What should I do?????

been in two hopsitals for about two weeks on cyclosphorone and predesone IV.

I have been on cycloshoproine for about 5 days.

Lilttle improvement but still blood and not too much form.

I have lost weight since I been in the hopsital still losing

doctor says I have a very sick colon and I should decide in a day or two on surgery.

should I give the cylcosphorine another two days? They say give it a week

Thanks

I will talk to the surgeon. Luckily I am in good shape to get it.

you're right I'm giving it two days for it I am using enemias and they are taking stool samples

Thanks

Let us know what the surgeon says.

I personally would be very interested in surgery if I was ever to be hospitalized for my UC. Like Keith said - a colon is nice, but a quality life is nicer!

Thank you the problem is my colon is severly sick and I don't have many options. I know I have been recently diagnonosed but my health is not getting better.

I am losing blood I need to get a blood tranfusion today.

I believe I have no other choice.

Thanks

I'd have to agree with Rio in Maryland on this, although it is a personal decision. I have had UC or Crohns now for about 2 years and had a tough time getting my first flare and following small flares completely into remission. I too was hospitalized losing 50+ pounds and had to get two units of blood, this time last year, so I can relate how tough things can be when all you want is relief. The thing to consider is whether you are willing to battle with this and try the different medications out there that can help you achieve remission. None work overnight but the right combination or type might be your ticket to getting healthy again. Of course no one wants to take medication but it's a tradeoff from being extremely ill. I had thought about surgery while I was very sick and a few times very seriously, but luckily with the right meds and keeping my stress level down I feel I have reached a pretty decent state of remission. Also surgery does cure it I think in most cases but there may be complications and setbacks with that route too that you will want to learn about. Good luck with your decision and hope you are feeling better soon!

Feelfine,

If you decide on surgery make sure that you are getting the best surgeon possible....ask around the hospital for some input from the nurses and your GI. Interview your potential surgeon too. Ask for references from some of his/her patients.... make sure that you talk to some of the patients who have had complications, not just the ones that had perfect results. The surgeon that I am probably going to use insisted that I talk to some of his patients, especially the ones that had complications from the surgery. He also told me all of his statistics from his past surgeries.

Are you in a good hospital? It makes a huge difference if you are in a great hospital for Digestive Disorders 
http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/search.php?spec=ihqgast& that was a link for the top 50 Hospitals in the country for digestive disorders.

--Keith

I'm feeling bettter but I'm still getting blood when I go so I'm worrying I will loose blood again

I might not have a choice but to have surgery

Feelfine,

I still bleed for a some time after I got out of the hospital but it wasn't too bad, a few months later it was gone. From my expierence I would be more concerned for urgency and if you are starting to see your BMs form, that's when I knew I was on the road to recovery. It will be a few months before you are in remission, you need to be patient. This is what I expeienced with both of my Cyclosporine treatments.

If you chose to go for surgery I would suggest doing it in the middle or beginning of the week.... Most of the doctors & surgeons have the weekends off and the residence will care for you. And there are not as many pain management people on staff over the weekends. My roomate in the hospital suffered from this because he had emergency surgery on a Friday.... He was in pain all weekend long and not receiving enough pain meds.

--Keith

Feelfine,

I was just telling what my experience was; you need to make the decision for yourself. I would suggest asking the GI what you should expect from your current medical treatment (Cyclosporine). Your Colon is probably very ill right now and it will take a long time to heal.

If it was up to me and I was in the hospital I would go for the surgery because it is a cure. I was planning on that last October when I went into the hospital but I hadn't met with the surgeon yet.... They hooked me up to Cyclosporine when I first got in to the hospital and I met with the surgeon a few days later but during that meeting he told me that there is a slight increase in the chance of J-pouch leakage from being on Cyclosporine for the 2nd time and he doesn't accept insurance for the surgery. So I held off on the surgery for the time-being but I still wish the first time when I went in the hospital that I had surgery in 2005.

Ask lots of questions and take notes. I always found it very helpful to do that.... I would have a list of questions made up for my GI each morning when he came into visit with me.

--Keith

feelfine - first, I hope you are feeling better. second, whatever you decide, don't be upset with yourself. listen to yourself on this and try to step back a moment and just figure out how you feel, if you are up for that. in my opinion, you have 3 options:
a) not have surgery right now
b) have surgery while in hospital right now
c) schedule surgery for sometime in next week or two, but not as an emergency surgery

whatever you decide, know that the people you love - and who love you - will support you. there is no wrong/right answer, so try to take some deep breathes and just think this through a bit. either way, I am certain this will all work out, so hang in there. everyone just wants you to feel better and be well, and the good news is that you will feel better and get better, either from meds or from surgery, so either way this will improve.

Hi. I decided not to have surgery. I will work this out. I know it will take a long process to heal but I am ready to do it.

Thanks