I have recently been diagnosed with CD i am 38 mom, wife, and daughter. I have been out of the hospital for two weeks still on steroids, asacol, and iron. Since about march i had a feeling something wasn't right! got an apt with the Doctor the end of August. I had a family trip with my sisters and our husbands the first week of August but towards the end of July not only was i in the bathroom 10-15 times a day even if i just drank water i started to have sever stomach pains and finally called the doctor the week before our trip thinking prescription quick fix!! had alot of blood tests and such got a prescription for flagyl and another for cramping. well i spent the trip in my hotel room was in the most horrid pain got to the point i couldn't even drink water started having fevers just laid in a ball on the bed when i wasn't in the bathroom i couldn't eat even when i wanted to and i was starving. we got home from our trip late at night and within two hours i went to emergency blood transfusions tests needles drugs ect. 8 days later i get to go home diagnosed with CD still trying to get it under control 2 weeks later the doctor wants me to start Remicade as soon as we taper the steroid. the side effects alone scare me let alone the cost!! i have started Shaklee on my own (organic vitamins and supplements) but could really use some advice, suggestions, and ideas of alternative meds! I am glad to be part of this my husband has helped me find this forum! what a life changer that's really all that can be said!
Little lost
- Thread starter mcmelly
- Start date
Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
Hi mecmelly and welcome to the forum! I am so sorry you are having such a hard time. I know remicade and other biologics are scary. I went through the same thing and grapple with it all the time. I wonder.am I exchanging a bit of time that has a good quality for the potential of cancer or any of the other risk factors? I may be but nothing has worked better for me than the biologics like remicade,humira,and cimzia. For me. I built antibodies against remicade so had to be stopped then put on humira which did pretty good until recently now I am switching to cimzia. My body seems to 'adapt' to each new drug until they aren't effective anymore but I keep trying.
I have tried so many alternative medicine routes and I hate to report none have had a lasting positive effect for me. Probably the best for awhile was changing to a very low carb high protein low fat diet.but even doing that I ended up having surgery about 6 months into it for a bowel obstruction.
I also know the drugs are crazy expensive. Does your health insurance have good coverage?
Others may have better success with alternative medicine. I really wanted to because I believe in it so strongly. Give it a go if you really want to. I would suggest strongly that you give remicade a chance. And maybe do nutritional support. I also found acupuncture to really help with the fatigue aspect even though it did squat for the pain and other symptoms. That's just me.
I have also heard others have great success with an elemental(liquid) diet for a few weeks to rest the gut. I am starting one tomorrow as I can't seem to tolerate food without tons of hot lava poring out of my poor butf.
I hope you feel better soon!and just look what your body has just gone through.. Be gentle with yourself and realize you need to rest right now as much as possible!:hug:
I have tried so many alternative medicine routes and I hate to report none have had a lasting positive effect for me. Probably the best for awhile was changing to a very low carb high protein low fat diet.but even doing that I ended up having surgery about 6 months into it for a bowel obstruction.
I also know the drugs are crazy expensive. Does your health insurance have good coverage?
Others may have better success with alternative medicine. I really wanted to because I believe in it so strongly. Give it a go if you really want to. I would suggest strongly that you give remicade a chance. And maybe do nutritional support. I also found acupuncture to really help with the fatigue aspect even though it did squat for the pain and other symptoms. That's just me.
I have also heard others have great success with an elemental(liquid) diet for a few weeks to rest the gut. I am starting one tomorrow as I can't seem to tolerate food without tons of hot lava poring out of my poor butf.
I hope you feel better soon!and just look what your body has just gone through.. Be gentle with yourself and realize you need to rest right now as much as possible!:hug:
David
Co-Founder
Hi mcmelly and welcome to the community!
Remicade is an excellent drug but yes, the potential side effects and cost can be overwhelming for some.
As for alternative medications, my favorite is definitely Low Dose Naltrexone. A link to a couple studies can be found at the top of the page.
I'm also a fan of enteral nutrition, juicing, and the paleo and specific carbohydrate diets as a compliment to treatments.
Remicade is an excellent drug but yes, the potential side effects and cost can be overwhelming for some.
As for alternative medications, my favorite is definitely Low Dose Naltrexone. A link to a couple studies can be found at the top of the page.
I'm also a fan of enteral nutrition, juicing, and the paleo and specific carbohydrate diets as a compliment to treatments.
