2 years in, lots of questions

[planetjen]

so, i was dx'ed with CD two years ago, been on asacol 2400mg, cant really say it helps. have fissure and internal hemorrhoids and now a really spectacular external one (i named him Eugene.) i've been walking round the house with an icepack stuck down my shorts. now im having a flare up and with the increase in bowel movements it made the pain of Eugene fully unbearable (and i have a high tolerance for pain). i'm going to the anal surgeon on tuesday, in the meantime my GI put me on Flagyl and Cipro. I took it twice yesterday and was nauseated but mostly ok. this morning i took it and spent 3 hours puking and sweating. i threw up a lot of phlegm, a LOT LOT, but that may be related to recent smoking cessation (pack a day up until a week ago). im totally scared to take the antibiotics again, not sure what to do for the rest of the weekend...that reaction this morning freaked me out. this will make the third weekend in a row that i am too sick to do anything, barely making it through housework and taking care of my toddler. sick, sick, sick of it. i know once you start antibiotics you are to take them until you are gone but....

 

[Entchen]

Welcome to the forum, planetjen (and, Eugene -- go away!). Flagyl and Cipro is nasty. I was a mess at first -- but after 3 days it really did get better (still not pleasant, but better). Will look forward to chatting more on the forum, and I hope that your Dr. visit on Tuesday goes well.

 

[DustyKat]

Hi planetjen,

So sorry to hear that you are going through all this and a toddler to take care of as well! Don't know what to tell you about the antibiotics as I have no experience with that but hang in there and hopefully things will go well when you visit the surgeon on Tuesday. My thoughts are with you and I wish you the very best of luck.

Dusty.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Welcome to the forum planet! So you are heading for surgery and I have been there not the same kind though. Any surgery is not fun. The reason you are on antiobiotics (I am an expert on both flagyl and cipro) is because you want to get rid of any infection before your surgery, and you will heal faster.

With Flagyl always eat with them, and no alcohol or alcohol based otc stuff. Take your cipro separately and no dairy products 6 hours before or two hours after. Cipro isnt the one that is causing you to feel nauseated it is the Flagyl. YOU must take them because if you dont you could get sicker after your surgery, and your doctor prescribed them for reason. I hate them too but they work. If you are taking 4 tablets a day , most are prescribe that amt, then try 3. Drink lots of water too. I know it isnt fun but I hope your surgery is a smooth and sailing one.


:hang:

 

[Lisa]

I hear you on the flagyl - it makes me sicker than I was at first.....so I don't get that any more.....

As for your 'Eugene' - hope he doesn't turn out to be a fistula! I remember when mine came out they were PAINFUL.....of course at the time I didn't know what they heck they were!.......

Good luck on Tuesday. Where are you from, by the way?

 

[planetjen]

wow, thanks everyone, what a supportive place and glad i found it. i had eaten a bit of dairy, and i had taken both the cipro and the flagyl at once, maybe thats part of the problem. funny how the disease is getting all cranky now that i have quit smoking and started exersizing! @pasobuff, i'm from Fort Worth TX!

 

[Dexky]

Hey PJ and welcome. Sorry for what you're going through but I like the attitude. Hope things are getting better w/ the antibiotics. Good luck with the surgeon.

 

[Nancy Lee]

Hey PJ...welcome to the forum!!

It would be the Flagyl making you nauseous and I always make sure I take
a Gravol pill an hour before the Flagyl.
They are OTC and used for car sickness etc.
I was told to take them before drinking my prep for a scope as well.

Let us know what the surgeon says...
and good luck to you!

Welcoming Hugs~Nancy :ysmile:

 

[Entchen]

So glad to hear you are starting to get some relief. Keep feeling better!

 

[Regular Joe]

Hi planetjen and Eugene,

I understand the surgery will probably leave you in a bit of pain afterwards. Hopefully you'll have the quickest and safest surgery and recovery. The good thing is that hemmorhoid surgery is better today than it ever has been.

I wish you the best and a speedy painless recovery.

Welcome to the forum.
Joseph

 

[Astra]

Hi planetjen
and welcome

urgh! Metronidozole (flagyl) makes me sick as a dog! I had to have it back in Jan when I was hospital with an infection, they gave me Cyclizine, an anti sickness med, and it's ace! ask your doc about it, and good luck!
Weird this, but my mate who has UC ended up seriously ill after packing in cigs! Apparantly this is common!

http://www.crohns.org.uk/Docs/4/uc/Smoking and Ulcerative Colitis.html

read this, very interesting!

glad you found us, lots of support here for you
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

 

[planetjen]

well, after a fun day at Hospital City....it has been revealed that Eugene is a fistula!
bummer! pun intended! surgeon advises we should drain it on Friday as it will probably only get worse. the good news is that my colorectal surgeon, Dr. Lee, is a handsome young man and seems extremely competent. i knew something was wrong when he examined me....I was yelling and clawing the walls, wow! i didnt make that much noise in labor!

thanks to all for the well wishes and friendly remarks. i am so glad I found this place. now to research this newest development in my medical saga....he said if the fistula involves muscle he wants to install a c-ton? anyone had that done?

 

[planetjen]

and thanks for the smoking article joan! funny thing is, i used to smoke menthol cigarettes, and last year i quit and the crohns loved it. i felt better right away. when i started up again, i smoked non-menthols and this time quitting I am having the flare of flares.

what a loony disease!

 

[Aussie]

Hi Planetjen,

It's suprising that you have fistulating crohn's disease and you're only on asacol. Has anyone talked to you about azathioprine or even infliximab?

 

[planetjen]

I'm following up with GI next week after the surgery. Infliximab isnt covered under my insurance, but aza is, and it's cheap. i was going to try apriso or lialda but that was before eugene the fistula
still worried about the prospect of a butt band.

 

[reidyjo81]

Just wanted to say welcome and good luck with surgery, sending good well wishes. Keep positive.

 

[Dexky]

Jen, have you learned any more about the c-ton? I've noticed it hasn't been mentioned by any of the experienced chronies yet.

 

[planetjen]

well wikipedia tells me it's spelled seton....just watched some vids of surgeries on the internet, i think i might barf!

 

[planetjen]

I had the fistulotomy (sp?) this morning, went well, no muscular tissue involved so no seton (butt band)! yeah!

following up with surgeon and GI next week....hoping to try a new crohns med so i can boogie on over to remission city...with an operative and pain free butt!

 

[Nancy Lee]

Hey!! That's great news!!! :ylol:

 

[DustyKat]

Woohoo.........:emot-dance::emot-dance::emot-dance:...........good for you!

All the best,
Dusty.