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Posted 5/10/2011 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
 Has anyone had success with supplements such as Serovera AMP? I am mom to a recently diagnosed son. We've looked at everything desperately to find him his first remission. He cannot tolerate steroids. He is on Imuneran, Balasalazide, and sometimes uses Flagyl with bad times. He's just exhausted all the time and is anxiety ridden. He is changing doctors, because his current doc seems quite oblivious to the suffering and won't even prescribe a pain med help. Time to move on, no pun intended. I am conflicted to a product such as Serovera or AMP floracell because of laxative possibilities or over stimulating the immune responses which seem to cause the UC originally. You're all great and I wish you all better days and long remissions.
Posted 5/10/2011 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi mom -
How old is your son?

I had not heard of Serovera AMP but I looked it up..... nothing about it seemed alarming to me. I've not taken any kind of aloe vera, but I have taken slippery Elm and I've found it's helped with my symptoms some. The only trouble is that because it coats the GI tract, one must take it between meds, and.. I take meds 4 times a day, so I have few windows of "between"!
Has he tried probiotics or fiber? My son takes both of those and find that they help.
If he feels his doctor won't listen to him, it's a good idea to change. I have found it very important to feel as if I can work as a team with my GI.

Welcome to the forum, and keep us posted!
Posted 5/10/2011 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Slippery Elm Bark and Tumeric
Posted 5/10/2011 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi! Thank you for your response. My son just turned 37. I was just reading up on the slippery elm powder tea recipe on Dr. Weil's site and, yes, that seems a potential problem...taking it judicially so it won't impede the absorption of other meds. He does do a good probiotic every day, but not fiber. I think he's reticent of trying that because he just can't get rid of the diarhea and probably thinks that extra fiber will just annoy that problem more. I do see that both his drugs have diarhea and abdominal pain as side effects. Right now, he's experiencing a horrible exhaustion and some fevers. Good luck! and Thank you.
Posted 5/10/2011 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Sure.
Actually, my stools are loose when I omit the Metamucil.... but we're all different in how we tolerate things.

It's hard being a parent with concerns, no matter what age the kid, isn't it?! I'm just learning that!
Posted 5/10/2011 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, the tough thing right now is that he is a young father and this illness has suddenly devastated his energy with his little boy and he feels terrible about that and that certainly doesn't help in the healing path. He will be changing doctors soon hopefully, as soon as he can get in with a practice of GI Doctors. I will certain mentiona the metamucil idea to perhaps try!
Posted 5/10/2011 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
anothermom,

I  too would recommend the Metamucil it helps to bulk the stool and absorb the liquid in the colon.  I will have looser stools if I dont take it.  I take it every night before bed, this way if it is going to cause gas at least your in bed.    Start small and gradually increase the dose.

One med that helps for the diahrea is Lomotil it slows down the colon, helps with cramping, urgency and offers some relief so that he could enjoy doing things with his kids.  It is a lifesaver for me especially when I'm flaring.

What kind of probiotic is he taking and how many live bacteria are in each dose?  Every probiotic is different some are more powerful than others and every one has different strains of bacteria in them, make sure that the one that he is taking the kind of bacteria in it are beneficial to the colon and diahrea.

As for the fevers Tylenol should only be used, Ibupropen will make your UC worse and cause bleeding.

You mentioned steriods cannot be tolerated.  Is that just oral steroids because the steroid enemas are different and are very beneficial they go right to the inflammation.  Less side effects.  I refuse to take oral steroids but I have great success with the enemas and so do many of us here.  THey do more than any of the oral meds that I take.   Hycort, cortenema, (cortisone enemas) & Rowasa, Salofalk (mesalamine enemas). Cortifoam is good for day use.

Exhaustion is a problem for many of us, you just need to sleep when you can and rest is very important.

Posted 5/10/2011 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
Because I am a UC'er who has tried quite a number of supplements with little success I suggest starting with the tried and true first:
1. Mesalamine enema. Unless he is intolerant of mesalamine this will be one of the best add-ons to his daily meds (actually done before sleeping). No not fun to begin but it gives results. (oh I just read that puffedrice suggested it already. well done.) I agree that enemas really do more than oral meds, get right to the spot that needs it. Suppositories don't reach enough area.
Cannot recommend this highly enough.

2.I take Balsalazide also but my remission is due to diet modification not any med I've ever taken. Please consider doing this. Again not easy but the remission is well worth the trouble.

3. Many people feel turmeric and boswellia supplements really help them.

I agree with him to go easy on the fiber until things get better. A damaged gut has trouble processing fiber except very gentle type. People here like psillium seed powder although I've been happy with Citrucel tablets.

Good luck to him. Send him here to read and read. It helps to see positive stories of people who have gotten results. He will see many people's different paths to remission and it should give him hope.
Posted 5/10/2011 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Don't go by me because I have been taking tons of supplements all my life. Probably more than is necessary.

But if you look at our signatures you will see that the most popular supplements that work for most of us are probiotics and a soluble fiber such as psyllium (Metamucil). Getting your blood levels of vitamin D measured at your next scheduled blood work is also popular.
Posted 5/10/2011 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all of you, can't express enough relief just to talk to folks who are and have gone through all the suffering and management strategies. I am personally very happy that my son will be changing doctors. A friend of mine with Crohns urged him to get into a practice of several specialists, younger than the current doctor, hopefully with a philosophy of treating the whole person. That's not as easy as one might expect to find out there. Grand Rapids MI area. The enema therapy has not even been mentioned by his doctor as yet. And this office is sort of chaotic, and wasn't responsive to some really bad pain twice now, so time to change. I will tell him about this wonderful site and broach the subject of the mesalamine enema and the metamucil, small dose. His doctor has refused to let him use anything OTC for diarrhea saying it might put the situation into something called toxic mega colon so he's not utilized any of that as yet.
Posted 5/10/2011 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
Oh forgot....he is on a good probiotic I think, one from a health store in the area, no dyes, no carrageneen (sp) and he has one with 50 billion parts and another with 200 billion for travel that they suggested. He also uses aloe vera capsules. He originally stopped using aloe vera gel because of the binding chemical. One has to be careful I think with the aloe vera because of the laxative effect it may have, but I think it's important in its anti-inflammatory and coating capabilities. Good days of comfort and health to you all.
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