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UC is back with a vengeance... Questions on natural remedies in addition to taking Rx's!!!!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/1/2010 6:23 AM (GMT 0)
I'm SO upset ~ just as I was on my road to remission, I have fallen back into sick territory... : (

Achy knees, beyond tired, stomach hurts, going more and more as each day progresses... I am already on the maximum dosage for Asacol.

Question #1 regarding Asacol dosages: Do you find any difference when you take 2, 800mg doses 3X a day, or taking 3, 800mg doses 2X a day?

Question #2 Has anyone tried the following natural approaches with any benefit: oral aloe vera gel, Boswellia, and/or Bromelain?

Questions #3 Has anyone tried acupuncture as an adjacent therapy? Has it shown any good signs of working?

I'm just really in shock that I was getting better and then out of nowhere it's coming back! cry
Posted 11/1/2010 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
Are you optistic enough to try rectal meds?

If not....invest in that.

q
Posted 11/1/2010 8:14 AM (GMT 0)
You poor thing! I'm so sorry to hear you're flaring again, this disease is frustrating to say the least. Quincy is right, you should see if your GI can prescribe some rectal meds, they really can help.
As for natural meds, I'm taking Boswellia (2 tabs a day), and honestly I'm not sure if it's helping, but hey, I'll try anything!! Can't hurt!
I'm also taking Vit D which I'm told helps strengthen your immune system, a powder called intestamine which contains aloe vera, slippery elm and l-glutamine, all ingredients that repair your bowel lining. Most importantly, I amongst most UC sufferers take probiotics. VSL#3 is the one recommended but i'm taking Dr Ohiras Probiotics (has same strain of bacteria as VSL#3 but not as expensive).

I'm fortunate to have a GP who is also a herbalist, and she monitors my condition and recommends alternate treatments that wont interact with my meds. She has me on a gut tonic at the moment that is supporting my immune system as I'm weaning of prednisone and this week I'm going to get vit C IV. Should be interesting!

Hope this helps.
Best of luck getting out of the flare.
Posted 11/1/2010 11:04 AM (GMT 0)
Personally, I would add rectal meds, probiotics, and - I've used slippery elm in the past with some success; I would go back on that.
But... we are each different, so what works for one person may not work for another. All we can do is try!
I started to slide into a flare this summer and got it to turn around through enemas and double doses of probiotics.

Best of luck to you!
Posted 11/1/2010 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
i agree with quincy and songlady- try rectal meds (i have NEVER come out of a flare without them) and probiotics.  After you have added them- then i would look into the alternative stuff you mentioned (boswellia, bromelain, etc)
Posted 11/2/2010 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
For the knee pain, I'll give another vote for vitamin D, better yet, have your serum levels tested to be sure you are dosing correctly...joint pain & fatigue can be from that (they tried DXing me as fibro, it was D deficiency)..I don't think asacol causes that..it could be a completely different issue going on.

My pain was knees, shoulders, achiles, shins, wrists, elbows, hips...fatigue was beyond...depression..it was horrible, but completely changed over a 3 round session of script D.
Posted 11/2/2010 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
I recommend the rectal enemas plus Canasa suppositories. Also mix psyllium husk powder with liquid and chug a lug. The fiber will bulk up your stools if they are loose.
Posted 11/2/2010 5:07 AM (GMT 0)
I have to be brief at the moment but just wanted to chime in here

try the rectal meds like others are saying.

and try the alternatives you want to as well, or you'll always wonder. but don't try them all at once, you gotta know what is helping.

my joint pain went away, thankfully, when I started asacol. and I don't notice a difference on when I take my dosage.

my most recent help has been slippery elm. It got me from from the formed but not really healthy looking BMs to very healthy looking BMs.
Posted 11/2/2010 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
gah! where's my signature?
Posted 11/2/2010 6:49 AM (GMT 0)
hekela...when you "post reply", "post new topic" or "edit"...you have to click on the "include signature" box.

The "quick reply" is the only one that has the siggie automatically included.

q
Posted 11/2/2010 10:11 AM (GMT 0)
yeah, try the rectal meds. I had two stool samples taken recently. One from when I was flaring very badly and one after I had taken asacol for a good few months. At my last GI appt he gave me rectal meds bc he read the wrong stool sample results, he thought I was still suffering severe inflammation. It turns out I wasnt severe, the second sample said I was all clear of inflammation. Even tho I was 'clear' according to that stool sample I was still suffering various symptoms, incredible pain, cramping, bloating, and bm's werent always 'right'. It was only when the gi gave me the rectal meds that I am finally beginning to feel better. The nurse consultant wanted to treat me for IBS (grrr) and that was NOT going to get a handle on the small amount of inflammation left over that was causing me SO much trouble.

So, if you are not on rectal meds and havent tried them yet (even if you have!) try them again. When I was first diagnosed I was not educated on how long I should have stayed on the rectal meds, or oral meds for that matter. Ive had to get VERY proactive and even forceful to get the meds I need to manage my sort of UC. They say that the rectal inflammation is often the last and hardest inflammation to get rid of and in my case my tests came back that I was clear of any inflammation at all. So it was so small an amount that it was undetectable with a stool sample but it caused me SO much PAIN! The gi's thought I was in remission!
Posted 11/2/2010 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Strange, I've never had my doc do stools samples to tell ME that I didn't have inflammation. Actually, I don't think it's an actual way of testing for a flare...your doc has a strange way of dealing with stuff.

q
Posted 11/2/2010 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
They said that its a really good way of telling if there is inflammation in the bowel. There is something in the stool, I forgot what its called, that shows the inflammation. Ill check it out. They explained it to me but Ive forgotten.
Posted 11/2/2010 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
If you try aloe, I'd recommend George's Roadrunner aloe vera - it's a liquid, not a gel - and it has the laxative component that can cause problems removed. L-glutamine is another great supplement for gut healing and high doses of omega-3s (fish and/or flax oil caps) help reduce inflammation naturally.

I tried accupuncture, but didn't find it helpful for me personally.

I'd urge you not to get discouraged. Healing from IBD is often a LONG process of "one step forward, two steps back." It took me well over a year of constant flaring to learn how to manage my UC.

Posted 11/2/2010 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Re: signature, thanks for clearing that up quincy!!!
Posted 11/4/2010 6:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you SO much for your thoughtful advice. I made an emergency apt. with my GI for this Monday, so I will see if he will give me a script for the enemas. I know he had mentioned that the previous time I went as a possible option in the future.

I have been looking into ALL of your suggestions on natural approaches.

I may sound crazy, but I'm scared to go on probiotics because right when I was initially getting sick, my regular GP told me to take Florestor and it made me WAY worse. Like it was gawd awful. I eat yogurt, but I have been eating so much of it I'm beginning to hate it and I gag when I eat it. (I know, it sounds a bit dramatic, but the consistency is really grossing me out).

Question on taking Vitamin D ~ I'm already taking a mulitvitamin every single day, is it ok to take an additional Vitamin D on top of the mulltivitamin?

Thank you so much again ~ I cannot express my gratitude enough towards you all for taking the time to read my posts and give insightful responses.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week!
Posted 11/4/2010 6:51 AM (GMT 0)
Yes I would agree with the enemas, here in Italy it is then first thing GIs prescribe ..

Did you take into account any food relation with the BM? I keep a food diary and BM diary and some very interesting things came out..

I got some relief from homeopathic and naturapath help..but the the only thing that is working for me at the moment is Remicade/infliximab plus diet

Best of luck,
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