It sounds like you have really severe internal inflammation, internal ulcerations that are causing all that pain and maybe some fissures surrounding the anal opening. I doubt it's internal...
When you say it looks like a piece of swelling hanging out, that sounds to me like a prolapsed internal hemorrhoid (you might be able to find a picture on the Web). There's a good chance you can get...
I think an equally possible explanation for the association is that children who one day go on to develop Crohn's may have more illnesses in infancy, and therefore are more likely to have been...
Glad it was a good appointment and you like the doctor. Pancolitis means affecting the whole colon. Crohn's colitis means you only have signs of Crohn's disease in the large intestine and not in the...
This particular test is only an indicator, it does not offer 100% accuracy. Your doctor will need to look at the whole picture (history, blood tests for inflammatory markers, etc.)....
Very cool. I've never seen the miles per hour statistic. But the speed difference between the small and large intestine is why there are relatively few bacteria that live in the small intestine and...
Yes, I would also wonder about a drug side effect. Bone marrow suppression is possible with many of the drugs used to treat Crohn's....
Vixen, Many thanks! I think you might actually be the first person to post the results of this study of naltrexone. This is the recently completed phase 2 study conducted at Penn State, not the pilot...
If you had that many precancerous polyps removed, it's really important to go back and have them check again. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the US, and it is far...
Yes, we just see the boards ready and waiting for us, and don't think about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making them warm and friendly places. Thank you, moderators!...
penelope-marie, Thank you :) No problems with long-term use! If the weight gain becomes a negative rather than the positive (that is, not just back to normal, but going above normal), it's easy to...
Furnace? What's that? It's been over 90° every day this week. I'd be happy to share some of the heat....
"Does this type of diet keep you feeling full up or do you feel hungry all the time?" It fills you up; you drink the number of calories you would normally be eating. "Also, would you come off your...
Grandpato2, TPN and enteral nutrition perform equally well in clinical studies, so enteral is preferred to avoid the risks of TPN (liver problems, intestinal atrophy, infection risk). It seems to...
Perhaps it would be possible to take an antihistamine at the same time as the methotrexate injection, in the hope of reducing the reaction? Might be something to run by your doctor....
Regarding cyclosporine, a few years back I read over the limited studies available. For Crohn's disease, it appeared that the risk of side effects outweighed the potential benefit and there was not...
Grandpato2, Since you did so well with just a few days of liquids, maybe you could try a diet of 1/3 or ½ liquids, with the remainder regular foods. Perhaps it would be enough to keep you in...
I am happy to tell you that some doctors—especially those in the UK—allow black coffee or tea (no milk in it). Roni: there are a variety of formulas, some whole-protein like Ensure, others based on...
I am so happy to hear the good news. Your love is inspiring....
Some people, especially those with severe stomach involvement, feel nauseated unless they take the formula very slowly, and for them the tube sometimes works out better. Others dislike the taste of...
Definitely worth a try, if you are out of options. It was originally tested in people who had run through the options available at the time it was first developed (steroids, sulfasalazine 6-mp,...
They didn't get it right in terms of duration. Most people use it for 3 to 6 weeks and then get a remission of several months or more. Then they may choose to use another course of enteral nutrition...
For those who are interested, here's a story (text and video) of a boy who uses enteral nutrition as his primary treatment for Crohn's disease. http://www.wndu.com/mmm/headlines/100401199.html ...
It could be a little abscess there that will clear up with an antibiotic such as Flagyl. Alternately, there could be a fistula that is feeding it, but even then, it might heal up with an antibiotic...
6-MP is available as a generic, and it's very inexpensive. That might be a good maintenance medication to ask about....
Tough decision. He could try Flagyl first. It can be quite effective against fisulas. The other option, with which your doctors are likely to be less familiar if you are in the US, is a course of...
If it is an inflammatory stricture, it should respond quickly to either a short course of prednisone or short course of total enteral nutrition. If it does not respond to one or the other, then you...
Yes, active Crohn's can cause slowed gastrointestinal motility (movement), which will speed up again with remission....
It can work in Crohn's colitis, although the odds of success may be a little lower, and full response may take a little longer. As long as it's Crohn's and not UC, it's worth a try....
Instead of increasing the steroid dose, you could try going on a mostly or full liquid diet (enteral nutrition) for a week or two to see if that would put you in remission. It is safe during...
Clinical remission means no symptoms of Crohn's disease. Laboratory remission means bloodwork is normal (ESR, C-reactive protein, etc.). Sometimes people can be in clinical remission, but not...
No, Randy, you were right, Ensure IS an enteral nutrition product. There are even a handful of case reports and studies of its use in patients with Crohn's, but published so long ago that few people...
Financial ouch, definitely! Lots of good information already posted by those who have contributed to the thread. Just to add a couple of clarifications . . . Enteral nutrition refers to any of the...
A muddy pool doesn't seem very useful. Why not get them to unplug it again? Advertise it as the East Coast rival of Old Faithful and charge admission. Unique tourist attraction! Scenic guided tours!...
So happy to hear the surgery was a success. All good wishes for his recovery!...
GDen, TPN (total parenteral nutrition) is different from enteral nutrition. Because it's delivered intravenously, there is a risk of infection and intestinal atrophy. Enteral nutrition, being taken...
With the temporary ostomy, they may be worried about the risks of repeated surgery given that you've been quite ill, and think it safer to go ahead with the prominent ostomy if you are going to...
Because it's not used here often, many doctors aren't very familiar with it (didn't see it during their training) and don't realize how well it works. They're also worried that patients won't comply...
What a tough decision! I offer you one more option to try if you are not quite ready for the surgery. You could try enteral nutrition (special full-liquid diet), which is an old treatment for Crohn's...
It's actually lactose-free (with the possible exception of a chocolate malt flavor in some markets). I think it says something like a "clinically nil lactose" on the bottle, but it is definitely fine...
You offer courage and kindness and humor to many on this board. I am so sorry you and your wife are faced with such trials. Wishing you a brighter tomorrow....
Nice to hear from you! I hope the new job (not so new now) has been challenging and satisfying. Best wishes for continued good health....
You didn't mention trying enteral nutrition (temporary use of special liquid meal-replacement drinks in place of regular food and beverages to induce remission, or alongside a regular diet to help...
Yes, none of the mesalamine drugs (Pentasa, Asacol, etc.) ever received an FDA indication for use in Crohn's disease because none was proven more effective than placebo in clinical trials in people...
Your doctor is right about Entocort. Like all steroids, it is appropriate for short-term use, but is no more effective than a placebo after 3 to 6 months. It is not a maintenance therapy. If you are...
The first couple of days can be tough, but if he is willing to persist through that initial period, in spite of perhaps disliking the flavor and texture, the taste buds adjust. The taste seems normal...
The tube feeding would be enteral nutrition. I would certainly give that a try before deciding on surgery. It does not have to be taken by tube; your son could drink it from a glass. The decision to...
How about enteral nutrition (special full-liquid diet to induce remission)? It can sometimes work when everything (including steroids and Remicade) has failed. It is an old treatment for Crohn's,...
Well, you got me curious, so I checked the prescribing information for the drug. Nervousness, dizziness, and agitation are potential side effects, and can occur as quickly as after the first dose,...
You might consider trying methotrexate. It's particularly good for joint symptoms. I wouldn't jump to the biologics unless the less powerful immunomodulators do not work. Regarding the cortisone...