Alternative treatment after a resection surgery

[Margie63]

Has anyone had luck with alternative treatments such as herbs, etc. after a resection and used these successfully as a maintenance regimen? My daughter is dreading the immunosuppresants and hair loss now that she has finally gotten her blockage found and hen straightened out.


Thanks.

 

[Jennifer]

This varies from person to person because you never know when Crohn's will become active again and chances are that if you go without medication then the disease may stay active, it just takes time for you to notice the effects. Because of this people assume that their alternative or no treatment plan is working and are for some reason surprised when they flare again. No amount of diet or exercise can stop or treat a flare and unfortunately since there is no cure yet we're stuck with the medications available to us now. A resection is not automatic remission for everyone. Chances are only the most extreme portion is removed but other sections or nearby sections may still be active and its only a matter of time until you start noticing symptoms without meds but with meds you could keep these areas under control before they get out of hand.

No GI I've ever had has ever recommended to go completely off of meds remission or not because this is a chronic illness.

What has her GI suggested taking? Have you mentioned the side effects to them? What did they suggest besides immunosuppressants?

 

[kekemonster101]

I would recommend to definitely stay on a maintenance drug. Very often what happens is that the site of the surgery where they did the resection will be the place that flares up again. You want to prevent that from happening. Even if she feels well, its important to keep up your medication regimen. I had a resection and it helped quite a bit, but less then a year later, I was back in the hospital, and I had been on multiple maintenance drugs.