My Story and Questions

Hi All, (hopefully this is not too long)

I was diagnosed 12/22/10, I had some bleeding for about a month prior to that but no other symptoms. I was actually very suprised by the DX, I figured colonoscopy was just going to show hemmies. Anyway my GI started me on Asacol HD 3/day, within a few weeks bleeding stopped and no other symptoms, so I figured everything was good.

Around the beginning of Feb. I started having a lot of diarrhea 10+ times a day. I called my GI, he said he does not like to start prednisone and just suggested immodium at that time. It just continued and then the bleeding really started, everytime I went it was just all bloody diarrhea with tons of mucus/tissue looking stuff, so I called GI again and he prescibed cortenemas, I used these everynight for 2wks, they did nothing. I called GI again and he then prescibed prednisone 60mg orally, this also did nothing. I called GI again and he said he needed to admit me to the hospital for IV steroids because at this point I was eating and drinking pretty much nothing because I just couldn't and has lost 20lbs. I went in on 2/25 and was given tons of fluids (i guess they said my heart rate was very high from dehydration), IV steroids and they switched me to colazal 9/day. After about 2 days the bleeding stopped, but still has tons of diarrhea, was still not eating much. I felt better, like I really wanted to go home but they would not let me because my potassium was very low, so I had to say until they could get that up with IV potassium, ended up being there for 6 days (not fun at all, this was my first and hopefully last hospitalization, LOL),

I am now doing very well. I am home on 9 colazal a day, prednisone 60mg (will see my GI on 3/15 and find out how he wants me to taper). I have no bleeding, no diarrhea, BM's about 3/day formed. Back to eating normally (food does not seem to bother me in anyway, thankfully, because I love to eat, lol).

Questions.

Are there any other supplements/vitamins that you guys would reccomend, other than what is in my sig.

Also for the ladies, My period has come about 2wks early, which I know is not that big of a deal but just wondering if maybe the prednisone could do that. ( i don't seem to have any other side effects, so far from the pred. maybe a little insomnia and some acne but I can deal with those)

Thank You to anyone who takes the time to read this and respond. I find this website to be extremely helpful and informative.

 

Hi, thanks for the reply. I am not against the rectal mesalamine at all, I have been thinking about it and figured as I started my pred. taper if any symptoms at all returned I am going to ask GI for them, instead of the steroid ones (I probably should have started with those ones in the beginning instead of the cortenemas). I just wasn't really sure if I needed to add anything right now where I seem to be doing good. The pred. is def. a high dose, and I am looking forward to getting my taper schedule on Tues. when I see my GI. Or maybe I should just bring up the enemas at my appt. and see what he thinks, as it seems a lot of people on here are on them as maintenance meds. anyway.

journey to health- thanks again for the reply, my doc. did mention remicade briefly, they actually did a TB test on me in the hospital, which was negative, I have had many, as I work at a doctors office and they have always been negative. He said that might be something down the line, but hopefully not. I know I am still new to this disease and don't really know what will come next. Just taking one day at a time.

imagradener2-thanks also, I will take the advice on the mesalamine enemas, as I do not want to go back to being sick like I was and certainly want to keep myself out of the hospital. My eating has actually been pretty good I think. I am def. trying to eat a lot better and different than I used to eat before all this. Been eating a lot of chicken and well cooked veggies, also been trying the spinach and sunflower seeds, I don't eat seafood, just because I have never liked it (wish I did because I know it is really good for you). I def. used to eat a lot of junk, pizza, fast food, etc. So in some weird way I think this disease has actually made me healthier (if that makes any sense)

Yes, I think I am def. getting more convinced that I need and am going to ask for the mesalamine enemas when I go for my f/u appt. on tuesday, because I know I've read alot about the pred. just "masking the symptoms" and symptoms returning when tapering pred. and I do not want to go back to where I was. Thanks again.