Confused

[Regeena]

December 2010 I went to emergency because of severe bleeding. Ended up losing 1/2 my blood that day. Had emergency surgery that night which ended up being a bowel resection. I have crohn's/ulcerative colitis. In January 2011 my GI put me on Immuran. My liver didn't like it so he took me off and put me on Asacol. I've been feeling great. Had a 6 month post surgery colonoscopy in June/11. Except for a tiny ulcer at the resection site everything else looked good. I feel great!! At my follow-up appt after the colonoscopy my GI told me he wants me to go on Humira. He's worried the Asacol won't be strong enough to keep my in remission. I'm so stressed out having to make this decision. I feel great!! Humira is such a powerful drug...which thankfully is helping so many... I'm not sure that this is the right time for me to be going on it. Shouldn't I see how my body reacts to the Asacol first? It's been 6 months since my resection. Thoughts?

 

[xJillx]

Hi Regeena and welcome! If I was in your situation, I'd feel the same way. Why switch meds if I am feeling great?! However, I can see your doctors perspective, too. If there was an ulcer, that means there is still inflammation, so you are not exactly in remission yet. However, perhaps with more time, you will be. Would you consider a second opinion? I think I'd like to get another perspective on the issue. What do you think?

 

[starfish]

hi there i can definately see the docs point my hubby had a resection 2 years ago and he felt great but our gi specialist kept on about finding a treatment that would control him and stop a flare up my hubby is also on asacol it turns out they were right as he has just had another internal abcess and a small perforation caused through inflammation . i would definately give another treatment careful consideration as things have a tendancy to creep up on you humira didnt work for us but it does give good results and this disease is all about trying to stay one step ahead

hope all goes well whatever you choose x x

 

[michaelmjr]

Need time to know for sure

I have been on himira 3 years and it has been a wonderful drug. I have become desensitized to it however it worked great...

That said I have been diagnosed atleast 10 years and left a GI for this very reason. He would change my treatments before we knew what did and didn't work. For me I had to give all Drugs a chance... Asacol didn't work and remecade worked for 2 years... But I stuck medicines, treatments and diets out until I knew for sure....

That is the best advice my new GI ever gave me...

 

[Regeena]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm having such a hard time making this decision. I'm also having an incredibly hard time accepting I have this disease...even after 6 months. Lots of tears in the last couple of days