HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

To flex sig or not to flex sig??

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/2/2013 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
I am stopping the methotrexate drug trial. I am no better than I was 3 months ago. I love the research nurse I have been working with. She called me today to go over everything. I have an appt. on Friday to go over my options (hmm think I'm about out at this point!).

Anyway, when she called she told me she had scheduled me for a flex sig on Monday. Apparently the study will pay for one final one to see if if there was any change disease wise. It is completely up to me whether to have the scope or not. She went ahead and scheduled it so the slot w/ my doc would not get filled.

I cannot decide what to do.

Pros of having the scope:
-Is free
-Find out if I have made any progress disease wise

Cons:
-It is a scope. Lol
-I just had one 3 months ago
-Getting sedated yet again (I have to get sedated b/c my rectal inflammation is so severe the scope kills)

Anyway just looking for some opinions! I didn't realize I would have the option to have another scope so it kind of caught me off guard. I don't have to decide today. I can make the decision at my appt. Friday.
Posted 1/2/2013 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Do you have to do a prep for the flex sig? I'd probably take it if there's no prep

ps Sorry to hear you didn't have luck with the methotrexate trial :( I'm using it now too and haven't seen any improvements
Posted 1/2/2013 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
It would just be 2 fleet enemas to prep.

How long have you been on the mtx? I have seen a decrease in bleeding since starting it. But no change in frequency or urgency. I have a lot more bad days than good days. The research nurse told me that is when we know to stop.
Posted 1/2/2013 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I probably wouldn't, since you have to be sedated. If your symptoms aren't any better, it's unlikely that your inflammation isn't any better.
Posted 1/2/2013 6:25 PM (GMT 0)
I'm doing weekly mtx shots trying to boost Remicade efficacy -- done two so far. A few months ago I did about a month of weekly mtx without Remicade as well. I saw a tiny improvement right after the very first shot (improved formation of stool for a couple of days) but that went away and never noticed any change after that.
Posted 1/2/2013 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Here is my flex story in short. July showed moderate UC through my colon & rectum. Was put on Prednisone, etc. & miserably failed the wean. My symptoms were getting much worse, so GI did another flex in October. I nearly refused it. The flex wound up showing that my colon had healed & my rectum had become severe to the point that he called it raw meat.

Point is - I felt the scope was a waste & woudl just cause me more inflammation for no reason. Glad that I had it.
Posted 1/3/2013 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
If flex sigs irritate and there would be no change to treatment regimen, then skip it!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply