Prednisone, hands down. I get hardly any side effects from Remicade, and it works like magic....
Oh - my last remission was 3 years... that's a lot of anti-tumor-necrosis meds....
I had surgery for skin cancer a month ago, and there were some complications with infection, so my regular remicade treatment has been delayed by 4 weeks. I feel... normal. Not flaring. Not in the...
I'm going to start making my own kefir. Before I order a starter, is it possible to use VSL#3? Otherwise I'll just add it in like I have been to the kefir I've been buying at the dairy....
If you have United, go to your local pharmacy (CVS) and have them order it. I have UHC and it's $35 per month for 6 boxes....
No additions/deletions/corrections? I guess that's good?...
Vitamin D is awesome. This article is totally at odds with everything else I've read, especially for a New England girl who burns in reflected sunlight!...
While I was pregnant, it was tough to find this info in one place. I took a lot of notes, and finally compiled them. I'd be very interested in your feedback. The folks on this site know their stuff!!...
VSL#3, or at least take some good acidopholus from the health food store. Z-pack can really mess with your system....
No, it doesn't. Birth control can make your UC flare, however, so keep an eye out if you're just starting the Pill....
I feel great. Totally out of flare territory, back to normal. My last remission lasted for 3 years with no meds, only probiotics. I am currently down to Lialda 2x daily and Remicade every 8 weeks. I...
Hi! Glad to see you're still doing well. RE: Growth ultrasounds, you should know that they are notoriously WRONG. 2 days before I had my baby, the ultrasound people estimated him at 9 pounds, 3 oz....
If I'm flaring and I eat junk food, it's toxic. Try to eliminate simple carbs and sugar while you're flaring....
Ditto PP, carbs carbs carbs. Think pasta, breads, potatoes, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecake, toffee, everything bad you can think of. :) Have fun!!...
Night trips suck, and getting off of pred is a real challenge for some (me included). It was very difficult for me to get off it. Ultimately, I ended up going on 6MP and getting on Remicade. I have...
I just realized you're pregnant - that'll teach me to miss the important stuff! Please take extra special care of yourself post-partum. That seems to be a real danger zone for UC, and it's very easy...
Yeah, I waited too long (till about 6-8 bm a day and bleeding) to tell my doc. When I did, I went on lialda and prednisone but I wouldn't take anything heavier because I was pregnant. I stayed pretty...
Probiotics worked wonders for me for quite some time. I did hit a point when they didn't work anymore (pregnancy did a number on me), but I recommend them to ANYONE struggling with UC. It can't hurt....
Asacol and all of the ASA meds are safe during pregnancy. I was on Lialda through most of my pregnancy; I was also on prednisone. Both are category B meds, which is to say that they can be used if...
120MG a DAY??? That is an INSANE amount of prednisone. At the height of my disease, in the hospital, the most I was ever on is 80 - that's NUTS. That level of pred, on an ongoing basis, can cause...
I'm very happy with Remicade. It's been my miracle drug. I'm off everything but Lialda (down to 1xday), and I'm hoping to get off that soon too. I literally haven't felt this good in YEARS. Oddly...
No way, never ever ever ever ever again! I had an unmedicated colonoscopy during a major flare while I was pregnant. It was more painful than labor. Not kidding. Natural childbirth was not as painful...
My doctor told me I had to. I had gone to an ER that didn't admit me (but should have) when I passed out on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood....and when my GI heard that I was having 20+BM per...
I don't have the willpower to follow the entire SCD, but I find that staying to the outside of the grocery store really helps. I'm trying to get as close as I can to gluten- and sugar-free; it is...
My doc has told me the same thing, although he is debating recanting on it because Remicade has recently been shown to be safe during pregnancy. Honestly, having a major flare in pregnancy SUCKS, and...
Bad, bad things. I had been in remission for 3 years. During my second trimester (right after the morning sickness wore off), I went into the worst flare of my life. I hope you have an easier time...
(I DID NOT write this. But I figured this group would appreciate it!!) Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald. Colonoscopy Journal: I called my friend Andy Sable,...
If you figure out how, let us know.... My remission this time around strangely coincided with taking up smoking again (0-5 cigs per day). I didn't start again because of UC, but I have to admit, I am...
It didn't start working for me until my 4th infusion...but it is working GREAT now. It starts to wear off about week5 though. Don't give up - it does take time....
I took Lialda (mesalamine) 4x per day throughout my entire pregnancy. At 20 weeks, I was on 60mg/day of prednisone (I flared badly). My son is perfect. He was born at 37w, 7 pounds - and the...
I did have blood loss problems once (when I ended up in the hospital). I was having 10+BMs daily that were 100% blood and mucus. I was exhausted and dizzy, and finally ended up passing out on the...
Oh, and I found out the hard way that birth control pills cause flares for me. Have you been on birth control for a while?...
Hi Nola! I highlly reccommend adding probiotics. They can't hurt! I find that a Danactive Smoothie a day really helps control my symptoms. Ditto PP on Vitamin D. I also would consider swapping Lialda...
I'm guessing there might be someone on this board who is as weird as I am. I am a working mom with a 5 month old son and a 50+ hour a week job. I am looking forward to my remi treatment, NOT because...
My advice: * If your UC starts to flare, CALL YOUR DOCTOR. Ignoring a flare will not make it go away. The earlier you address it, the shorter it will be. * Listen to your body. If you feel tired,...
That's a pretty small amount of Vicodin, so you should be fine. Is alcohol safe with methotrexate?...
Hugs - I'm a med-for-lifer as well and it's ok. Have you considered remicade? It's working wonders for me; I'm down to only Lialda and Remicade, and many of my fellow IBDers in the remicade room are...
Probiotics and watching my diet worked for me for 3 years. That being said, I was so anti-prescript ions that I let a flare go too long on alternative medicine. The result - a flare that wouldn't go...
For me, it's been a wonder drug. I am finally off prednisone after 9 months of being on it, and I'm probably going to be off 6MP soon too. It didn't start working for me until my 4th infusion - but...
After 8 LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG months on prednisone and a 3 month taper, I'm FREE! It can be done! Headaches and muscle aches and dizziness and flares - all of it is worth it, I am finally OFF that nasty...
Hi hi! I started flaring @ 18 weeks and finally stopped flaring last week (my son is 3 months old). Aside from the flare, which sucked, my pregnancy was otherwise uneventful. My delivery was awesome...
Remicade works very well for me. I got a mild skin rash after my first infusion, so now they give me a dose of IV Benadryl at the beginning of each infusion. No rashes, no reactions, and my UC is...
I did, for 3 years. Probiotics were enough to maintain remission (although I did need drugs to get it into remission). I went against my doc's orders, dropped the mesalamine he wanted me on for the...
I like cream of rice cereal, but I'm odd. :)...
Take the prednisone but don't stay on it too long. It works wonders and the side effects aren't too bad if you don't stay on it too long. Prednisone once kicked a flare into remission for me in less...
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my prayers. I had three losses prior to having my son; the pain never really goes away. Nothing you did caused this, please know...
Mother-directed pushing means that instead of people holding your legs and yelling PUSH PUSH PUSH and counting to 10, you just push when you feel the need to. My midwife never told me to push.... she...
How long before this is an issue? I am down to 15mg for the last 2 days, but I have essentially been on prednisone since November 09 (a brief 3 week break, then I had to start up again). I am getting...
I find that drinking a lot of gatorade helps. When I'm flaring my electrolytes tend to run really low, I get leg cramps and I'm totally warn out. Every time I go to the bathroom during a flare, I try...
The other thing you may look into (with your doc's approval): some patients who are former smokers show huge improvement on nicotine gum/patches. It isn't used as maintenance but can reduce a flare....