beating a flare without pred...?

Could you have food poisoning or something that turned into a flare? The onset is awful fast. Sorry to hear you are feeling so poor, but you really need to call your doc. I totally hear you on the pred, maybe ask about Entocort. Its like pred, but not as systemic meaning not as many side effects and it does work.

What about steroid enemas? Seems many have luck w/ these and it isn't potent in the same way oral pred is. Just a thought.
B

thanks guys.

aquafly, i hope its not food poisoning but you might actually have a solid theory. All of my flares this year have not been gradual, they have been 1 maybe 2 days and then im in the worst of them, i dont know why. I will ask about the entocort.

Fromchaos, I will try that as well with my sulfa, perhaps it will work out. Generally what is the timeline for the healing process....I know thats a silly question as they kind of determine themselves but if you could ball park it. Also, what sort of low carb diet do you use? Do you just eliminate as many as possible?

Hateuc, I like the name. I will talk to GI Monday about thoe steroid enemas.

Notsosicklygirl, I have tried asacol and it could be part of the fact that I didnt want to shell out 120a month (which is stupid I know) or maybe I was too impatient but it really seemed to do nothing for me. Sulfa worked almost right away, within the first two weeks anyhow. But I suppose I could try switching to the 5asa again if they are that much more effective, and with less sides.

Thanks again everyone 

I have no choice but to manage my flares without Prednisone because Prednisone caused avascular necrosis of my knee ( I just had surgery)so I am now not supposed to take it again, if at all possible. What I do to avoid or stop a flare is ...
1. Liquids only for 24 hours then strict SCD
2. Relax, get as much rest as possible
3. Drink herbal tea
4. Increase my liquid fish oil
5. increase my probiotics
6. increase my Bee Propolis
7. Rowasa enemas nightly.
8. increase my Vitamin D3
Good luck! I hope you get control and avoid that evil Prednisone!

Post Edited (pmedic) : 11/5/2011 2:16:35 PM (GMT-6)

Deltaforce-Get your Dr to order an MRI. That was a symptom I had but in the knee. It was getting hard to bend my leg.  This disease is most common in the hips but can affect any or all joints. I want people to beware of Prednisone. I am 44 years old and Female. I was extremely athletic, used to run 5 + miles per day. No health problems before the Crohn's diagnosis 3-4 years ago. When diagnosed and placed on medication for minor bleeding, I became very ill and started bleeding very heavily and was placed on Prednisone 40 mg then a taper after a few weeks. Did that a few ( maybe 2 or 3) times over a time frame of about 6 -8 months and was on IV steroids while in the hospital for 4 days. I completely stabilized on a biologic. Never again did I have to take Prednisone. That was 3 years ago. about 3 months ago, I started having "restless legs" at night and put it off on my busy lifestyle. Finally when I was limping most of the day, I went to my Dr. who diagnosed AVN (avascular necrosis) of the knee and he told me this WAS caused from the Prednisone. I am facing possible multiple surgeries if it is in my other joints or if this surgery does not "take" ( this surgery has a low success rate) in the knee I just had surgery in, then I am facing total knee replacements. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Beware of this drug!

Post Edited (pmedic) : 11/5/2011 4:39:23 PM (GMT-6)

zoolander,

IMO, probiotics, probiotics, probiotics - especially VSL#3 DS (you need your doctor to write script for it).

Also, food combining that can wreak absolute havoc.

Wow. That sounds terrible. Yet another reason to avoid pred if at all possible. I have a really active lifestyle as well and I'd prefer to hang onto it.

I tried to just drink water today but needed some food so I ate some oat bran and had a few cups of green tea with honey in them. Seems to be helping. Didn't get a chance to get to town for the pharmacy but I will get the enemas tomorrow hopefully.

That is terrible, what you have gone through because of prednisone. I wouldn't wish that, crohns or uc on my worst enemy. I hope everything turns around for the best, that your surgery takes and is the damage is limited.

InSoFla, what do you mean in regards to food combining? Like my greek smoothie?

Thanks for the link. I wasn't taking them before but I started taking acidophillus (10 billion per pill) 2 times a day. Ill talk to the doc about vsl. In the meantime, any other suggestions?

A brita filter. That's so simple but brilliant in ensuring you have healthy water to drink. So far today I have just been drinking mostly water and tea with honey and some protein shakes. I've never seen a change (without pred, of course) like this in one day.
I'm taking insofla's advice in eating foods from the alkaline side with other foods from the alkaline side as looking at my diet I've been eating a lot of acidic foods. Ill update again if this works and I am better tomorrow......fingers crossed

pmedic,

Would you please start a new threat posting your experience with the prednisone - as a warning to others - to most of us, who've not been warned?

I think it's very important.

Thanks.

pmedic,

I only buy organic meat because I find when I try to switch to regular meat (due to cost) I start having more bleeding issues

One more thing, you say you eat organic meat, did you know organic doesn't equal grass fed?

There's ahuge difference with regard to the ratio of omega3:omega6, and omega 6's are inflammatory.

Here's some threads on this topic, which might help clarify:

Here's your cheat-sheet to figuring out labels on meats and other products...

http://eatwild.com/GlossaryofMeatProductionMethods.pdf

Read my post on 9/4/11: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=2193025

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&p=1&m=2238257#m2238369

This may be the connection you're looking for, I know it was for me. Let me know what you think.

 

You might try upping the sulfasalazine.  It's still the most effective 5-ASA.  Newer MMX formulations (Lialda) increase patient compliance but aren't more effective than sulfasalazine.

It's not clear what dose you're on.  In your post you state 3 x 500 (once a day? and that would be a rather low dose), but your signature states 3 x 400 twice a day.

At any rate, you can up to 4 x 500 twice a day, and even 5 x 500 twice a day isn't unheard of.  Increasing the dose gradually will help avoid headaches, as will plenty of water.