Hydrocortisone IV
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Steroids are no longer prescribed to be taken for any long periods of time (no more than two months on average). For IBD treatments they're used as a band-aid until you can begin more efficient treatments.
Steroids work very quickly, you should feel an immediate improvement over your pain and symptoms within an hour after receiving your dose. It's unlikely steroids will be enough to put your UC in remission. It certainly helps my flare but would never be potent enough to get rid of it entirely. YMMV.
Steroids work very quickly, you should feel an immediate improvement over your pain and symptoms within an hour after receiving your dose. It's unlikely steroids will be enough to put your UC in remission. It certainly helps my flare but would never be potent enough to get rid of it entirely. YMMV.
The best way to confirm Crohn's vs UC is by histology analysis (biopsies taken directly from your bowel during a colonoscopy). When did you have your last scope, and did they take any biopsies?
Whether you have Crohn's or UC won't change much for you because they're very similar diseases with similar treatments and near identical symptoms. The main difference is that Crohn's canaffect your entire GI tract whereas UC is restricted to the bowel only.
At this point in time keep taking the steroids as prescribed, and during your next appointment with your doctor, ask him or her to explain to you his treatment plan if you want to be informed.
Like I said steroids are a temporary fix -- your doctor must have another plan in mind, so you will no doubt learn about about it during your next visit.
Whether you have Crohn's or UC won't change much for you because they're very similar diseases with similar treatments and near identical symptoms. The main difference is that Crohn's canaffect your entire GI tract whereas UC is restricted to the bowel only.
At this point in time keep taking the steroids as prescribed, and during your next appointment with your doctor, ask him or her to explain to you his treatment plan if you want to be informed.
Like I said steroids are a temporary fix -- your doctor must have another plan in mind, so you will no doubt learn about about it during your next visit.
Yeah in actually in hospital at the min so am getting steroids straight in my arm. So im hoping i will be well soon . Im pretty fed up . I had a sigmoidoscopy 2 days ago which was very painful and traumatic . Im nt sure what happens after the steroids but im sure it will be a diff drug . I suppose im in the right place at the moment to figure out how to control my disease
The treatment options are as follow:
First line of treament: Anti-inflammatory medication (5-ASA)
Second line of treatment: Immunosupressors (6MP/Imuran)
Third line of treatment: Biologicals (Remicade)
Fourth line of treament: Surgery (removal of the affected part of the colon. It is the only cure for UC.)
Steroids can be added at any point in your treatment to address a particularly bad flare.
Some doctors will prescribe multiple lines of treatment all at once (you could be on 5-ASA, Imuran and Remicade all at the same time for instance), others will start at the bottom and work their way up according to your body's response.
First line of treament: Anti-inflammatory medication (5-ASA)
Second line of treatment: Immunosupressors (6MP/Imuran)
Third line of treatment: Biologicals (Remicade)
Fourth line of treament: Surgery (removal of the affected part of the colon. It is the only cure for UC.)
Steroids can be added at any point in your treatment to address a particularly bad flare.
Some doctors will prescribe multiple lines of treatment all at once (you could be on 5-ASA, Imuran and Remicade all at the same time for instance), others will start at the bottom and work their way up according to your body's response.
Cool thanks for th info. Ive been on azathioprine which i think is imuran? Fir 2 yrs now and has kept my uc under control so im guessing remicade will be next . I hope i dnt have to have surgey but i would do it to get rid of these pains! Its something i would seriously consider to carry on with a normal life
Yup, Azathioprine works like Imuran. I think you took Pentasa as well?
So the next step for you is indeed Remicade! It has a very high success rate and is often regarded as the ferrari of IBD treatments. But it is very expensive, so doctors usually prefer to keep it as a last resort because most insurance companies wouldn't pay for it anyway unless other lines of treatment had been tried.
In a perfect world, every single IBD patient with a flare could be put on Remicade immediately.
Surgery isn't something I would ever want because I have pancolitis, so they'd have to remove everything and I'd be stuck with a colostomy bag for the rest of my life. I'm in my mid twenties, so I'd prefer a life without one (my father had colorectal cancer and has a colostomy).
However you said only your left side was affected. If it comes down to surgery, they could remove the affected part without you needing a colostomy. There would still need to be changes in your diet, but in the end it's all about weighting the pros and cons.
