Where do I go?

Where do I go from here?

I was diagnosed with pancolitis 3.5 years ago, when I was rushed into the ER with bleeding and diarrhea. After an initial round of prednisone for 3 months, I was put on Imuran and Pentasa, and things were under control for 3 years or so.

Suddenly, I started bleeding last week and it seems to get worse everyday. I wanted to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and I have pretty much been consuming only chicken soup over this last week, but things are getting worse.

I am really worried. What are my options: Go on prednisone for immediate relief and try continuing with Imuran, or as my doc suggests, start Remicade? However, the doc wants Promethus test results to confirm whether it is UC or Crohns' before beginning the treatment. He is against using prednisone, I guess. But I am afraid that this 1 week wait may be too costly and I don't want to end up in ER. Do I just ask him to give me prednisone for immediate control?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks much.

maybe your doc can give you steroids in the short-term while you get setup for remicade? that's what I did when i got out of the hospital this year. they kept me on steroids while i did the test for TB and got the approval from my insurance. after i started remicade, i tapered off steroids.

i took prednisone, but i think there is another steroid that has fewer systemic effects. maybe your doc can prescribe entocort(Budesonide) instead?

i didn't have much luck with scd, it's very hard to stick to. remicade worked wonders for me for a bit, but i got some other thing going on and ended up switching to humira. good luck to you!