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Uceris: need to taper?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/27/2014 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Did any of you taper Uceris? Like take it every other day or something? Im asking because i've been on it for nearly a month and not sure if i need to taper???
I may have to take another 4 weeks of it. Would i need to taper then or do i just stop cold turkey?
Posted 7/27/2014 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
You can quit it cold turkey at any time. It is usually prescribed at one pill a day for two months and then you just stop. Since it is not a cure I have always thought that that was stupid. If it works you should taper it down to a point where you still take it somehow, forever, maybe one or twice a week.
Posted 7/27/2014 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
My GI had me tapering to every other day but i don't think it's required that you do so. Are you in remission? I was doing great on uceris for a while but then it stopped working...
Posted 7/28/2014 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
I dunno Gary... its still a steroid. For life? Ick.

Uceris is a bridge just like prednisone, IMO.

I was not prescribed a taper when I had it. Just to stop after 2 months. Studies show after 2 months its no longer effective.
Posted 7/28/2014 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
I'm just saying that since it is more topical than systemic it is nowhere near as bad as prednisone and doctors prescribe prednisone for months or even years to some patients. I'm not sure you're right about it not being effective after two months. I've actually never heard that before. I believe all of the studies done on it were two month studies and then the drug was quit, not because it became ineffective at 61 days but just because that's how long the studies lasted. As far as I know there is absolutely no information on how it works longer than two months because no one ever bothered to find out. There have been a small handful of people on here who took it longer than two months. Not sure what their success was.
Posted 7/28/2014 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
I don't buy the two month thing either. I think the reason it's not working for me is because I stopped and restarted or perhaps things progressed. I definitely got more than two months of relief from it. I do one hundred percent agree that even though it's not as bad a taking pred, it is still a steroid and i personally don't care if it's topical, I don't want to take a steroid every day indefinitely. I also noticed it makes me hungry and that is one of the worst side effects you can have! I wouldn't want to use cortisone cream every day either. It's bad for your skin... Long term Steroids aren't good No matter how they are delivered.
Posted 7/28/2014 11:35 AM (GMT 0)
Yeh i agree with not wanting to take it longer than 2 months. I just don't understand how they claim on the Uceris website that it has the side effect profile of a "sugar pill" or "placebo".
I mean is that even possible? Although it is released in the colon it is still absorbed into the blood stream and after 8 weeks they would have experienced steroid side effects. I just find it strange that they claim that side effects are the same as placebo.
Posted 7/28/2014 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
My son's doctor had him take one every other day after being on it for 6 weeks.
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