Hello everyone,
My name is Eli. I am a 20 year old female and this is my story.
Since about July of last year, I started to see blood when I went to the toilet. Both in the actual stool and on the TP, and dismissed it as a type of bug, or fissure, hoping it would go away with time. Well, it didn't and continued to get worse, with severe urgency multiple times a day, D, and lots of blood, sometimes "blood clot" looking things. In the mean time I got a horrible sinus infection, so went to the Dr. was given a steroid shot and a "Z pac" (an antibiotic) and was sent on my way. The symptoms seemed to go away, so I thought I was getting better because for about 2 weeks everything seemed much more normal than before. But then, things went downhill fast urgency of bloody D up to 10 times a day with nausea resulting in no appetite, getting bloated and crampy feelings after eating anything, and horrible pain and "hot flashes" when I had to go to the toilet, or while I was using the toilet. I finally concluded that this was not going away and should see the Dr. at the end of Oct. because I was constantly feeling tired and dizzy (prob. from losing so much blood and dehydration from the D.). I went to my GP and was prescribed 325 mg Iron and Lomotil, and ordered to get a blood test and stool sample (at first the Dr. thought I had a bacterial infection such as salmonella or something like that). Well it wasn't any of that and was referred to a GI. I went to my appointment and the Dr. said he thought it was UC or Crohn's and was surprised there wasnt a history of either in my family, and was ordered a colonoscopy for the end of Dec. Had the procedure and the Dr. found was he thinks (75% sure) is moderate UC but took samples to biopsy to make sure it isnt Crohn's. I have a follow up appointment in the middle of Jan. to discuss the finding and how my medicine is working. He prescribed me asocol and entocort (2 pills 3x / day asocol and 3 pills a day of entocort). I have been on both for just about 2 weeks now and still get blood and painful urgency but only about 2-3 times a day and my stool seems to be hardening up (not as much D.). My Dr. said he wanted me to try this so I could have time to "research" the biologics so we could discuss which one I would feel more comfortable with starting at my follow up app. But I feel it is a little early to start on remicade, humira, or cimzia, and I am also worried about the side effects of these drugs, such as tiredness, increased risk of certain types of cancers etc.
Does anyone have any advice on what I should so, like continue with the entocort and asocol for a while longer or try another medication with not as many side effects and risk factors?
Thank you so much for taking the time out to read this, and sorry it is so long!! Can't wait to start becoming involved in what seems like a wonderful and helpful community of people with similar problems!
My name is Eli. I am a 20 year old female and this is my story.
Since about July of last year, I started to see blood when I went to the toilet. Both in the actual stool and on the TP, and dismissed it as a type of bug, or fissure, hoping it would go away with time. Well, it didn't and continued to get worse, with severe urgency multiple times a day, D, and lots of blood, sometimes "blood clot" looking things. In the mean time I got a horrible sinus infection, so went to the Dr. was given a steroid shot and a "Z pac" (an antibiotic) and was sent on my way. The symptoms seemed to go away, so I thought I was getting better because for about 2 weeks everything seemed much more normal than before. But then, things went downhill fast urgency of bloody D up to 10 times a day with nausea resulting in no appetite, getting bloated and crampy feelings after eating anything, and horrible pain and "hot flashes" when I had to go to the toilet, or while I was using the toilet. I finally concluded that this was not going away and should see the Dr. at the end of Oct. because I was constantly feeling tired and dizzy (prob. from losing so much blood and dehydration from the D.). I went to my GP and was prescribed 325 mg Iron and Lomotil, and ordered to get a blood test and stool sample (at first the Dr. thought I had a bacterial infection such as salmonella or something like that). Well it wasn't any of that and was referred to a GI. I went to my appointment and the Dr. said he thought it was UC or Crohn's and was surprised there wasnt a history of either in my family, and was ordered a colonoscopy for the end of Dec. Had the procedure and the Dr. found was he thinks (75% sure) is moderate UC but took samples to biopsy to make sure it isnt Crohn's. I have a follow up appointment in the middle of Jan. to discuss the finding and how my medicine is working. He prescribed me asocol and entocort (2 pills 3x / day asocol and 3 pills a day of entocort). I have been on both for just about 2 weeks now and still get blood and painful urgency but only about 2-3 times a day and my stool seems to be hardening up (not as much D.). My Dr. said he wanted me to try this so I could have time to "research" the biologics so we could discuss which one I would feel more comfortable with starting at my follow up app. But I feel it is a little early to start on remicade, humira, or cimzia, and I am also worried about the side effects of these drugs, such as tiredness, increased risk of certain types of cancers etc.
Does anyone have any advice on what I should so, like continue with the entocort and asocol for a while longer or try another medication with not as many side effects and risk factors?
Thank you so much for taking the time out to read this, and sorry it is so long!! Can't wait to start becoming involved in what seems like a wonderful and helpful community of people with similar problems!
