help please....I think it's time for pred...

I've been fighting the re-surgence of this flare for about 6 weeks now. The first two weeks I tried to wait it out and returned to nightly enemas. Then a bad weekend resulted in my calling my GI to consider steroid enemas. His office was closed...

The week goes on... not so great so I go see my Fam. doc. she gives me 7 days of Prednisone, which i filled but did not use. I had 2 better days so I thought - great getting better... then no... more frequency (about 6/day now), and lots more blood each time. not just bright but a bit darker too and more diarrhea - leading me to think it may not just be my old 10cm of proctitis...

So I call my GI again, book an appointm. it gets cancelled cause he is sick. Reschedule following week... again he cancelled still sick.

Have another 2 good days and think "ok... I've got this!" WRONG!. It is now been my march break (teacher) and I though ok, lots of rest... but things are still getting worse - more pain, cramps, diarrhea, blood.

I called again this week to see my GI... office is closed for 3 weeks as they are moving floors... (HELLO I MOVE A WHOLE HOUSE IN A WEEKEND!!!)

They are set to re-open the day before my previously schedule (pre-flare) appointment... I fully expect them to cancel that one too...

So here I am.. wondering how I'm ever going to get through a week of teaching preschool next week when I've barely been able to care for myself this week..... ugh!

SO I have the prednisone in the cupboard... I hate to take it but I feel I'm running out of options. I've used it once before (3 years ago) and it helped but ultimately did not get me to remission (mind you i wasn't on rectals yet back then). I hate the idea of a few months at best to wean off.. but if I don't take it, I'm not sure how much worse I'm gonna get.

Would love everyone's 2 cents on this... before deciding in the AM whether to take it or not...

Thanks everyone.. sorry it's long but since I can't see my GI - I need some help here...

yes I have 7 days of 40mg. If i do take it I will have to leave a email in hopes they are checking (and maybe then he will see me) or return to my family doctor and explain the situation.

Ugh, that's so irritating! My third doc rescheduled both of my appointments I had with him, and that got me fed up enough to switch docs (best decision ever). I would NOT take pred if you only have a week of it, since after a week, you can't stop taking it without a taper.

Besides switching docs, or getting a primary care doc to prescribe pred so you can get through a taper.

thanks guys, let me clarify when my family doc. gave me the prescription it was only for a week as I had the apointm with my GI booked for follow up but she did say if I didn't get to see him, to return to her office - so I'm sure she would atleast keep me on a weaning schedule.

I agree 6x is not the end of the world but its the cramping/blood/fatigue that is getting to me. I've felt a bit worse than this before but never for this long... (going on a month of this state now.. ).

My concern is if I don't do something how much worse is it going to get. I really don't want to look at the next step of 6MP (my GI's next logical step).

Lodi, last time I had trouble getting off - symptoms kept reappearing around the 5mg mark. Eventually I convinced him to add mesalamine enemas, that plus a few other things like spinach/sunflower, splitting my oral dose to AM &PM, eventually bleeding stoped. But in the past I've usually had a bad week or two, with lingering blood&urge (2x/day) for up to a year. What is worrying me is that this time I'm not getting into the managing symptoms phase..

I had said I would rather never go on it again either, but honestly if it's that or 6MP I'd rather chance a few month of prednisone.

Could your doc prescribe you steroid enemas?

Gotcha, I already take morning and evening Mesasal...4 pills each time for a total of 8! I thought it was your prednisone you were splitting so I'm glad I asked.

This is making me feel depressed, I'm on so much more medication and I'm doing so much worse than you

Anyways, good luck with your decision and let us know what you end up doing. I can't imagine having to work with a bunch of kids while feeling so fatigued.

I'm not getting the part that you said....you're afraid that it's spread and the enemas won't reach it.


Aren't you on mezavant?

The enemas are only to deal with the rectum/sigmoid..still will help with your flare.

Makes no sense your doc can't prescribe you the enemas until your GI gets back on track.

Did they at least make another appt for once they've relocated?
Is there another GI in the same office as your GI?

Hope you feel better soon,

q

The mezavant will deal with above the sigmoid, so you're covered there.

The enemas will deal with the rectum/sigmoid.

I wouldn't do the imodium....especially now that you're flaring. Don't use Pepto.

How many times a day are you having bms?

You also need to eat! actual food..for sure enough protein and carbs to make sure you have energy to function.

Call your GP and get her to give you a script for enough enemas to last you till you see your GI.

What probiotics?

q

Canadagal sorry to hear of the flare... ugh. My daughter just had hers and we, like you were bounced around a bit, then the GI went on holidays for March break and the GP did too & the flare got so bad we ended up back in the hospital and now on a whole bunch of drugs we never had + the one drug we know we hate, Prednisone. Try to calm the flare down with everything you can naturally, soup, meal replacement, anything. Steroids are nasty and should be avoided at all costs. 24 hrs back on the stuff & my daughter already is having mood swings... And scream for someone to help you. Us Canadians up here sometimes aren't so pushy for care and will sit back as is most of the nature. Don't. Scream shout, whatever you need to make sure that GI / or at least the GP sees you. If I screamed louder maybe we wouldn't be in the hospital right now.