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uc and appendix removal

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/12/2009 12:44 AM (GMT 0)

I've done some reading about the possibility of relief coming from having an appendectomy. doc told me a while ago about statistics of people without appendix not having UC - wondered  if having it removed after diagnosis would help. Saw something about a doc in australia who had success as long as the appendix was removed before the patient turned 20 years old. does anyone have any knowledge or experience with this? my 17 yr old son's life has been put on hold since approx January with a constant flare. went to mayo clinic. put him on 50g 6mp - along with a quick taper of prednisone (which was wonderful!). now drugs aren't working. doc represcribed  colazal b/c that's what my son took when 1st diagnosed & did wonderfully for over 3 years! Then boom! He can't get a summer job - he had accidents at school. It's horrible for a teenager to stay home while his friends are out having fun. Anybody have good results with 6mp? He was on lialda for almost a year - not as good results as the colazal but he still held his own. I just want to know how to help him. College is coming & he doesn't know what to do.  I'd appreciate any and all help! He's also taking a multi-vitamin and fish oil. He's getting so skinny b/c he's not sure if food makes  it worse. He just knows that he has to go to the bathroom if he eats so he tends to not eat. He's over 6'2" and weighs in the 150's. Everything bags on him. Please help me help him!! He takes a lactaid everytime he has dairy - not sure if that helps. He also was taking Imodium during school & that really helped him during the day. Don't know if he should continue that course. Can't be any worse than these high powered drugs doc keeps prescribing. Sorry such a long post! Just need help!! Thank you all!!

Posted 6/12/2009 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
I"ve had UC for nine years. about year 5 I had an appendectomy.  My symptoms have not improved, in fact while the surgeons were in there they wanted to know if they could take out my colon too.  :)  I opted for them not to do that, but if you ask me.  There is no difference in my UC whether you have your appendix or you don't.  Good Luck
Posted 6/12/2009 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
Very interesting about the appendix info. I look forward to learning more about this.

I just wanted to say hello and send {{{{Hugs}}}} My son is 17, too, so I understand what you all are going through. He is almost 6'3" and weighs about 155. I also have a 10 year old daughter with UC. Thankfully my 14 year old daughter is healthy so far.

You can get my email from the little envelope icon under my user name on the left side if you ever want to talk. You can also come over to
http://www.dragonpack.com/ibdsupport/parents/ to talk with other parents of IBD kids. This board is wonderful, too, but dragon pack specifically addresses kids with IBD, treatment suggestions and my favorite - support for us as parents.

Welcome (sorry you have to be here) and I look forward to getting to know you better!!
Posted 6/12/2009 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
As I recall from pub-medding this very topic: there is indeed a significantly lower onset rate of UC among people who had appendectomies, but UC sufferers having appendectomies has no apparent affect on the UC.
Posted 6/12/2009 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
This doc in Australia had done a very limited study on this - the most important thing seems to be that the appendix needs to be removed before age 20 in order for it to do any good. i obviously don't want to subject my son to more pain, discomfort and dashed hopes - but I also don't want to rule out things that are "outside the box." He also went to a special chiropractor a couple of months ago. She did a few "far out" things that made us both a little uncomfortable. She said he was reacting to certain "energies" - she would have him hold out his arm, she would have him hold the "energy" of either a food or drug, she would tap his arm & if it dipped down, she said he was having a reaction to it. The very next day, his pills came out in his stool totally intact - not digested at all. Does anybody know anything about this? We thought it was a little weird - expensive too as insurance didn't pay for any of it at all. I'm not sure what you would even call what this lady did. any info is appreciated. Thanks so much!!
Posted 6/12/2009 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
What you are talking about with the chiro having your son hold his arm out and "energies" and stuff is Kinesiology. The vet that I use for our horses uses/believes in this - I'm not sure I do...Supposedly our former mare prefers a mohair cinch to a neoprene one =D

Were the pills Asacol or Lialda? Both of those are timed released action pills and if things are moving along too quickly because of diarrhea or if the PH balance isn't right, the body can just pass them through partially or not digested at all. It is common with both of these drugs. I've heard that the new Apriso is still timed released but not likely to have the same problem.
Posted 6/12/2009 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008102334.htm

"Long denigrated as vestigial or useless, the appendix now appears to have a reason to be – as a "safe house" for the beneficial bacteria living in the human gut."
Posted 3/17/2016 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
There is a clinical trial being one now in the UK and Netherlands. It is called the ACCURE study. They are removing appendixes from people with UC to see if it limits the severity. Apparently they have had positive results.

http://bmcsurg.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12893-015-0017-1
Posted 3/18/2016 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
If he did better on Colazal, can he go back to that? Is he using rectal medications as well? Mesalamine enemas can really help clear inflammation in the rectum & sigmoid -- sometimes a bit higher.

It can take 6MP 2-3 months to start working. How long has he been on it? Biologics can start working quicker and many people here have had great success with Remicade.

I was diagnosed in Jan 2013. Had to have an emergency appendectomy in March 2013. I pretty much was in a mild flare for the next 2 years.
Posted 3/18/2016 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
I have a friend who firmly believes that removal of his appendix is what cured him of his IBS/IBD symptoms. He is French and in his late-20s/mid-30s developed symptoms that sound like my husband's UC symptomps. It was not formally diagnosed as IBD; it was about 30 years ago. It was progressively worsening over about 5+ years.

He was referred to an old French doctor who had the view that appendix in adults is related to digestive issues. Had his appendix out and the symptoms were gone and here he is 30 years later without any problems. He firmly believes the appendectomy cured him. Maybe it was the removal of the appendix. Maybe it was the "trauma" of a surgery that jump-started his immune system. Or maybe just coincidence.
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