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Ulcerative Colitis questions

I have been snooping around this forum for a few days. I am a 38 year old male living in North East Texas. I was dx'd with Ulcerative Colitis a couple of weeks ago. They first put me on sulfacatzine (i am going from memory, that's not it, but close) the day of my colonoscopy as the dr said i had Crohns. A week later my biopsy came in and said I had Ulcerative Colitis.. he put me on Aspiro (the other was giving me horrible head aches) and put me on Prednisone for 2 weeks. starting with 2 tablets for a week, the moving to 1 tablet fo a week, inwhich I finished on Wednesday.

I went to the dr because I had my gall bladder out last year, and have been passing bloody mucus type stuff for a while.. I thought it was due to my gall bladder being gone, but it didnt get any better, and my back started hurting very bad. so, the prednisone helped and the blood almost went away, untl Sunday morning, right back.

Here are my questions:

since the red stuff came back, do I need to go back to the doctor?? or will the Aspiro help that??? (I guess I am asking is Prednisone the only thing that will stop the red, and is Aspiro just there to maintain remission).

and

Is my back hurting so bad because the extreme inflamation I am having in my colon?? is this common??

Thanks folks.
 

vonfunk

Bourbon Bandito
Location
Toronto,
So the first drug was probably Sulfasalazine, and then switched you to Apriso which is also Mesalazine, Salofalk, Pentasa and a bunch of other names

Call your GI.
You might not have been on the larger dose long enough to put you into remission, you might have tapered down too fast there are a couple of things it could be.

Prednisone is basically to put you in remission and the other drug is to keep you there. There are other drugs that can do it but pred is usually the fastest.

There is also a chance that you might be prednisone dependant, I am I've been on it for almost 2 years straight. But it took several attempts of going off of it to figure it out.
 

Dexky

To save time...Ask Dusty!
Location
Kentucky
Welcome Brite!! I'm certainly no expert but I think a two-week pred taper is the fastest I've read about on here!! I'd say Von is right the first time!! Call your GI!! Good luck!!
 
Welcome Brite. I think you should go back and see the GI just to make sure all is ok. I wouldn't take any chances. Better to be safe than sorry. I do have pain in different places all the time due to the inflammation in the body. Let us know how you are doing. Hang in there and hope you get some relief soon.
 
A taper of 2 weeks is way to fast. You should have stayed on he prednisone for at least 8 to 10 weeks. I have been on prednisone for over 2 years also. As far as the back pain well yes that is because your colon is inflamed. My back hurt very bad initially and now it only hurts on and off but it sometimes does hurt bad still.
 
I am going to ride out for a week or so, then if no improvement, I will call him back. I am thinking of finding another specialist in the Texarkana area.. but as far out as Dallas, if anyone knows of a good doctor that has had good success with UC patients.. I would love any referals.
 
Steven Katzman, M.D.

http://www.tddctx.com/katzman.html

He's just outside of Dallas, in the Irving/Las Colinas area. There are a lot of GREAT GI docs in Dallas. I also know which ones to avoid.

Dr. Katzman also has working with him David Rodriguez, RN, FNP, who sort of oversees the IBD patients. He is very good to work with and takes care of business.


EDIT: I just recieved notification that Dr. Katzman is no longer seeing scheduled patients and is moving on to other things.
 
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Hey britej
Don't know that the gallbladder has any connection with the bleeding, but I'm more inclined to think it's CD related. Also, lower back pain is often associated with abdominal inflammation. The pain can be quite bad too. Sounds to me like you need to have a good discussion with your GI. Doesn't sound like your current meds are doing the trick. Maybe it's time to try the Pred., as previously suggested.

Anyway...Welcome...Hope to see you around.
 
Angela Carollo, MD is very caring and will take the time with you that you need. At Baylor on Washington St.
 

vonfunk

Bourbon Bandito
Location
Toronto,
I am going to ride out for a week or so, then if no improvement, I will call him back. I am thinking of finding another specialist in the Texarkana area.. but as far out as Dallas, if anyone knows of a good doctor that has had good success with UC patients.. I would love any referals.
Be careful about letting it ride, I've done that a couple of times and ended up in the hospital.
 

Astra

Moderator
Be careful about letting it ride, I've done that a couple of times and ended up in the hospital.

I concur, wholeheartedly!!

Your Pred hasn't had any time to get working on you yet, hope you seek advice from the docs.
Welcome to the forum Brite!
lotsa luv
Joan xxx
 
I third that point about letting it ride...i have done it twice and both times ended up in the hospital. this last time for a month straight.
 

vonfunk

Bourbon Bandito
Location
Toronto,
Last time I decided to wait it before my next appointment, was in July. I was feeling terrible for two weeks, the two days before my doctor's appt, I spent half an hour throwing up and having D in the staff washroom of my pharmacy. Eventually when I was able to leave, I almost passed out, they called me a cab and took me to emergency, one week in the hospital and 2 blood transfusion before I was released.
 
Update. I found another Gastro that was super highly recomended by many and went to see him today. He is very good.. very thorough, Agreed that 2 weeks is not long enough and put me on a pill (I dont know the name of it, but it started with an A and is like Prednisone, but with fewer side affects) for 2 months, a doctor visit each month, and another colonoscopy in 3 months to make sure all is healed. so, this dude is gonna knock this stuff out..
 

Astra

Moderator
Really hope so Brite!
Is it Azathioprine? This isn't a steroid like Pred, it's an immuno suppressant
Or is it Asacol? This isn't like Pred neither, it's an amnio salicylate, works like aspirin, an anti inflammatory.
Good luck, let us know how you get on
xx
 
I am sorry.. it starts with an E.. this guy has an accent and I heard wrong. it is Entocort--I have UC.. does Entocort work well on UC???
 

Astra

Moderator
I believe it does, yes, cos unlike Pred, it delivers straight to the colon, less is absorbed, and has less side effects.
good luck
xxx
 

Astra

Moderator
And Entocort made me feel horrible! I didn't like it, would rather have the Pred!! lol
Just goes to show how unique we all are, everybody's different!
xx
 
Hooray!!

I take it you found someone close to where you live? If so, good deal!! There are some great GI docs in Dallas, but I would hate for you to have to travel so far to get care for IBD. Hope you find relief quick with the Entocort.
 
Yes, found one in Texarkana that is really aggressive and caring. I am certaintly not happy about another colonoscopy in 3 months, but I also told him I feel so bad that I will be the most compliant patient he has ever had.. if he tells me to stand on my head for an hour a night.. well, i'll buy a thicker pillow and stand on it.
 
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