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advice on dealing with a flare up without steroids!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/16/2011 5:05 PM (GMT 0)

hello everyone i have just joined so i will tell you about me and my problems, i found out i had crohns disease about 4 years ago, i had never even heard about it i had been going to the doctors for about a year because i had loose stools ever day and read that if you have this for more than 3 days you should see a doctor,the doctors kept telling me i had ibs and gave me pills for it which did nothing so i just carried on as usual until one day my sister came to my house and said she had been running to the toilet and her stools had blood in i said to her you really need to go doctors,she was told it was food poisening,she got really bad to the point of getting rushed to hospital after lots of tests and pain she got even worse in the end she had emergency surgery(the whole of her large bowel removed) and she has a colostomy bag it was an awful time i was completly stressed out! they only confirmed it was crohns after the surgery! a couple of days after this i noticed blood in my stools i demanded to my doctor that i thought i had this too and needed a test i was sent for a colonoscopy it was confirmed i had it. i was put on asacol tablets but after a year i had an allergic reaction to it so next i was put on azathioprine i am still on it now so ive been on it about 3 years i have been fine until about a week ago i have started with stomache pains,wind but the worst is when i go to the toilet i have diarrhea but only a small amout comes out its like i am also constipaited so i was wondering if anyone has any advice what to do during a flare up like this i have been on steroids in the past and really hate them i will only use them as a last resort! confused

Posted 4/16/2011 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Could be a flare up, but possibly could be a bacterial overgrowth too. We tend to get that alot. Are you taking probiotics at all? If not, that is something you should add to your med mix. It helps to even out the bacterial fields in our guts. The usual treatmemt for bacterial overgrowth is a 10 day course of antibiotics like Cipro or Flagyl and a good probiotic. Hope that helps.
Posted 4/16/2011 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
yes i do take probiotics,omega 3 fish oil,calcium tablets and vitamin c is there a good brand of probiotics you could recommend?
Posted 4/16/2011 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
hello little missy.....im new to this forum like you...i was just recently rediagnosed with pancolitis and possibly crohns...i too have horrible constipation and straining and only a little D passes. as for the probiotics I have been taking Align.....but i have read many posts on this forum where prescription probiotic VSL #3 has done wonders for some.....good luck and hope you feel better
Posted 4/17/2011 8:46 AM (GMT 0)
thankyou for your reply,seems like nothing is working at the moment if this flare dosnt get better soon i will have to go to the doctors:(
Posted 4/17/2011 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
Missy I think you should go to the doctors. You don't want this getting out of control, cuz if you do its only going to get worse. It could be something simple and not even Crohns. But do go to the doctor. Good luck!
Posted 4/17/2011 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
VSL#3 is pricey but health insurance can offset it if you have a progressive doctor who will give you a prescription for it. Another supplement that might help is to get your blood levels of vitamin D checked.

Watching my diet works for me for remission. Keep a food diary to be vigilant for triggering foods. It would not hurt to go gluten-free for a few days to see if things improve. The same applies to dairy or sugar.

But you really need to get out of your flare before maintaining remission. Drugs like prednisone are good for ending flares. In my case it was antibiotics like Flagyl that rescued me. But everyone is different. Flagyl must work for at least some people because some doctors prescribe it for Crohn's. Remember to take probiotics with antibiotics.
Posted 4/17/2011 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
thankyou everyone for your help i have been reading on the internet and i think it sounds like i have a bowel obstruction because i feel constipated and when i go to the loo only a small amount of liquid stool comes out so i think i will go see the doctors tomorrow incase it gets any worse! eyes
Posted 4/18/2011 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
well ive been to the doctors she seems to think it is a flare up so she has given me a weeks worth of steroids so we will see if this helps then its back to the doctors on thursday!
Posted 4/18/2011 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
Only one week on roids. Good for you. Could you tell me the doseage.
Thanks.
Posted 4/18/2011 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Nancy please do not base your steroids needs with anyone elses. We are all individual and must work with our doctors on whats best for our individual needs. Hugs!
Posted 4/18/2011 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
A liquid diet (known as an "enteral nutrition") could be as effective as steroids in inducing remission. In a hospital setting, the enteral nutrition might be accomplished by a nasogastric tube.

Also, some manufacturers make drinks specially formulated to give you all the fats, protein, etc, you need in liquid form. It's possible that, by drinking your meals for at least a few days, you might overcome a flare. Here's some info about the liquid diet from Nestle, a manufacturerer: http://www.nestlenutrition.co.uk/healthcare/gb/health_concerns/idb/Pages/IBDbenefitsofliquiddiet.aspx  

Post Edited (njmom) : 4/18/2011 2:17:04 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/22/2011 10:01 AM (GMT 0)
the dosage was 20mg a day it wasnt working so i spent 8 hours at the hospital yesterday :( they have put the dosage up to 40mg a day so fingers crossed! i have heard about the liquid diet but i have never tryed it.
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