Frustration

Hello,

I'll start at the beginning. I have been diagnosed with Crohn's for more than 10 years. I was prescribed asacol for a long time. I've also done a prednisone dose pack a time or two. It never seemed like it made that much difference one way or the other for me. I actually quit taking any meds for about a year and a half. I was due for a three year colonoscopy and I should have know that something was wrong because the prep didn't go the same way that is has the previous three times - gross but not that bad. This time I got terrible cramping and nausea and felt just really terrible. I never got to the "clear" stage. Anyway, my GI said I scared him to death because I had a pretty big blockage - he couldn't even use the pediatric scope. He thought he perfed me so we had a little extra drama on top of that. After that he put me on 40 mg of pred, Lialda and immuran. I seemed to be doing much much better - except that I was having some swelling of and on of my face and starting to get the infamous pred moods. I decided to bring it down to 30 and see if that would work as well. And for a time, I was ok.

Last week ... we went on vacation by car. Lots of eating and drinking of things I shouldn't and mostly what I did to myself was add immodium to the mix. I usually do that when I am on a long car trip and it is inconvenient to stop. This was the first time I added immodium to this new mix of meds. I was fine for the first couple of days but by the end of the trip I think I have turned my insides into concrete. I have also seriously irritated my skin tags and generally I feel like crap and exhausted.

So, my fellow crohnies... any thoughts on adding immodium to this mix? Seems to me like I completely over did it and now I am paying the price. I think I am gradually feeling better but jeese.. oh... man.

Yes, i am glad I went and I wouldn't take it back - even with this crash afterward.

First thing I need to explain is that my sister has a Ph.D. in pharmacy and sees patients all day every day. Her specialty is stroke and heart attack but she is incredibly knowledgeable. I discussed this with her before I did it. I was on 40 mg of Pred for about 2 months before I decided that I wanted to reduce it because of the side effects.

I have a doctors appointment on Monday.

Ugh.

I am the same way when I take immodium even for a very short period of time. Hopefully you will level out within the next few days. It also takes me a few days to feel normal again after any trip. I'm not sure if it is the food and drinks or maybe the change in daily patterns. For the constipation I eat apple sauce and drink apple juice for a couple days. It seems to work for me. Good luck!!

Elizabeth