Can we go Med Free?

[stargirl]

Hiya - I'm newly diagnosed and am currently on Flagyl, Cipro, Entocort and Pentasa. Aside from some loose poops I feel fine and have for weeks (even before i started the pentasa and entocort). I've been eating a nearly normal diet - haven't noticed any difference in BM's based on my diet and have been pain free. Considering all this I would like to go off the medications. Is it possible to deal with chrons in a all natural way - without medications? Does anyone have experince with this?

 

[Astra]

Hi Stargirl

Don't even go there, you're asking for trouble!
This is an inflammatory disease, inflammation will come and go, and altho you're pain free now, and good luck with that, but to ignore it, cos you think that this disease is 'better' is not recommended. The reason we take meds such as Pentasa is to maintain a healthy gut, to ward off inflammations and to try to stay in remission, to not take your meds can cause scarring of the bowel due to inflammation which in turn can cause obstruction due to narrowing caused by scarring, yeah?
by all means, come off the other meds, but you still need a back up like Pentasa.
I'm pain free and have 'normal' BMs, but still take my Pentasa.
this is just my own personal opinion, based on my own personal experience, I didn't take my meds, cos I thought I knew better, I paid the price, I ended up in hospital for a week with narrowing. I know different now!
good luck
xxxx

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

Joan is right.

Even a low dosage of a maintenance drug is probably the best course of action.

But do consult a physician first.

 

[kenny]

Some people have that initial flair, get treated, and never seem to have an issue again. Others get stuck with reoccurring disease riddling their guts full of holes despite drugs and surgery. I really hope Stargirl belongs to that first categories and gets off the roids with doctors approval asap. Those things help keep the inflammation down but might also mask other contributing factors. Steroid Dependant Crohn's is way to common and it might possibly be, that in a few cases, people do not make enough suitable changes at their own end of things to get off the roids.

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

As for "treating" your Crohn's via natural means, it's probably a good idea to adopt as healthy a diet/lifestyle as possible -- alongside your prescribed medication(s). See where they that takes you first.

 

[Lydia]

I was med free for 3 years out of my 4 year remission. I dont think its for everybody, but I do think it can be a reasonable goal. I did eat a whole foods diet and I used supplements as well.

I am in remission again and I do plan on going med free again someday. However next time I flare again I wont wait so long to go on meds.

It totally depends on the individual and its something only you can decide.

 

[Jeff D.]

Please don't go med free! If I would have taken all of my medicines as I was supposed to and talk to my doctors better when I was first diagnosed then I would not have needed to have an ileostomy done last week. If you read my thread you can see how much I've been struggling with this. Take all of the meds that your doc gives you and pay attention to ANY changes in your body.

 

[BLM]

I sometimes debate going off meds too.....but I cant imagine being so sick again or worse....Im scared of that situation....so Ill take my many many pills...and hopefully they will lower my doses soon. I wouldnt recommend going completely off....and if you do eventually, I think your GI will need to watch really carefully for inflamation. Good Luck~

 

[iminflamed]

First of all, everyone is different. Just because one person CAN'T go off, doesn't mean another person can't. Like already stated, if you are going to go off meds, it's probably in your best interest to develop an EXTREMELY healthy diet (like SCD). It's really not even worth it to go off your meds and continue to eat like crap.

 

[Rob]

Short answer is yes u can go med free

BUT there is no gaurentee you won't fall back into a flare
I went med free for few years but finally fell into a bad flare and the Meds no longer worked as they take a while to actually kick in
so I ve been with this current flare for almost a year now

so IMO I'd stay on a mild maintenance drug to be safe
as it is it may be that the meds your on now are what's keeping you out of a flare the momment u stop it my hit you

better safe than sorry

 

[Nyx]

I was med free right after my colostomy, but am now back on Pentasa (Salofalk) as maintenance. My doctor wasn't going to put me on anything but I insisted. Like many have said, I'd rather be safe than sorry...it's bad enough I have to poop in a bag, add a flare onto that....omg...lol Don't want that to happen!

 

[teeny5]

My doctor said I would always need to take a maintenance drug to help keep the Crohn's under control he also said I need to be in really good health (i.e. exercise and healthy diet).

 

[Crohns08]

You can go med free. I'm going med free at the moment! (Finally!!) I feel great, however I am on supplements and I eat a pretty good diet. I follow the SCD (Which isn't for everyone, but I've had great results!) with a few slight modifications. When I'm flaring I follow it to a T, but when I'm in remission such as now I slowly work things back in, in small amounts and keep what doesn't bother me, and throw out what does. I'm just getting back into exercising as well, so it is possible. However my Doctor's have labled my case as a mild one, though this last flare was more difficult than my last and I actually had to go on steroids but that's because I went off my diet A LOT. If I behave this time, I should be in excellent shape!

 

[stargirl]

Oye - not really the answers I wanted to hear. I'm still new to this I was hoping for a "sure as long as you feel good your life is back to normal". Ahh Denial!!! Thank you all for your input. Seriously thank you all for your support. This can be no fun and having this group makes it all so much better.