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Remission or just a cruel, cruel joke?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/30/2012 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Long story short, I'm tapering from 60 mg of prednisone and now down to 10 mg/day after six weeks. Things were going great. Normal BMs. They were solid. Consistent. Regular.

To put things in perspective, six weeks ago I was in the hospital with left-side UC marked by blood, mucous, constant urges - you name it. But after the prednisone, that was all gone. Since then I've been taking 4 Lialda per day in addition to iron supplements (boosting up the hemoglobin after it being down to 8.1), calcium, and vitamin D.

This morning, however, I went to the bathroom and noticed a nice red streak on the stool. I'm wondering if there's any potential that this is still remission (and maybe just a hemorrhoid), or if I'm in for another bout of bloody mess and anemia.

Anyone got any optimism for me?
Posted 8/30/2012 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, not really. I have those streaks too once in a while and I'm still fighting with mucus too. I know I still have a flare although my bms are solid and very well shaped.

Do you see mucus?

I'd say keep watching it and if it does get worse, see your GI. Also get checked if it is just a hemmie. That would be the better evil.
Posted 8/30/2012 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I'd suggest you ask the doc for rectal meds...mesalamine enemas to help with the inflammation still happening there during the pred taper.

Stay on them nightly until after the taper is finished...then continue until all remains well before tapering the enemas to every second night.

My final suggestion is for you to remain on the retention enemas twice a week for maintenance.

q
Posted 8/30/2012 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Ii hope I'm wrong in your case but in my case at 10mg pred is right where the line of blood occured :( sadly been going downhill since currently at 6.5mg pred ...
Goodluck. I've had it not turn into a flare as well ! Stay rested and keep up on anythinG else your doing :)
Posted 8/30/2012 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. Quincy - my GI prescribed me with Rowasa to take as flares started. I just got off the phone with the GI's nurse and she said that it should be fine to go ahead and take that. It's an every night kind of thing? Have you had any luck with them?
Posted 8/30/2012 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Quincy- Take some Rowasa that should help with the rectal and lower colon inflammation. Coming off of predisone can be scary to many people, seeing that this drug is strong and gets the job done quick. But unfortunately do to all its side effects we can't stay on it, sigh :( The lialda should become stable in your body after two weeks-2 months. It took my body some time to adjust to my maintenance drug of imuran. Now with this disease you never know what you are going to get. Its so wonderful that you are having normal stools now! That is heading in the healthy right direction.
Posted 8/30/2012 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there, sorry you're having a setback.

Everyone is different in their definitions. But for me if you're on any prednisone you can't even begin to define yourself in remission at all.

What you're experiencing is not uncommon at all though and i have some trepidation i'll expereicne the same in a month or so. That the as soon as you hit the small end of the pred taper symptoms return.

I think Qunicy's suggestion is pretty good. It may take a lot of careful management and a long time to get that taper finished. Good luck, keep us posted.
Posted 8/31/2012 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
I and fruitgirl are the biggest proponents of Rowasa (I use Salofalk). So yes...I have success with them for well over 23 years.

It's an every night thing until you are off the pred and then are continually well for another few weeks or so...then you can start tapering to every second night. If all goes well for after a month or so...then I would suggest a twice a week regimen...called maintenance.

It's a commitment. More a mental one. Decision is yours, but I'd say my commitment has paid off. If you never have to use pred again, that would be a huge plus...yes?

q
Posted 8/31/2012 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
10mg is a though spot for many but a little instability is not always a sign of an impending flare up. I think we are so used to seeing people have problems here, we think it's going to happen to us but it doesn't happen to everyone. You can have a symptom here and there and pull through. Try to think positive, at the same time, keep your eyes open and if there is a problem, call your GI asap. Definitely get on some rectal meds to help you get to 0mg. The last thing you want is to have to increase the dose of prednisone.
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