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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/16/2017 10:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys I was diagnosed with UC mild in the rectum in 2013 and initially used cortifoam to treat the original flare. Used the cortifoam for a few months and it all went away and I would have never thought I had UC and life was merry and great. Fast forward to the last two weeks and have been getting loose stools, minimal blood, mucus and bad stomach cramps either side of my stomach. My Dr gave me cortifoam again which seems to be helping minimally and 25mg of prednisone for 7 days which I am now down to 12.5 4 times a week. My BM's seem to be improving, down to 1 - 2 a day with hardly any blood but there is still mucus there and the cramps are not going away. My diet is not great, greasy foods, energy drinks, chocolate etc. I am also taking a probiotic, fish oil and turmeric.

Any suggestions to stop the cramping and reduce mucus?
Posted 4/16/2017 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I misunderstand the motive of why the doc would have put you on pred rather than an oral mesalamine.

q
Posted 4/16/2017 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Did you refuse the usual meds?
Posted 4/16/2017 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
No refusal of any normal meds he just put me straight on course of prednisone.
Posted 4/16/2017 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Are you seeing a regular doctor or a GI?

You should have been on a maintenance medication like asacol, it may have prevented this 2nd flare.
Posted 4/29/2017 1:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I have been seeing my regular doctor not GI, he can be quite difficult to get into in a timely fashion. My symptoms appeared to ease while on the Prednisone even when tapering off of them but the last couple of days I have been off them and stopped using my cortifoam the mucus is back really bad. None to very little blood but the mucus is getting me down and stressing me out. Sneezed too hard last night and bam crap myself :-(. I have started taking the Prednisone again today to try and ease my symptoms, I am also taking a probiotic and curcumin. Any other tips or advice to get over this flare?
Posted 4/29/2017 6:16 AM (GMT 0)
it sounds like the nutritional supplement and probiotic is not enough to control you UC. pred only works while you take it. you need to up you maintenance.
Posted 4/29/2017 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Ditto DBwithUC. You have UC inflammation that requires anti-inflammatory mesalamine medication to treat. You should be on 4.8 grams of an oral mesalamine (lialda/asacol/delzicol) and a 4.0 gram nightly enema (rowasa/pentasa/salofalk).
Posted 5/1/2017 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the reply. Trying to get in to see my gastro this week. Is it likely the proctitis has spread with these symptoms?
Posted 5/1/2017 10:58 AM (GMT 0)
UC is measured in extent and severity. Of the two severity of inflammation is the one that bothers us most as far as symptoms go, and it's the most likely to worsen during a flare that's undertreated.

If you're initially diagnosed with proctitis the odds say it's not likely to advance in extent. If ulcerative colitis is initially limited to the rectum at the time of diagnosis, fewer than 30% of individuals will go on to develop more extensive disease (Rowe). Approximately 10% of patients presenting with proctitis will develop a pancolitis (Rowe).
Posted 5/1/2017 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you again for the reply. Hopefully I will get into my GI this week or I will see GP to hopefully put me on maintenance meds that will help this and I can come off the prednisone.
Posted 5/2/2017 8:05 AM (GMT 0)
Luckily I have been able to get into my Gastro tomorrow, are there any particular questions you think I should ask?
Posted 5/2/2017 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, ask about a med to take daily that isn't pred, some type of mesalamine like Lialda, Apriso, Asacol etc would be a good choice. You may want to get scoped to see if the inflammation has spread. You could also ask for rowasa instead of cortifoam, which is the non steroid version of what you are using.
Posted 5/2/2017 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
I was initially diagnosed with proctitis. I always found that statistic that proctitis very rarely spreads to be odd. If you have proctitis, it seems like, it's often the start of something worse, or it's not, but 10% sounds low.

I would ask for stool tests for sure. I'd also ask about doing blood work and see if s/he has a plan to take a look with a flex sig or a colonoscopy. That's the best tool to see what's going on and get biopsies. They will walk you through, but make sure you request stool tests.

Oh yes, and ask for rectal meds if it's in the rectum. turn
Posted 5/3/2017 9:27 AM (GMT 0)
I saw the gastro today which was good. He was not happy that my gp put me straight on to prednisone and has instead put me on meszalmine daily for maintenance with the cortifoam. He has requested a blood test and a stool sample. Does not need to do another scope yet.
Posted 5/3/2017 10:03 AM (GMT 0)
A step in the right direction. Although a leap in the right direction would be to give you canasa suppositories or rowasa enemas in addition to the mesalamine/mesalazine.
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