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Daily Regiment of Natual Remedies and Medications-Please Post!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/23/2012 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
It is so interesting that each person with UC has a very different regiment and combination of ways in how they treat their disease.

If possible, can people post their daily schedule of how and when they take their medications and supplements? Do some people take all their meds at one time in the day or spread it throughout the course of the day?

7am - 2tsp of L-glutamine with almond milk, wait 30 minutes eat breakfast
9am- Activia Yogurt, Peppermint tea with 1 tsp of Chia seeds, 2 Colazal, Probiotic & Vitamin C, Cortifoam
Noon- Lunch, 2 Colazal, Probiotic, Multivitamin & Fish Oil
6pm- Dinner, 2 Colazal, Probiotic, Folic Acid
9pm- Prednisone & Snack
11pm- Mesalamine Enema

Thank you--Looking forward to learning more about your medicinal routine!
Posted 2/23/2012 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Mine's pretty simple.

7-8am - birth control, 1600mg (4/400mg) Asacol, antidepressant and 2 vitamin D 1000 IUD capsules.

7-8pm - 1200mg-1600mg (3-4/400mg) + 25mg 6mp & use a Canasa.

I use Rowasa occassionally and Canasa AM/PM when I feel like it's necessary.
Posted 2/23/2012 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
I am hoping to get back to simple when this flare is over! Twice a day sounds very reasonable!
Posted 2/23/2012 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
@ 9am - shake (banana, almond milk, fiber)*; 4 Lialda pills and 1 pill of Jarro-Dophilus Allergen Free**
@ noon - 2pm - coffee :-)
@ 2-3 hours after coffee - multivitamins and biotin
@ bedtime - glass of juice and I mix one sachet of VSL#3 DS and fiber into it, as well as some slippery elm powder. I still have only capsules, so I empty 3 capsules into the juice, and take the other 3 intact.

I also use Canasa when needed. If I have time to lay down for half an hour during a day, I use it around 2-3pm. If there is too much rush around, I use it at bedtime. But I have this feeling that using one during a day, after my usual bm makes it more effective than popping one in the evening and have it out in the morning :-)


* I used to put some chia seeds into the mix, but well, it looks like it's something that bothers my guts. Even if I grind them. I will try them once again in a while just to see if that's the rule for me.

**I found that this probiotic in the morning helps for any bloating or "gassines" during the day. It has one bacteria more than VSL and is allergen free so maybe that does the trick for me. As you can see, I still use VSL, for the night.
Posted 2/23/2012 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Mine is too.

7ish am-2 2000 iu vitamin D3 capsules, 2 Lialda, 1 protonix, 1 allegra

7ish pm-1 zyrtec, probiotic and benadryl if I'm itchy.
Posted 2/24/2012 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
My GI said that I should keep taking 30mg of prednisone at nighttime to see if there is a 'bolster' effect. Originally I was taking 20mg in the am and 20mg in the pm. It keeps me up at night at times but if I take it at 9pm with some Tylenol I can usually get a good night sleep.
Posted 2/24/2012 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
When I was on prednisone, I wouldn't have gotten any sleep at all without a sleep aid. If you have problems sleeping, definitely ask your GI for something. Sometimes it is necessary. You will get back to simple in time, it requires some trial and error and patience. I would like to eliminate my evening pills all together but it doesn't seem like it's going to work out because I notice symptoms when I decrease Asacol.
Posted 2/24/2012 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
I seem to sleep well for 2 nights and then insomnia for 2 nights. My body is going through so many changes with the steriods and the natural remedies. Still very inconsistent but happy to be tapering off the prednisone for now.

BTW--after 2 days of chia seeds in my tea I am feeling constipated. Does it really work that quickly?
Posted 2/24/2012 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
wake up around 10 am
take probiotics if i have them (which i don't at the moment)
work out for 45 minutes
make smoothie and take a vit d (if i wasn't exercising outside) and a multivitamin.
go about my day.
have lunch/dinner and take 6mp around 7 pm.
Posted 2/24/2012 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
6am - Prednisone, Benebiotics (1 capsule)
7am - 3 Colazal, 75mg x 2 Butterbur, 100mg Imuran, Vit D 2000IU, Vit B12 1000mcg, Astaxanthin 5mg, Verapamil 80mg, Fish Oil
2pm - 3 Colazal, Multivitamin, Coenzyme Q-10 400mg, Verapamil 80mg
4pm - 10mg L-Glutamine
9pm - 3 Colazal, 75mg x 2 Butterbur, 100mg Imuran, Verapamil 80mg, Fish Oil

