HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

poll: should i go on 6mp or not?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/23/2009 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
i have been in flare for 2-3 mos.  pred 40 mg and tapering down to 20 and off in about 3 weeks.  I am planning a fast after this time....if i cannot achieve remission, should i try 6 mp.....i am not flaring terribly.....a few bms a day with d and blood sometimes....sometimes a little formed stool.....not a lot of pain.....urgency is not too big a problem unless i just try to hold it too long....mornings are the worst with some pain during bm and a little rectal discomfort for a while after eased by soak in tub...probably hemmeroids......what do you all think.....will i be able to get in remissions again without immuno drugs.....should i just deal with what little symptoms i am having if i can.....should i be using rectal meds....rowasa did not really seem to be helping....i think my doc will let me try whatever i push him to do...he knows i don't wanna go on 6mp, so he is giving me space....i wonder if steroid ememas would work better than rowasa....????
Posted 5/24/2009 1:22 AM (GMT 0)

Sure wish I had the answers for you.  I could not tolerate mesalamines so I ended up on steroids and now down to 10 mg. tapering.  I have been on 6 MP for three months - not sure if it is working or not.  I seem about where you are - mostly formed BM's - 2 or maybe 3 each morning - not much cramping or pain but my doctor's concern is with the blood and mucous each day.  When on 30 mg. down to two weeks on 20 - no blood and little mucous - much better. 

Anyway, that was my decision because I wanted to get off prednisone as fast as possible - now on 10 mg.  My doctor has referred me to a world renown (so my doctor, etc. says) specialist at Albany Medical Center June 18.  I am to stay on 10 mg. prednisone and 75 mg. 6 MP until then.  He also told me to take Imodium as needed and pepto bismal for nausea. 

Good luck with what you decide.  So far side effects of 6 MP are thinning hair and nausea/sweating/headaches (some could be from tapering).  Not really too bad! 

By the way, I could not tolerate Rowasa and tried Proctofoam and steroid suppositories - all seemed to make bleeding and discomfort in rectum area worse.   Hydrocortisone enemas work for most but I cannot administer them properly because of arthritis and my obesity.  Worth trying!

ElaineNY

Posted 5/24/2009 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
I have posted this many times before. 6 mp is my son's miracle drug. Just went to the gastro on Thursday, and he doesn't need to go back for a year. He will continue bloodwork every 3 months. Best of luck to you.
Posted 5/24/2009 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi lucasJ,

Have you tried alternative treatments? Fecal transplantation, probiotics, eating anti-inflammatory foods, taking anti-inflammatory supplements, avoiding pro-inflammatory foods?
Posted 5/24/2009 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
The steriod enemas (hydrocortisone) I just started have shown wonderful results! After doing them 2 days I have NO pain and NO blood. 6MP got me into remission after a long flare and kept me quiet just over a year. I started having minor symptoms a few weeks ago that were getting worse and the steroid enemas seem to be knocking it out.
Posted 5/24/2009 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
6mp didn't do the trick for us, but it is hard to tell when you take it while flaring. My daughter is still on it, in case the Remicade fails, it is a back up. It takes months to get into your system at a therapeutic level. There were only minor side affects--temp. hair loss, otherwise nothing. It is hard to judge if you can deal with your symptoms as they are now. At least there are still options for you. You should probably have the blood work done, as that takes a couple of weeks to get back, and have your kidney function tested, then if you go on it and give it the time it needs to work, you will know how it does for you by the end of the summer. If no better, you can try something else, and if better, it probably will be your drug of choice.
I'd try the Cortafoam first...it also works nicely with ltd. side affects. My 2 cents.
Posted 5/24/2009 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
I would give the steroid enemas a try.  They always help me within a few days.  Keep in mind that 6MP takes about 3 months to work so if you're going to try it, the sooner the better.  It may be just what you need to get you over the hump and into complete remission.  I have no side effects from it and tolerate it great.  I'm not 100% but I'm way better than I was before taking it.

Posted 5/25/2009 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
I just started 6mp about 3 weeks ago to avoid remicade.  I'm praying every single day that it kicks in and works for me because I need something at this point.  I'm currenly in a pretty bad flare so I started 30mg of Pred last wednesday. 

I would definitly try the 6mp, the side affects arent that bad at all minus the fatigue which is bareable.  The only thing that stinks about the drug is the fact that it takes 3+ months to kick in, if at all...

Good luck!

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply