Tuscany, I can tell you that neither of my kids has expressed any negative opinions about my having them when I knew I had an autoimmune disease and their both scary smart and have very "sturdy...
I have two boys: 32 and 27 - neither one has crohns. At one point the younger one was having some gastro issues and demanded to have a colonoscopy done. So it would seem that should any symptoms come...
My rheumatologist prescribed Simponi at 50 mg/month for arthritis and it's also working for my crohns. My gastro doc wants me at this dose twice a month for the crohns but the drug hasn't been...
Oops. Forget to add that I'm printing off the info you all posted in case my luck runs out!!! Thanks guys....
I've had my ostomy for 6 years and never taken a shower with the bag off. I've also never had a skin issue. On the days I change the entire appliance, I do it first thing after I wake up - before I...
Drive 100 miles south on I 35 and get to the Mayo Clinic. It's one of the best hospitals/clinics for bowel disease in the world....
Good grief, thanks for the warning about Dr. Fry. Rosemary: since you've been to a few different hospitals if I remember correctly I'd like to recommend my surgeon Dr. Hurst at the U of Chicago and...
If Larasmom's suggestion doesn't work you need to see a wound nurse asap. They can help!!!! If you touch the stoma it will always bleed a little - it's nothing to worry about....
And on the other side of this debate, I've never had a problem taking antibiotics and later having a flare. So once again, a case of everyone's reactions to drugs/treatment etc. being different....
The U of Chicago is moving away from colonoscopies and using MRI's more often you'll be happy to know. Way too late for me but good for those just starting down the crohns road....
Where do you work for crying out loud? I would have just told my boss, look I don't feel well and a couple of my co-workers are rude with no manners so I'm going to skip lunch. If you'd like my input...
I clean my skin very well and dry it carefully. I apply the powder every time I change the appliance and use paste on the barrier. I've never used the barrier wipes. I've had my stoma 6 years and...
Crohnswifey: call you surgeon's nurse and ask her about this stuff. Or make an appt. and go in to see the surgeon with a list of questions. This isn't something you want to mess up on!!...
I wish you'd post an update from your visit with the surgeon as soon as you're able. I'm also very curious about what's causing your problem....
I've had my ileostomy for 6 years and always changed the appliance first thing in the morning with very little problem. Sometimes there's a small discharge but nothing that really causes me a...
I go to the U of Chicago clinic. My doctor told me that they are moving toward using MRIs rather than colonoscopies thus removing the need for the prep. I don't know if they do the MRIs in all cases...
You tell him and then you find out if this guy is worth one more minute of your time. Think of it as kind of a fast way to find out if you're wasting your time - seriously....
Entocort is a synthetic steroid so it's still a steroid w/some of the same issues as prednisone. Also, kazbern is correct, it only works in certain areas of the bowel. I've been on both and...
I was on 6mp for about 5 years with no problems. Just remember to get the blood work done as directed. Also, MANY drugs have black box warnings now - it's called CYA. So, it's a decision based on...
I was on 6mp for about 5 years with no problems. Just remember to get the blood work done as directed....
Well, I have crohns and have had an ostomy for 6 years and I would do it again in a heart beat given the situation I was in. They had to remove my entire colon and my rectum - so you can imagine the...
I'm with Sheri; I think it's the prednisone. I didn't have a problem till about 4 years ago. I've had several root canals; teeth breaking; gum problems. One tooth broke in half and it couldn't be...
Ides, are you on B12 injections? I take them 1x/month but I know people that take them more often. Flagyl caused neuropathy for me. I didn't have the same problem with Cipro....
Humira helped the crohns but I started have severe arthritis symptoms while on it - something I've never experienced before. Then I was put on Cimzia - it worked great for both problems for 2.5...
Forgot: did you ask to speak to the doctor's nurse? He/she might be able to talk the doc into a 3 week prescription if he knows you're completely out of it. You can't just stop a steroid and he knows...
When you do go in for the appt., make the next appt and the one after that at the same time. I go to a teaching hospital clinic. Last April, I made my 6 month appt. for October 2012 and the one for...
I would also call Hopkins and ask leave a message for the doctor's nurse (the doctor your scheduled to see) and say if there's anyway she/he can work her/his magic and get you in earlier - if there's...
Can you get an opinion from another surgeon you have more confidence in ?...
Pinch your stomach, the back of your arm and the outside of your thigh. You'll know immediately where it will hurt the most for you. If you leave the medication out for approx. 25 min. it stings far...
texcactus: if you leave the Humira out for longer than 15 minutes say 25 - it's amazing how much less it stings. And let's be honest; the stinging is a small price to pay if the drug puts you into...
I inject my drugs in the outer thighs. There's nothing magical about the stomach. In fact, the Humira video shows both sites - the stomach and thighs....
OK, so a couple of posters have already mentioned Remicade and Humira. Let me throw Cimzia out there. If your doctor is telling you there's nothing to be done - he's an IDIOT, Dana. And you're...
Cimzia was my savior for 3 1/2 years. Started out on the 400mg/month; eventually had to go to 400/mg twice a month. Then I failed on it altogether. I love that term: "you failed this drug". Now I'm...
I never had joint pain before I went on Humira. Go figure. An RA drug causing joint pain. Had to go off of it and onto Cimzia which took care of it....
Did an ear, nose and throat doc tell you to drop that quickly? I always follow my GI's recommendation on this stuff and he's never recommended dropping more than 5mg a week or even every two to three...
I was initially diagnosed after being ill for 3 years after a colonoscopy. It sounds to me like you're with the right doc now. At least he's not dismissing everything and is running the right tests....
I've been on both Humira and Cimzia since 2006 - not at the same time mind you. I been having crohns symptoms for the past 4-5 months; complete with weight loss. My gastro is sending me to a...
Bluegrass, thanks for the information. I'll try that next time - I was going by what the TSA agent told me: that they would see the pouch on the scanner and I'd end up getting patted down anyway. It...
It also depends on just how sick you are/were. If suffering from malnutrition like I was before one of my surgeries, you will lose hair. My doctor told me it's the last thing "to go" under those...
You're less than 150 miles from the Mayo Clinic Helen. Perhaps you should go there for a second opinion and total review of your case. I'm curious why you would stick w/a doctor for 17 years that...
gkops: it's also because a lot of the companies developing the wonder drugs are based in the US and they're spending millions developing these drugs. I'm NOT defending them just stating one of the...
So then, it really wasn't "goodbye and thank you"??...
blacky: my son worked at the Mayo Clinic on the medical intensive care unit. He told me that Canadians routinely showed up in the ER there because they couldn't get what they needed in Canada and...
wing: have you considered surgery? If I were in your situation I would be consulting with a GI surgeon at the best teaching hospital I could get to....
gypsy: you weren't in remission. university: I hope your daughter get some relief quickly. I really hate to see little kids dealing with this disease. For more information on the disease; treatment...
Raleigh, a fellow at Mayo is one step below an attending physician so they've already done a 3-4 year residency. To say they have no experience is misleading - even if they're in their first year of...
Firecracker: one reason you may have had to have certain tests re-done is that your local hospital/clinic did a sub-par job with the scans, etc....
Hi Helen, I don't know where you live but the Mayo Clinic is in Rochester....
I clicked on "make an appt" next to Dr. Present's name (Mt. Sinai) and there's a drop down box with a number of different insurance plans with which patients indicate their coverage....
I was instructed to drink 64 oz. of Gatoraide/day and at least 108 oz if I had a cold or flu. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do you're going to get dehydrated. A pounding headache, light...