tacrolimus

Ambling, I don't recall seeing anyone recently on this medication. I did a forum search & found some older threads with some discussion & use, both for UC & crohns.

Is this something your dr is considering for you?

I've seen more talk about tacrolimus-suppositories being experimentally being used by some with rectal inflammation. More from teaching hospitals at universities, as a let's try this outside the box treatment and see how it goes.

Systematic tacrolimus/cyclosporine are very potent immunomodulators, often considered rescue medications like IV Pred. Similar to IV pred, they are IV based meds for tacrolimus/cyclosporine. Also similar to pred, they are only given short term. So, you're talking about a potent rescue med for limited use, underwhich time you have to have other maintenance meds added/changed to hold you up when you discontinue the tacrolimus/cyclosporine. If you search pubmed, the results for tacrolimus/cyclosporine aren't fantastic (rather unflattering). At one point it was thought to be a potential mainstream treatment for IBD but it has since fallen out of that due to results. I classify its usage as experimental and/or rescue at this point.

Why do you ask? Are you in dire straights or is this something being suggested for other usage?

Thanks...
Twenty five years battling this beast...not much left to try!
I guess they are grasping for something.

Unfortunately there is a small percentage of people who don't respond much to anything....diets, herbs, drugs, surgeries, probiotics, sitting under a pyramid...
And sadly, with severe Crohn's (ileo-colonic) there is no final solution - such as removing the colon for severe, unremitting UC.

There's still autologous stem cell treatment, which is extreme.

One day at a time...something else may turn up.