I'm back....

hi folks! So I have been taking a double dose of remicade for the past 6 months- worked great, for a while. Now... ah well! I had a colonoscopy this past Friday- total mess, about 10 inches of inflammation, tons of pseudopolyps. Lovely. My GI is again recommending surgery, but he had to mention humira first- we could give it a shot, no pun intended, but he's not too optimistic. Nor am I. A big part of me says the heck with it, just go back to the surgeon & get it over & done with. And a tiny part of me is saying "Well, give it a try..." Any of you try Humira prior to surgery? I have to admit, I do read this forum a lot- have been following praying4healings story closely- way to go girl! I know I can do it, get an ileostomy, & be ok with it. So why the hesitation? I don't think I want to risk any more health issues with the meds. I don't know....just wanted to cry a little & say Hello again & let you all know where I'm at right now.

Hi eva lou!

I guess u were an active member b4 I joined healingwell. Its nice 2 meet u! U say uv been following my story, so u know that I put off my surgery for over a year hoping the remicade or something would work.
However, after having the surgery I hope and pray that I didn't put it off too long, and so long that it would hinder my healing of my fistulas. Does ur doc want ur surgery 2 b permanent? I often kick myself bc I feel if I'd had the surgery when the doc first sugggested it, then I'd have it reversed by now.

Unfortunately, I didn't start humira until after my surgery. When the docs finally gave in2 the fact that the remicade wasnt doing a thing. I'd been asking them for it b4, but they wanted me 2 give remicade a chance. I'm praying that the humira will help, but I can't find much literature at all on the subject.

If its something ur thinking u may need, especially if the intent for the surgery is temporary, don't put it off for too long. My doc told me that had I waited much longer I would have lost my rectum and therefore needed a perm ileostomy n e way. If there's a chance for u to save other parts of ur body. Please give ALL of ur options serious consideration.

WELCOME BACK! :o)

Hi just read your post and wanted to say that I had UC and stuggled with all the med (predinsone,yuck, asacol and allgic to imuran and had 15 remicade infusion and that would have try'd the Humira but my GI said most likly it would fale too in a couple of months and have some reaction just take out the entire colon) So I battle in my head like you try it and see if you get any effect or just have the surgery. I did opt for the surgery and am very glad that I did... Feel so much better and can eat and go out now and it feels just great! I hope that it helps and the surgery is not that bad I promise as I am a big baby. If I can do it you can too. Good lUck with which ever way you go....Rebecca

eva,

i'm still on humira b/c i have crohns and not uc. so even tho we get the surgery, unlike some uc'ers, we can't "cut out " the disease per say. So my actual reason for having the surgery was to allow my bowels to rest and stop passing stool thru my fistulas, one being a rv fistula which is the worst of all! i can't lie the only thing that really made me go thru with it was the fact that i was passing stool thru my girly parts and the pain became unbearable in my bum. I guess that was God's way of telling me to go ahead lol. I'm just hoping he's as direct when its time for my reversal!