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  1. chrisnsteph1022

    Anyone get a port for infusions/blood draws?

    I used to have good veins, but after a year of infusions every six weeks and blood draws every 4 (for metho), my veins are giving out on me. Today's infusion took 5 attempts. One vein blown, a couple valves hit, a too-small vein. The nurse mentioned a port. Is that done for remicade infusions...
  2. chrisnsteph1022

    Finally in remission!!

    After two years of flaring, I have a confirmed remission. But if I miss one injection, it comes right back (I delayed it last week due to a cold/laryngitis). Anyway, since I was still having horrible abdominal pain, I had an exploratory laparoscopy 2 weeks ago. Endometriosis has spread...
  3. chrisnsteph1022

    Scar tissue=pain?

    Can scar tissue in the colon cause pain? I had my scope yesterday and don't have the biopsy results back yet, but there was no visible Crohn's. However, I now have scar tissue (wasn't there a year ago). I'm having a CTE next Friday, but is it possible my Crohn's is in remission and the pain is...
  4. chrisnsteph1022

    Upcoming colonoscopy

    Backstory: Crohn's since 2003, flaring since 2010, failed Cimzia, azathioprine, entocort, apriso and currently on Remicade, methotrexate, lialda, vsl3, immodium. Symptoms: loose to watery BMs 3-5 times a day, daily abdominal pain. My symptoms are not near as severe as they were before starting...
  5. chrisnsteph1022

    Need some help/ideas/suggestions-unexplained joint pain

    This is going to be long. A little history: Crohn's since 2003. Flared back up 12/10. Tried Cimzia for a year-didn't work. Added imuran 10/11. Switched to Remicade 1/12. Doubled dose starting 6/12. That's when everything exploded. The day after my first doubled infusion, I woke up in such severe...
  6. chrisnsteph1022

    What to take for headache?

    So I just started MTX on Saturday. I woke up this morning nauseous and with a killer headache. I popped a couple excedrin migraine. Then I got on here and read I'm not supposed to take aspirin with mtx, which is in excedrin. I know I can't take ibuprofen/aleve. What can I take for a headache...
  7. chrisnsteph1022

    IBD Clinic visit

    So I finally gave in and went to Vanderbilt's IBD Clinic. My GI couldn't help me anymore. The plan is to shorten Remicade to every 6 weeks (already on 10mg/kg), add methotrexate injections (25mg weekly), remove azathioprine (not supposed to take with metho), add Questran, plus a lot of dietary...
  8. chrisnsteph1022

    Sacroiliitis=AS?

    I probably have sacroiliitis. The rheumatologist hasn't mentioned AS, but anytime I search for SI, I get results that it's the first stage of AS. Can you have SI without having AS? I know my rheum drew blood for the HLA-B27 antigen and if that's positive, it sounds like it's AS. I also had my...
  9. chrisnsteph1022

    Nervous and excited!

    So my GI finally gave up. He doesn't know what to do with me. He has referred me to the Vanderbilt IBD Clinic in Nashville. They specialize in Crohn's/UC and have the best of the best in the area. I have a day-long assesment with several specialists. I know I'm seeing a psychiatrist (anyone know...
  10. chrisnsteph1022

    What does a rheumatologist do?

    I know they're joint/bone docs, but what will they typically do on a first visit? I've had hip pain for years, but it recently became very severe (like, went to the ER, couldn't work for 2 weeks, using a cane). It is tolerable now, but I'm still taking muscle relaxers and pain pills daily. The...
  11. chrisnsteph1022

    Daily immodium

    Does anyone take immodium on a daily basis? My GI told me to take 2/day, along with VSL#3. It's kind of a last-ditch effort to control the diarrhea. I'm also on the max dose of Remicade, imuran and lialda. I've been on it over a week now and it doesn't seem to be really doing anything. It helped...
  12. chrisnsteph1022

    Nervous about GI appointment today

    Nervous about GI appointment today *update OP Going on 20 months in this flare. Failed Cimzia, imuran, apriso, entocort, lialda and now remicade. I'm much better than before Remicade, but I'm still having issues. My GI has already said he has nothing else for me. I think he's going to send me...
  13. chrisnsteph1022

    Should I bother my GI?

    A few weeks ago, a couple days before my infusion, my back started hurting. Not bad, but uncomfortable. I have a history of back pain, so I figured it would pass in a few days like normal. I had my infusion 6/22. It was my 5th infusion, but we doubled the dose. This was my first at the double...
  14. chrisnsteph1022

    IV Pain?

    I had an IV for about an hour a week ago. They missed and had to dig around a bit. However, I never got a bruise or anything. But the IV spot became very sore. As the days went on, it seemed to spread. It was right on my wrist. Now the pain goes from my knuckles to halfway to my elbow, in a...
  15. chrisnsteph1022

    So much worse than Crohn's

    I've been in a flare for 19 months. It sucks. But even through heavy bleeding, diarrhea 15-20 times/day and daily use of oxycodone, I was still able to go to work. I only missed one day because I was in the ER. Last week, we went to the beach. I have a history of herniated discs in my back and...
  16. chrisnsteph1022

    Abdominal bruising/redness?

    I have what looks like a bruise from belly button to pelvic bone, hip to hip. It's red, though. Not blue/black. It's mottled, not continuous. I have NOT had any trauma to the area. It showed up Friday morning (4 days ago) and hasn't changed much. Maybe a bit redder. I do use a heating pad, from...
  17. chrisnsteph1022

    Remicade antibodies

    If you develop the antibodies to Remicade, does it stop working immediately, or over time? I've been slowly going back downhill, starting after my loading doses. The 4th infusion didn't seem to help much. I had blood drawn this morning for the test, but it takes about a week for it to come back...
  18. chrisnsteph1022

    Acupuncture?

    Has anyone tries acupuncture for Crohn's? :voodoo: I'm considering giving it a shot. My main symptom is the typical chronic diarrhea. And some hip pain (arthritis).
  19. chrisnsteph1022

    Doubling the Remicade

    I saw my GI today. I've had 4 infusions (last one was 6 weeks ago). I'm still having some issues (diarrhea 5-8 times/day, minimal pain, rare blood). He's going to double the Remi from 5mg/kg to 10. My next infusion is in 2 weeks. If this doesn't work, I'll be going to a Crohn's specialist at an...
  20. chrisnsteph1022

    Passing red tissue

    I go maybe 5-8 times/day, usually before 1pm. After that, I pass a little mucus and pieces of poop. Like, a teaspoon worth-not enough to really count it. But sometimes I just pass what looks like tissue. Again, just a very small amount. But it's red and does not look like feces. It looks like...
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