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Getting Off Entocort

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 12/6/2015 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
I was recently diagnosed with mild Crohns and was put on Entocort o I'm on my 18th day of Entocort EC first week or so I felt like maybe it was helping, had less bathroom issues, had less burning from gastritis everything seemed like it was moving forward. Starting the last week or so my gastritis has gotten significantly worse and I have bathroom issues some of the worst I have had in quite some time, I have not changed my diet at all bathroom could just be some sort of flare up but my gastritis I'm not sure why it's acting up. I looked up Entocort and gastritis and it seems I'm not the only one that there gastritis has worsened while under this treatment for Crohns. My question is my Dr is away and I'm also going away soon after 18 days is it safe to just stop this or do I have to taper off and if I have to taper off how should I do so from 9mg? I know some will say talk to your Dr but I want to be able to get this stable before I go away so I don't know if I can talk to him with enough time before that. My logic is I havnt been on it long at all so I should really be able to just stop with minimal issue.
Posted 12/6/2015 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Are you on any maintenance medications? Do NOT just stop steroids. The reason why is that they provide hormones that your body stops producing because it thinks it has enough. It takes time and tapering for your body to make those hormones again. If you just stop, you could literally stop your heart. 18 days is actually quite a long time for your body to be taking Entocort. I am not sure what the equivalent dosages are for Entocort, but with prednisone, it is kind of the rule of thumb to go down 5 mg every 5-7 days.
Posted 12/6/2015 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
Only other meds I'm on for my stomach is for my reflux and gastritis prilosec and Carafate
Posted 12/6/2015 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
I am concerned as to why your GI didn't put you on anything for the Crohn's. Steroids will only get you into remission, but you need other meds to maintain that remission. If you stop steroids (even with a taper) you will immediately begin flaring again (almost always) because there is nothing to keep your immune system in check anymore. It's not like antibiotics fighting an infection.
Posted 12/7/2015 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
If you're to follow a slow taper, it will be as follows : 9 mg on one day and 6 mg on the other. If you add 9 + 6 = 15 รท2 = 7.5 mg. So, on average you take 7.5 mg/day. You can stay on this dose for a week and then go down to 6 mg and so forth. Are you sure Entocort has kicked in and did the trick? 18 days is not enough for it to be effective. I remember when I first took it, it kicked in after one month and a half and there was considerable improvement in my condition then. I do have chronic gastritis. Though I know entocort might aggravate my gastritis, I don't stop it. Pentasa could be another culprit. When I fail to treat my gastritis flare up and this is what usually happens, I see my GI.
I second Scifigal. You can't come off entocort w/o having a plan like being on Imuran or any other maintenance med, for example.
Posted 12/7/2015 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
I dont know if it was helping or not I do know my mood swings, increased heart rate and gastritis pain had to be from that as I had no other changes in my eatings or medicine habits. The gastritis pain was just too much to deal with

I stopped the entocrt for 2 days felt run down I was able to get in touch with my Dr and he told me to try 3mg so im going to try that for now.

When it comes to maintenance or anything else I have a mild case and it was just diagnosed after 9 years of symptoms so I think he just wants to see if this helps me in any way first.
Posted 12/10/2015 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
It can and will cause stomach upset, mood swings, and your heart rate will increase.
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