what the Canasa was for. I must be doing something wrong. My Poo is not as loose as it was and I have zero pain except for the irritated retum. I dont like the idea of loosing any blood as I am recovering from severe anemia. Should I be lubricating the suppository before inserting??
TIA

Ok I edited again as I reread the bottle of Pentasa Im takng 500x2 4 times a day which would be 4000 mg sheesh hope I got it right this time.

Post Edited (Mom2Type1JD) : 10/14/2012 3:30:31 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/14/2012 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
I'm 16 and took like evey medicine possible it seems. I started off with pentasa but I just got immune to it from taki it for soooo many years. I started taking Remicade, which works amazing. But it's about a 5 hour treatment, so now we are trying out Humera shot. They burn but it's better than siting in a room for 5 hours not being about to move. And so far the Humera shots are working really good. Hope this helps out.!
Posted 10/14/2012 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
I have a coworker that her son was diagnosed with Colitus when he was a baby still in diapers and they had put him on Remicade before they opted to do a bowel resection he is 13 now and doing well.
Posted 10/15/2012 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
Prednisone always took about a week to kick in for me. The Cimzia should start working after a few injections, but I think it depends on the current damage and inflammation. More severe may take longer. I question if Pentasa is really necessary with Cimzia. I never found it to be helpful for Crohns and my GI doesn't prescribe it at all. I think it's more effective for UC.

Good luck! I hope you feel better soon!
Posted 10/15/2012 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah Im guess its the prednisone working after reading most of the responses. I have a follow up visit since my hospital release I go on the 24th Im going to ask him about the Pentasa. Its hate taking that stuff because the pills are so big I empty them into baby food to take them Dr says ok to do this but its just annoying not to mention the beads come out my butt anyway. If its not beneficial I dont want to take it. I was pretty bad according to the Dr's. I was in a really bad flare I guees there was a small place of inflamation in my small intestines that he said the Pentasa would treat. Im new to this so he could tell me anything I wouldnt know the difference. Im learning though.


Thanks I am feeling better
Posted 10/15/2012 11:41 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry that you are suffering and I can relate. I think your GI is putting you on 4g pentasa to control your rectal pain. This is what my GI told me. Why don't you take a steroid enema or a mesalamine enema? For me, mesalamine suppositories are a torture and ineffective. If you can tolerate flagyl suppositories, they can calm your rectal pain down.
Def you have to lubricate the tip of the nozzle with k-y jelly and use lidocaine as well. I injured myself with the tip of the nozzle and I don't want this to happen to you. Try to be very cautious when inserting it.
Hope you feel better soon:)
Posted 10/15/2012 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Mom----re the pentasa beads...they get better when your inflammation gets better - just wanted to give you some positive outlook there. Also, I have mostly anal/rectal issues now and the beads did seem to be painful at times though no one seemed to believe me....I found the longer I was on the pentasa (unforutnately more than just a few weeks it was better). I now use OTC cortisone cream on the tushy and that has stopped the bead pain when I am flaring.
Hope that helps
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