PYODERMA GANGRENOSUM

Hi

I was pointed in the direction of the anxiety forum by Kitt who tells me that your Leader Moderator is also a sufferer of PG.  I suffer from PG as part of Indeterminate / Ulcerative Colitis.

I suffered my first ulcer on my ankle 2 yrs ago and once finally diagnosed was treated with oral prednisolone 30 mg, 150mg azathioprine and protopic 0.3% ointment.  After weening me off the steroids I was eventually put on 8 weekly Remicade (Infliximab) infusions which have prevented new ulcers til now.

Most of the new ulcers appearing respond to the protopic but I have one stubborn ulcer which hasn't broken down yet but won't go away.  I am really keen to prevent this ulcer from spreading and have heard that nicotine patches could be useful in persuading ulcers to go into remission.  Has anyone had success with these or any other drug or complementary therapies.

Any advice welcome!

Emma

HI there
I have not heard anything about the Nicotine patches helping at all
My case of PG is so severe I am to be in a Medical Journal along with my family doctor......

I had a HYSTERECTOMY ( radical) in 1992/93) this PG had laid dormant in my body til then .....

I had told my old doc I thought I had Crohns.....He told me even though I had blood in stool constand D and in pain ( severe) in LRQ all the time I did NOT present as a CD person ...LOL ......plus the PG

Well PG is DIRECTLY related to CD and has some ( 1% ) I believe connection with UC as you no doubt know....it is a very rare blood ( autoimminune disorder) that eats your skin from the inside out causing the ulcerlike sores to explode into huge sores
I have almost lost a finger and a leg to this DD........
As the time goes on ......my eruptions gets worse pain is worse and they take longer to heal

Protopic never helped me but I do hear good things about it ......From a couple of ppl on CD forum with PG........

My advice to you is this TRY to keep stress to a MINIMUM..........Any trauma to the body ( for me even Colonscopy's) cause me to erupt.......Baging my leg or arm or slicing finger accidently with a knife and being stressed out will have me broke out in sores in NO time ....EDUCATE self totally on this many many ..MOST ....doc's have NO clue what this PG is and what to do about it ......I am so lucky to have a family doc that does a TX plan with me will not let me be in pain
I can literally watch them grow

I take prednisone ........and am put on Rocephin IV when in a severe breakout ......Methotrexate and folic acid along with CD meds

If you need to talk I am here .I am battling pnuemonia still at the moment due to lack of immune system lol and house full of ppl that dont know enough not to get sick and bring it home ......HA HA ......

KEEP a sense of humor hun in all honesty please ..this is a horrid disease which I would not wish on my worst enemy ........
I am here for you ........Email me if you want I will check in the am or go to my MSN and will add you tomorrow .....

Be well
Hope I have helped.......BTW.....DO not cover the open wounds as they need the air to heal .....

Luvs
LYN

** also I have not been approved for Remicade nor Humira..we have stricter guidlines here in Ontario for that **

To Howlyncat...Do you still have PF?...I was just diagnosed after 2 of the worse years of my life...It morphed into PG
after a misdiagnosis 2 years in my breast...No more breast but just the huge worm holes (thats what they look like to me)...How do you cope?...I cover mine with vaseline on the gauze pads....Could use your expertise, I know these posts are old...Am @ wits end...Thanks you for any info you may pass my way...

Hello misspinkie,

Welcome to HealingWell.  You may find much more info re this subject in the Crohn's Forum.  I am going to post a link to a thread for you :

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=1866081

Also at the top of this page in the dark blue strip there is a search feature which allows you to type in your topic and matching threads pop up.  It is a good way to use the forum for reference.

Kindly,

Kitt