Avandia/Nicotine Patch

My dr. told me that I can try Avandia (diabetes medication) or the Nicotine Patch b/c I'm allergic to the 5-ASA drugs. Has anyone tried either one of these alternative therapies? My dr. doesn't want to put me on prednisone until I've exhausted my options.

From what I know and others I have talked to, as well as personal experience, nicotine patches do not do squat. Seems its something else that's absorbed during the act of smoking a cigarette that affects the UC.

D_A is right. There have been studies done that showed nicotine patches to help UC symptoms. If you aren't a smoker though, be aware that the patches can give you some side effects, like lightheadedness and nausea. Of course, our other meds can give us side effects, too.

D_A, be careful of the nicotine enemas. Nicotine is a powerful poison, and unless you know precisely what you're doing, that nicotine enema might kill you. Also, since it doesn't work topically but systemically, there'd be no advantage to rectal dosing.

Unless you've just learned to love enemas.

We talk a lot about the side effects of UC meds here, and it's important for us to be aware of the potential good and bad effects of our medications. It may be a fair trade-off for you, but just wanted to make sure that Avandia (and nicotine too, for that matter) is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack.

And there are options other than 5-ASA's and Prednisone. Many people respond very well to immunosuppressants, for instance.

Good luck to you, whichever way you decide to go. Hope you're soon feeling better.

My husband and I are planning to start a family and I'm really nervous about trying Avandia or the nicotine patch b/c when I google the drug with pregnancy, it suggests NOT to take during that period.  My UC is mild and is on the left-side and I've been flaring for 3 months.  In 6 years of having the disease, I've never had a flare that lasted more than a month.  I was on probiotics for 6 months and I felt normal as if I didn't have the disease anymore.  I went away to the Caribbean and the day after I got home, that's when it started.  My dr. tested me for parasites, bacteria (incl C-diff) and it all came back negative. It's just so bizarre that it happened right after my trip.  I've tried Cortifoam, Lialda, Mesalamine enemas (which none of these worked) and now on a suppository with the option of the Nicotine patch or Avandia.  Has anyone tried Avandia? My dr. said that my UC isn't sever enough to go on immunosuppressants or biological treatments.