You're a long way from surgery anyway so don't fret about it too much for the time being.
So the next step for you is indeed Remicade! It has a very high success rate and is often regarded as the ferrari of IBD treatments. But it is very expensive, so doctors usually prefer to keep it as a last resort because most insurance companies wouldn't pay for it anyway unless other lines of treatment had been tried.
In a perfect world, every single IBD patient with a flare could be put on Remicade immediately.
Surgery isn't something I would ever want because I have pancolitis, so they'd have to remove everything and I'd be stuck with a colostomy bag for the rest of my life. I'm in my mid twenties, so I'd prefer a life without one (my father had colorectal cancer and has a colostomy).
However you said only your left side was affected. If it comes down to surgery, they could remove the affected part without you needing a colostomy. There would still need to be changes in your diet, but in the end it's all about weighting the pros and cons.
You're a long way from surgery anyway so don't fret about it too much for the time being.
Yeah i thought so. Me too im 26 and the idea of a bag isnt th greatest hopefully wnt come to that anytime soon. Just praying this flare will settle. Its like im trapped in a bad dream and cnt get out. No matter how supportive ur friends and family are they will never understand unless they have the disease so i appreciate ur replies ! Many thanks 
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nothing wrong with having an ostomy if it improves the quality of your life. I've had mine for 28 yrs. due to Crohn's attacking my large colon. It saved my life and I no longer live in the bathroom 24/7, my bottom is no longer in pain and red, AND I CAN DO THE SAME THINGS AS I DID BEFORE. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE EASIER IT IS TO ACCEPT YOUR SITUATION. The United Ostomy Association of America has a site to educate yourself and even find a local support chapter to meet others who have been in the same boat you have.
NOONE knows you have the ileostomy unless you choose to tell them, there are many shapes and sizes of the appliance that fit your lifestyle, and if you had to choose between living a life of pain and agony or getting your life back and being pain free, who wouldn't choose living pain and even medication free (for UC patients).
Surgery is usually a last option (it was for me) after all treatments and diet therapy fail or when an IBD patient gets to the point that they feel they want their quality of life back. Sometimes IBD patients have emergency surgeries due to bowel perforations from a blockage or even the disease badly attacking the lining of the gut.
I am sure others on here who have ostomies can attest to the fact that HAVING AN APPLIANCE ISN'T BAD AT ALL AND IT WILL GIVE YOU YOUR LIFE BACK. It's just like wearing glasses, having a prosthetic if you have a body part cut off, or even a wig if you have cancer. When you talk to others who've gone through it, most of them will tell you that the ileostomy saved their life and now they can go on LIVING!! good luck to you.
NOONE knows you have the ileostomy unless you choose to tell them, there are many shapes and sizes of the appliance that fit your lifestyle, and if you had to choose between living a life of pain and agony or getting your life back and being pain free, who wouldn't choose living pain and even medication free (for UC patients).
Surgery is usually a last option (it was for me) after all treatments and diet therapy fail or when an IBD patient gets to the point that they feel they want their quality of life back. Sometimes IBD patients have emergency surgeries due to bowel perforations from a blockage or even the disease badly attacking the lining of the gut.
I am sure others on here who have ostomies can attest to the fact that HAVING AN APPLIANCE ISN'T BAD AT ALL AND IT WILL GIVE YOU YOUR LIFE BACK. It's just like wearing glasses, having a prosthetic if you have a body part cut off, or even a wig if you have cancer. When you talk to others who've gone through it, most of them will tell you that the ileostomy saved their life and now they can go on LIVING!! good luck to you.
nogutsnoglory
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I have received steroids in the hospital for an allergic reaction but never for a flare. I have been given steroids orally and usually antibiotics by IV.
I am curious about whether this night be an option for me since I'm very narrow.
I am curious about whether this night be an option for me since I'm very narrow.
Thanks gutless wonder . Yeah i would def consider surgery if i had to carry on living like this in pain everyday ! I had always been frightened of surgery especially being a 26 yr old female and single its nt exactly the sort of thing u want . But im passed caring now as th pain and all the other symptoms of this horrible disease take over .it would be great t lead a normal life again
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Hi how are you now?