@ ManhattenMama,
You should talk to your GI about the way you are taking meds.
Prednisone should be taken first thing in the morning as that is the time when adrenal glands secrete cortisone. I wonder if you taking at bedtime, hows your sleep. You are not following circadian rhythm by taking it at bedtime. It could affect Adrenal glad function in long run. Talk to your GI.
The divided doses (for e.g. Colazal 3X a day) should be divided equally throughout teh day, usually 6 hours apart, yours are not.
AFAIK, Probiotics are taken empty stomach (could vary depending on the preparation, of course. Check the label on the package.
Posted 2/24/2012 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Deltaforce,

My GI specifically asked me to change the prednisone from 20mg in the AM/20mg in the PM to taking all 40mg at night 5 weeks ago because I was not progressing out of my current flare. He continues to tell me to take them all at night for now for a 'bolster' effect that seems to be working now. My symptoms are now 1-2 formed BM a day :))) I did just call his office and ask him for something to help me sleep. Last night I was up at 3am checking emails and ready to make lunch for the kids. Prednisone is making me crazy! Just tapered to 30mg last night. He said to check in with him in 3 days to see if I continue to taper or stay at 30mg.

Eventually the plan is to break up the dosage again but I will ask him about switching it to the morning. I always thought that probiotics were taken with food to help with digestion, not on an empty stomach. What does Butterbur do for you?
Thank you!

BTW- How do you feel taking 3 colazal at once. I tried it and it gave me joint pains. Not sure if it is because of my size and weight. 5'2 and 115 lbs.
I may try to up my dose to see if that will help.
Posted 2/25/2012 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Took generic Ambien (Zolpidem) last night with no help at all with sleep! Do you think it will help if I take it every night or should I just switch the prednisone to the morning?
Posted 2/25/2012 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
When you talk to your GI, ask him about what I said about adrenals and their circadian rhythm. I am not surprised that you are awake the whole night. The way adrenals work is, you get up as a result of cortisone shot by the adrenals, morning is the time when your cortisol levels are the highest. They are lowest by the end of the day and melatonin and others kick in, end result, you end up sleeping. In your case, your body has got two peaks, one the regular circadian rhythm and second from Prednisone, which overrides melatonin and partners. I would be very surprised if you sleep without sleep medication.
Don't change anything with Pred without talking to your GI. Some GIs do have their own style of playing with meds. None of my GI asked me to divide doses, except in one instance when I was put on MethylPrednisone.

I am not a fan of sleep medications at all. I would prefer to remain awake but sleep medications, opiates and similar stuff is for my rainy days. I actually have almost 60 oxycodones and 30 Percocets in my cabinet from my last year ER visit and I haven't used even one of them.

With 3 Colazals 3X a day, no problem with me. When I started, I was 150lbs, now I am 180lbs at 5ft 8in (yay, The Pred effect). I doubt weight and height is an issue for Colazal, it is for Imuran though.

Butterbur, I am trying it as a prophylactic for my migraine. I used to take 75mg twice a day, now taking 150mg twice a day. It will be discontinued in 15 days as I don't see it helping.
Posted 2/25/2012 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
@Deltaforce,

Yes I will talk to him about the prednisone at night, especially now that the Ambien at night is not working for me. Originally I was taking a split dose and he purposely asked me to take the entire 40mg at night. Even now that I am tapering he still wants me to take it all at once at night. My symptoms are improving the but side effects of the prednisone are really starting to catch up with me. More with that in my next post...
Posted 2/26/2012 9:33 AM (GMT 0)
I am glad that the condition is improving. With the side effects, its never good. I am on 40mg of Pred for about 4-5 weeks and I am so irritable and get angry so easily that it really annoys me.

I will be glad if you could post why your GI wants you to take Pred at night, I am little curious.
Posted 2/26/2012 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Prednisone since august and only thing that allowed me to sleep was Melatonin. You should definitely give it a try I havent had any side effects and it naturally puts you to sleep.
Posted 2/26/2012 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
@ depsi,

You are just 20 years old and you are taking melatonin?? If your PCP or GI cares about your health, talk to them about your melatonin use and see their reaction.
DS is on autism spectrum and melatonin use is highly 'advocated' in autistic kids but my son hasn't had a single dose of it.

I seriously hope you find some alternative to your sleep issues.
Posted 2/28/2012 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Morning: Probiotics, 3.6g Mezavant, Calcium + Vit D Powder

Everymeal: Digestive enzymes and betaine HCL.

With 2 meals per day: Multivitamin.

