Severe Ulcerative Colitis Pain!

I take Bentyl which helps with the spasms and in the past I have taken Darvocet for the pain. The main problem with narcotic pain relievers is that it can cause constipation or slow the bowel down. What is the extent of your Uc? Have you ever been on rectal meds?

120MG a DAY???  That is an INSANE amount of prednisone.  At the height of my disease, in the hospital, the most I was ever on is 80 - that's NUTS.  That level of pred, on an ongoing basis, can cause adrenal dependency and all sorts of badness.

You need to find another doctor.  Stat.  You are clearly in a major flare, and you need to find a doctor who will work to get you back to normal.  Despite your lack of insurance (get insurance - if your parents have insurance they can cover you until you're 26 per Obama's new healthcare regs), you are probably in the neighborhood of needing to go to the hospital.

While in major flares, my doctor prescribed Vicodin, and I was on heavier painkillers at the hospital - but it is NOT a long-term solution.   You need to find a way to get this under control.

Have you tried the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD)? 

3 months???? wow, that is really awful. I feel bad for you to be going through this. It sounds like your body really needs a break. I think the hospital would be the best place for you at this point. Are you on any rectal meds? It's weird for UC to spare the rectum as far as I know. You definitely need to know this is UC and not Chrons before considering surgery. Like Erin said, Can you get back on your parents insurance?

also check http://www.healthcare.gov/

there may be some state options where you live. Remicade may be a good option but it's expensive.

Any doctor can write you a prescription for rectal meds. The cheapest of them are the generic form of Rowasa which is mesalamine rectal retention enemas. Even if your whole colon is involved, rectal meds can help.

And yes, the bill became effective in March:
The Affordable Care Act Becomes Law

March 23, 2010

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. The law puts in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will roll out over four years and beyond, with most changes taking place by 2014. Others have already begun. Use this timeline to learn about what’s changing and when.

Changes to note:

* $250 Medicare drug cost rebate
* Expanded coverage for young adults
* Small business tax credits
* Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans

Not only does the amount of prednisone you are on completely scare me for your safety, but obviously it is not helping. Also, with no insurance, I am sure you are already probably paying a hefty amount for your meds each month. Definitely see if your parents have insurance and go on their plan...you can be on it until you are 26. Regardless, you need to find a different doctor. I am on my second GI and I love her....but I stayed with my first doctor for 9 years and hated every minute of dealing with him.

Also, I second that you should go to the hospital. The E.R. docs might not be specifically trained for dealing with digestive diseases but I know they would have a G.I. on staff somewhere in the hospital they would consult. Also, as you don't have insurance, you would probably get a discount. From there you can work out a payment plan that is affordable for you.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you find relief soon!

I am so sorry to hear of your condition and pain. Too much for your age without getting support from somewhere.
Is it possible to talk to your parents and ask about whether their insurance plan would allow you to be added? Someone your age usually costs MUCH much less than an older adult and it would be the best way for you to get treated.
What you may not know is that people without insurance pay more for treatment (especially emergency room) than insured peeps.
Having insurance pays for itself quickly if you have a condition like UC.

Besides the pain do you also have other symptoms? Bleeding, diahrrea (we say D here), urgency?
As you will read here some people have pain and some don't.
As mentioned some people had a bad reaction to pred such as pain.
Did you have pain BEFORE the pred?
What symptoms caused your doc to prescibe pred?

It's going to be tough to get pain meds at the emergency room. They deal with people who come in just to score legal drugs so they treat everyone in pain as if they might be faking. And before you start pain meds it's important to figure out WHY you have pain.
Some people take other types of medication to relieve pain from ulcers and you need a good doctor to sort that out.

That's really the bottom line--you need a good GI doctor, not the one you have (with or without insurance).
Don't wait, your health is important and you can't live in pain.

percocet 325mg really helps with pain along with a nausea pill like zofran

dyekid28 said...
120mg of prednisone a day as well as lialda and immuran.

120 mgs of pred a day? OMG!!! Are you sure it's that high of a dosage?

Whatever you do, even though that's a seriously high dosage, do not stop taking pred. You have to taper off it very slowly; otherwise, you could put your system into shock.