Your story is remarkably like mine. I was diagnosed UC in January 2011. The drugs you mention are all familiar to me, particularly prednisone, lialda, remicade, and imuran. Prior to UC they only thought I had a mild dose of colitis in my sigmoid colon. All of a sudden the disease exploded throughout my large intestine. After 4 colonoscopies, which showed more tissue damage each time, I made the decision to have the colon out before I died.
I was literally running to the toilet 30-40 times a day at that point, and sometimes not making it in time. For me it was partly quality of life and partly to save my life.
Diet did nothing. I too did not respond to the typical drugs in the expected fashion. I ended up on a 5ASA called Cymzia, which was helping, but by the time we landed on that biologic drug, it was too late for my colon.
I had the takedown on my temporary ostomy a little over a month ago. I am slowly starting to gain weight back (I went from 185lbs to 125lbs, and it was awful). I am 135lbs and gaining today. I am vulnerable to sudden dehydration and cold affects me terribly where it did not before. So there are trade-offs, and not everything will be sunshine & daisies. Choose your surgeon well - get reccomendations - consider a university research hospital.
Good luck. The surgery worked for me, and our stories sound very similar. I hope it can set things right for you as well.
Rich Stocum
Post Edited (rstocum) : 11/6/2012 8:18:28 AM (GMT-7)