I was actually surprised to see that when I started taking my multivitamin, my stools began to become more formed. I guess deficiencies in certain vitamins can impair digestion.
Posted 2/29/2012 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
I've gotten a lot better since giving up meat, and gluten, and ..drum roll please...caffeine..today is day 33 off caffeine, with 3 slips and bruises...I can honestly say I am a morning person and a night person now, without caffeine!

now I do a lot of vegetables, cooked if I can. Green preferred, Kale, Spinach, Chard. When I don't do green vegetables, I feel/see the difference big time

1-2 Vit D drops
B-12 capsule
4x/Lialda daily.
sometimes pre-biotic
sometimes cod liver capsule
I Try and do a few thousand Vit C/Ester C daily
lots water

that's it
Posted 5/3/2012 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
Morning:

Two spoonfulls of psylium

One CCherbal capsule

One drop Vitamin D3

Afternoon:

One CCherbal capsule

One Boswellia capsule

Night:

One CCherbal capsule

One Boswellia capsule

2 1/2 mg Melatonin

 

Posted 5/3/2012 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Trazodone helped me to sleep normally when I was taking prednisone.
Posted 5/3/2012 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
I switched up my routine a bit since I initially started this thread.

7:30 L-GLutamine & water on an empty stomach
8am Breakfast & Prednisone (currently at 7mg)
8:30 Yogurt & 2 Colazal, 1 Probiotic, 1000 Vit C, 1000mg Vit D & Cortifoam
Lunch 2 Colazal, 1 Probiotic, Fish Oil & Multivitamin
Dinner 2 Colazal, 1 Probiotic & Folic Acid
Bedtime Mesalamine Enema

Sleeping well without the Ambien now. 1 Formed Bm each morning but blood resurfaces each time I taper on the pred. Waiting for insurance to give the go ahead to start Remicade next week.
Posted 5/3/2012 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
oops forgot to add a cup of tea with chia seeds in the morning after yogurt! This really helps me with forming solid BMs :)
Posted 5/3/2012 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
I've changed things around over this flare but here is my current regime:

Wake up: 1 sachet of OrthoMolecular 225 probiotic in water
1 Metagenics Mitochondrial Resuciate pill (for my muscle twitches)
1 Tsp NanoCellQ (COQ10) (for twitches and because I tested low for this nutrient)
1 Tsp Glutamine Powder (sometimes) I was taking OrthoMolecular Inflammacore which had glutamine in it but I
stopped. No difference and very expensive.

Breakfast: 1 tsp fish oil
1 pill Metagenics PhytoMulti
1 or 2 D3 vitamins by Thorne

Around 11 or 12pm: Prednisone

In the middle of the day I sometimes take a MagTab SR for pain or muscle cramps, sometimes extra buffered Vitamin C if I feel run down,

Dinner: 5 Tabs of Calcium citrate (sometimes I take 3 with lunch and 2 at dinner)

Before Bed: LDN (4.5 mg of transdermal cream, but have been playing with dose and for past week took 3 mg or oral version I had left over) Sometimes more probiotic like Lactobacilllus Sporogonees (I took this when I was in remission)

I also use Digestive enzymes but stopped recently because I'm confused if they help or hurt.

Yikes that is a lot! I'm probably going to start 6mp soon, GI wants blood results first..been trying to get them for like a week.

M.Mama, you do not have your email listed in your profile, are you open to an email? We seem to be in the same boat. If not, no worries.
Posted 5/3/2012 1:26 PM (GMT 0)
Begin data with glass of 'Napalm' to wake up.

Pure water from Vitamin cottage 5 gallon jugs + 'Ultimate' powdered electrolyte drink

Breakfast
---------
Healthy pop tart snack ( natures path ) coffee ( tons of natural sugar )
Omega3 eggs with butter on sunflower flax bread
Turmeric-Force, Fish oil, apple pectin pill, vitamins
Coconut water 16 oz can

Lunch
------

Almond butter/honey sandwhich
or chicken sandwhich from natural grocer
Chobani Yogurt
Healthy pop tart snack ( natures path )
Elite XT enteric protein blend ( 7 grams Glutamine )

Dinner
------

Chicken and pasta with olive oil and butter
or
Salmon
Spinach salad
Chobani Yogurt

More of the same if still hungry, more in middle of night if I wake up

No medications
Good cardio shape but running/sprinting to improve
Low body fat

Aiming for neutral or anti-inflammatory diet
Stop lifting heavy weights and sprinting 2 days per week to diminish body inflammation

Recent 4 page blood labs showed good readings across the board
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