Generally Feeling Unwell - 6MP Increase and Pred

[notly1988]

Good evening,

I became ill in May 2017 and was diagnosed with CD in September 2017, I was on Pred they managed to sort me out temporarily, then put on to Asa these made me so ill and finally put on to Mercaptapurine (6MP) 50mg.

I started to flare again in December through to March when I got the result of my pill cam back which had several deep ulcers and tiny hemmoridges.

I was put on entocort (Budesonide). However, after 2 weeks no change so changed back to 40mg of Pred, reducing by 5mg weekly.

Both the nurses and GI advised the 6MP wasn't working. I met with the GI last week and she has upped my 6MP to 75 mg and I have a referral to see the surgeon 14th June.

I had been feeling much better than on Saturday I started to feel groggy, this turned to loose stools by Wednesday and on Thursday I had to increase my Pred back up 5mg to 30mg. They have now increased my 6MP to 100mg.

Yesterday and today I have been feeling terrible, last night I had a roid rage at my partner. I was totally wrong and have felt guilty about it all day. I just feel generally unwell and not quite right.

Spoke with the nurse today and my bloods have something low and something high but she didn't seem too concerned. Sorry for the lack of information here, I was a bit brain fogged when talking to her and I didn't write it down.

I also have a partial prolapse and need to have a barium bum x-ray in a couple of weeks.

Really struggling at the moment, I feel like I'm not getting anywhere. Has anyone felt rubbish with the increase in 6MP, just generally unwell?

Is it the increase back up on the Pred?

I'm going away tomorrow and feel like this is going to dampen down the holiday.

Sorry for the long post. TIA, Kyle

 

[awoenker12]

I am in a very similar situation. I was originally diagnosed with crohn's back in January, and my doctor prescribed 40mg of prednisone and 50mg of 6mp. I was on the 40mg for two weeks, and I felt great, so my doctor and I thought we should taper 5mg every week. Fast forward two months. One week after I fully tapered, my symptoms returned. So, my doctor decided to put me back on 40mg of prednisone. After three weeks, I felt great again, so we decided to taper 5mg each week again. This time, when I got down to 15mg, my symptoms returned again! My doctor ordered a blood test, and the results showed my sed rate was high, and the 6mp was in therapeutic range, so my doctor came to the conclusion the 6mp was not working.

My doctor put me back on 20mg of prednisone, which still has not helped. He said I should start remicade within these next few weeks, so I hope this will do something for me.

Have you tried any of the biologics? They are very effective treatments. Talk to your doctor about it.

 

[Guerrero]

Prednisone is quite ok to help with inflammation in the shorter term, but it makes feel bad with mood swings etc...
I think it takes some months for 6mp to start working (3 to 6).
However asawoenker said, based on blood results and how you feel, your doctor may suggest to switch you therapy to biologics which are the most effective drugs to manage crohn's.