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Am I going backwards?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/31/2013 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
This is my 3rd day on 30mg after being on 40+ for 4 weeks. I'm having extreeeeme gas. No blood though, plenty of mucous. And when I "go", its 60% gas just continuously coming out and the rest is barely formed small stools. Again with mucous. Before the dose drop, I wasn't having any problem with gas. Am I going backwards or is this just another stage of UC? Thanks for any reply. Oh and I feel like extreme crap but I'm pretty sure that's just my body reacting to the new dose. :( work is gonna suck today.
Posted 5/31/2013 1:26 PM (GMT 0)
maaan, pred sucks and it seems it's not working for you. I would taper that crap fast and get on some biologic unless you to try diet mods.
Posted 5/31/2013 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
ya, going to work farty, or anywhere for that matter, is not fun -

unless of course you're going on a road trip with the in-laws :-)

another stage of pred & uc -

i say, give it a little more time -

not fun, i know :-(

Posted 5/31/2013 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hard to tell if you are going backward while you are tapering pred, as your body isn't going to be happy while you are dropping that dosage. My body didn't like the drops from one level of pred to another either and it took 2-3 days to adjust to the new dosage. While adjusting, I saw increased urgency, more bms a day, sometimes blood, stools not as well formed, lots of things in that arena. For me it did level off however, and I went back to where I was before the drop in dosage -- just took patience. That said pred is one hell of a drug.
Posted 5/31/2013 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
Well I'm on my way as far as the taper goes. Colonoscopy scheduled Monday and will most likely move on to biologics unless they find something else. It's so weird, my stomach looks and feels like I just ate a buffet, but all I have had is a banana. Sitting down hurts because it feels like I'm sitting on my stomach. This whole thing just sucks. Even more depressing that the Pred isn't working. Yeah Soy.. you should smell my office right now. Thank goodness noone really comes in here.
Posted 5/31/2013 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
You know why it isn't working properly? I had the same problem. This is what I did.

You go the hospital and you get a "port" for 3 days. In those 3 days, they give you pred 60mg INTRAVENOUSLY. morning 30mg and after work 30 mg. Intravenously works way, WAY better than just pills. After the 3 days, you go on 40 mg pred pill. Go inquire about that one day of you ever take pred again.

With intravenous, I'd be normal in like 2 days.
Posted 5/31/2013 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hopefully I never have to touch this stuff again (wishful thinking). I mean to ask, would something like gas-x work or will it not touch it?
Posted 5/31/2013 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried cutting down on dairy products? My GI says UC can cause temporary lactose intolerance issues in some folks... watch out even for the milk in tea/coffee...

Also would recommend trying Turmeric and Ginger perhaps start in low dosages.
Posted 5/31/2013 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
I had a few weeks like that too. .whether prednison or flair or supplements.. who knows...

what I can say is, you may want to try a slower taper ( not longer but smaller doses each time) so if doc said 10 mg drop every week - try 5 for days - or even 2.5mg... I do that sometimes especially if my next few days look like I can't afford time to let my body adjust. It can take 2-3 days for each drop to adjust.

Also Yes Gas X is fine to take... Both gi and pharmacist okay-ed if for me.. it helps a bit depending on what's going on gas wise. also just laying (kneeling really with head down and butt up) on bed/ground with butt up... helps move gas along..

Mine gas/bloating has decreased A LOT over past 2 weeks... hope you find relief soon too.
Tums are ok if more upper discomfort /heartburn.

also ginger tea or peppermint tea or eating a fresh spring of parsley.. also all helped a bit at different stages...
Posted 6/1/2013 12:29 AM (GMT 0)

Somedude said...
You know why it isn't working properly? I had the same problem. This is what I did.

You go the hospital and you get a "port" for 3 days. In those 3 days, they give you pred 60mg INTRAVENOUSLY. morning 30mg and after work 30 mg. Intravenously works way, WAY better than just pills. After the 3 days, you go on 40 mg pred pill. Go inquire about that one day of you ever take pred again.

With intravenous, I'd be normal in like 2 days.

IV steroids DON'T work as well for UC as oral, as long as the oral are being absorbed. However, sometimes with a severe flare your intestinal transit time can be so fast or inflammation so bad that the prednisone isn't fully absorbed, which is when IV would work better.

Anyway... if you didn't have symptomatic remission after 4 weeks at 40 mg, you are steroid refractory, full stop. I agree, get off that **** as fast as possible and do something new.
Posted 6/1/2013 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
The second time I was on pred it just never really got me where I needed to be. I ended up just being really diligent with the rectal meds and taking the max dose of lialda and I got out of the flare. I was lucky. Sorry you have not been so lucky.

I will say one thing though...since I got UC I can't eat bananas unless I want to feel and sound like I ate a can of beans.
Posted 6/1/2013 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the replies. The bananas make you feel like that? Maybe that's part of the problem. I've been eating them for potassium to help with the joint pain from tapering. I'm gonna get some gas x for sure. I'll be tapering 5mg from here on out. Side question.. I'm getting scoped Monday at 8am. When is the last time I can eat? Sat night?
Posted 6/1/2013 1:32 AM (GMT 0)

Pluot said...
.]

IV steroids DON'T work as well for UC as oral,

I begs to differ. This is what most GI told me, and I find it's true. Anything intravenous is better, it especially holds true to pred in my case. It goes directly into your system, without the need of being absorbed.
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