flaring UC-shouldn't eat, Prednisone-I'm starving!

Is there anyone out there who has the will power not to eat all the time on prednisone?

I asked my doctor if there was an appetite suppressant that I could take while I'm on prednisone because I'm flaring bad right now and shouldn't eat anything solid, if anything at all. but here is the kicker... I'm hungry all the time while on prednisone.

and here is what the doc says with a nice big smile on her little non-moon face, "your appetite will go away once your off the prednisone [really doc?] and no, there is nothing I can give you, you'll just have to wait it out." Thanks for the help.

what does anyone else out there do? or am I the only one who wants to eat onion rings when I'm losing blood all day and doubled over in pain?

any help or thoughts on this is much appreciated.

currently on 10mg and won't go any higher.

I agree with Red_34, you should it some solid foods that are good for the gut. Your body needs the nutrients to get better. It is OK if you feel hungry, just eat the right foods, try not to have sugary or fatty items in your pantry, so you don't feel tempted. I did really well with roasted vegetables while I was flaring: sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash. Just drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper the cubed veggies and roast in the oven. Also, grilled chicken breast, good fish, apple sauce.

Good luck,
RT

thanks for the quick responses.

SHERRY: I can't eat anything solid because it hurts so bad to pass and I immediately have pain and need to use the bathroom, lots of blood and D. I guess I just followed the no solids too because thats what they always do to me in the ER. It feels like solid food just tears my colon to shreds. I do try to eat chicken soup broth because it has fat and some nutrients, applesauce, and do really well cooked potatoes but even simple light foods like that have the same effect. I am just so hungry all the time. I also don't always stick to the no solid food thing either, at times the prednisone will get to me and I eat something bad. As far as the anti-spasmodics go, my GI did prescribe me some and they did nothing but give me a bad migraine so now for pain and cramping I am taking morphine :( it helps tremendously at night but will maybe become a problem? I have tried probiotics but feel like I am not absorbing anything so its a waste of money. I will look into hoodia and hopefully be tapering of the pred. soon. thanks again.

RT: thank you for the food suggestions, I guess sometimes I just don't have any energy to cook anything. its like I crave everything bad and unhealthy when I am on prednisone otherwise I usually eat very healthy. thanks.

10mgs of pred for a serious flare is a joke- it won't even touch a bad flare at that low dose. Nothing short of 60mgs for weeks on end helped me. I also think eating is fine- if the pred is doing what it should be doing, you can & will be eating! If you're still having blood, pain, etc. than you may as well taper the pred immediately.

Psyllium husk helps bulk up the stool and slow transit. Mixed in liquid, it also fills you up and you eat less.

You do not have to be on remission to take either med; let's hope that they put you into remission though!

It took 60mg of prednisone to get me into remission and by the time I was tapered off. 6 months, I'd gained 60 lbs.  Really look into the side effects of Remicade or what else you are thinking of taking before leaping there.  I refused to ever take prednisone again and after suffering for 15 years finally had my colon removed.  I'm having the surgery next week to hook up with the J-Pouch they made for me out of my small intestines.  I'll have had a ilistomy for 8 weeks at that point.  I've read a lot of comments from others and sometimes taking Predisone and other drugs make it harder to get the surgery because they affect your internal organs.  If you are having problems on 20mg I'd say you probably can't stand more.  I read one comment about a girl around your age that got osterperosis (spelling?) from just being on prednisone a few months. 

As for food, everyone is giving you good advice and I'd like to add cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, plain old canned chicken noodle soup and soft boiled eggs to the suggestions. Fiber from metamucil actually helps your stool as well.  I know this is scarry but maybe you need a second opinion.  I would get one before going on infusions.  Also it seems like a lot of us end us wasting years going in and out of remission until we can no longer get into remission and I'm wondering why I didn't have this surgery a long time ago.  It's affected my life in many ways, including having to sell my business.  Good luck!

Its pretty hard to fend off prednisone cravings until you've been on it for a while for most people. There are things like the EC stack that supress your appetite but I wouldnt recommend taking it while you're flaring badly. Ive used it in the past to cut weight. Also drink a ton of water. Other than that try to avoid sugar/salt/carbs as best as you can. Thats pretty much all you can do.

I would advice caution with regards to popcorn. I found it to be very bad for me. Its roughage seemed to do a lot of damage to my colon, and definitely made the bleeding symptoms worse. I found salty popcorn even worse, especially as it encouraged me to eat more. So choosing plain over salty is definitely wise. Give it a go by all means, but proceed with caution I would say.

I love popcorn and eat it sometimes but it really tears me apart, I wish I could eat though. thanks for the great advice everyone, I will be off the prednisone soon and hopefully forever.

Unfortunately today I saw my GI and after a long appointment discussing my options, he is now checking to see if my insurance will cover remicade. I am very frightened to take it but I've seen so many GI's and tried a lot, not everything, but a lot of my options, and haven't had any success. Because I refuse to take any higher dose of prednisone I would not be able to rely on imuran because it takes too long to start working. He said we can save my colon and have a fast result without steroids by taking remicade.

I left the doctors confused, excited, and worried. I still don't know if I'm doing the right thing. Can anyone tell me about pregnancy risks with remicade? I forgot to ask the doc, but I think he said you can BE pregnant while on remicade. thats scary in itself and I still wouldn't want to do that but I'm wondering if there are pregnancy risks after you stop taking it.

I know Remicade is a big jump, but according to all the GI's I've seen (about 8) I have a really severe case of UC that involves my whole colon. Any thoughts or success stories would be much appreciated or any stories involving pregnancy with remicade. thanks!

ryverwise, No I did not take remicade after doing the research, added to the fact that most of my colon was involved and I could not get into remission I had the surgery. Even the doctors thought surgery was best. I'm 54, if I were younger, like you, and wanted to hold out for a "cure" I might have tried it. I understand that once you start you have to keep taking it plus it is very expensive. I was diagnosed in 1997 & had it a long time before they figured out I had UC. My risk of cancer was increasing as well, so surgery. My daughter's friend had surgery in her 20's and she is glad she did. So each case is different. It sounds like you are in a lot of pain as you are on morphine and I hope you find relief soon. You can't have a good life when you are in chronic pain and then comes depression. It wears on you, been there, done that.