Hi still getting pain but i think the steroids must be starting to work as my face is very flushed and puffy ! Lol that is what happened last week when they started working but the stupid docs took me off them then i went downhill. Ive asked for stronger painkillers also to cope with the pain
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Yeah my face went all fat and moon shape lol it's a side effect of them plus I had loads more and depression. Hope they work wonders for you how long you been on them for? They didn't work for me but my flare up was extreme tried everything but only surgery could solve it. My bowel could of burst and anytime which could of killed me. Don't want to scare you its rare. I had only suffered 4 months as well
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Sounds like it will sort itself out if you don't have the big d. Hugs I know that feeling only to well. Ask for morphine if pain gets too bad
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Oh god thinking of you
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When they gonna do it? Hopefully you'll get your life bk after you've recovered. Take everyday as it comes. Thought you would have been ok as well sorry I was wrong
Hopefully you'll get your life bk after you've recovered. Take everyday as it comes. Thought you would have been ok as well sorry I was wrong Well he said they going to see what my bloods are like tommorrow but its th iv steroids that are bringing the inflammation down and prednisolone doesnt work so humira was suggested but he said that was mainly used for Crohn's and that if i had surgery i could b off meds for life and he can do surgery without having a bag and my uc would potetially be gone. It sounds the best way its jus the intial shock .
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At least you won't have a bag being off meds is good and no more disease yeah I know the feeling I've got an ileostomy which will be made permanent in three months yesterday been diagnosed with indeterminate colitis so don't really have a choice :-( thinking of you keep me posted on how you get on. I know it's a shock :--( so sorry this has happened x
being off meds is good and no more disease yeah I know the feeling I've got an ileostomy which will be made permanent in three months yesterday been diagnosed with indeterminate colitis so don't really have a choice :-( thinking of you keep me posted on how you get on. I know it's a shock :--( so sorry this has happened xOh im sorry. Its really the only option i i want to be normal again. Im 26 single and have 2 children so its a must if i want to lead a normal life with no pain and no risk of flaring and being bk in hosp. I will keep u updated and thanks so much for the support x
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Your welcome and thanks hope it goes well and changes your life like suspect it will x
x
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Colectomy is a tough surgery; it's very hard on your body. However, it is the best decision I have ever made in regards to UC. I have a J-pouch formed, but have elected to continue on with my ileostomy...that's how good I feel and how UN-bothered I am by having a bag. I know it's not what you expected for yourself at 26, but I truly think you will be grateful for your new life of no pain, no diarrhea, no meds (wooHOO!!), and energy once again!
If your colitis only affects parts of your colon and you could get surgery with minimal effects afterwards, I would seriously consider it as good news Imagine if you could live on your life without ever having to deal with this pain again!
Let us know how it goes!
Imagine if you could live on your life without ever having to deal with this pain again!Let us know how it goes!
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Fingers crossed hope it works wonders for you. Let us know how you get on
Hi everyone just letting u know imixflab didnt work for me so now my only option is surgery ! Took me a while to get my head around the idea but i cant wait to get it done now. Im 2weeks out of hosp after 3 weeks in . Just waiting on a date for my surgery wish theyd hurry up . Still flaring but got the pain under control but im soooooooo tired cant wait to be able to sleep all night instead of gettin up and down going to th loo !!!
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Aww good luck hope it goes well and keep us posted when you can thinking of you
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hey,
im sure its hard getting your head around that one. but at least you'll be rid of UC for good. no more meds or blood.
I hope you get an app soon and it goes smoothly for you. I personally don't think surgery is the worst thing. I think taking remicade and the potential sick effects associated with it is far worse.
Im on remicade and want of even though its doing wonders for my uc.
ju
im sure its hard getting your head around that one. but at least you'll be rid of UC for good. no more meds or blood.
I hope you get an app soon and it goes smoothly for you. I personally don't think surgery is the worst thing. I think taking remicade and the potential sick effects associated with it is far worse.
Im on remicade and want of even though its doing wonders for my uc.
ju
Thanks everyone . Yes im looking forward to being free of this horrible disease hopefully if everything goes ok i will be getting a j pouch doing 2 surgeries so will take time for everything to be done but cant wait to be able to live normally again .no more urgent trips to th loo, can go bk to work , no more up and down at night and no more tiredness !!!
