Med Options

[careymehome]

I visited my GI doctor yesterday and we have decided to gradually take me off Budesonide and keep me on 6MP in the meantime. I have been on both meds for months with mild improvements, though my condition is very mild in the first place. Should weaning me of Budesonide worsen my symptoms, what other meds do you advise? My doctor has briefly familiarized me with Remicade, Prednisone, and Alapurinol (sp?). One of my friends with Crohn's is on Humira and seems to benefiting from it well. What have you experienced on your various medications? Have you had much success with natural alternative medicines/treatments?

 

[Lydia]

You pretty much covered it with the meds. Remicade and Humira are biologic therapies. Make sure you really educate yourself on it and any drug that you take.

Some natural supplements people try are things like fish oil, probiotics, turmeric, ginger, aloe vera juice, slippery elm, cat's claw, and boswelia to name a few. Certain vitamins are important too. I think prenatals are wonderful, because they have extra vitamins that are importnant to crohnies too, like iron. Calcium, and vitamin D are really important as well.

 

[Jennifer]

I'm currently only taking 6MP and have been in remission for many years now. I was on Asacol and 6MP but since I had been doing well for so many years they took me off the Asacol. For flares I was taking both of those and Prednisone and did take Budesonide as well before my surgery. There are some non-conventional treatments out there but be careful as some can bring on unwanted symptoms (for instance aloe vera juice tends to give people diarrhea) and some can interact with some medications so always tell your doctor what else you're taking on a regular basis.

If weaning off the steroid Budesonide does make your symptoms worsen then your doctor will likely try upping to dose until you have no issues coming off of it or they may try another medication. As to which medication you should try its unknown cause everyone is different and everyone's severity is different so we really can't say.

As a note, very few people have success off of natural remedies/alternative treatments and in my opinion I think the ones who do most likely have a more mild case than others and there's no way I would risk my life on treatments with such little success.