Mild stricture at IC Junction

[paddywack]

I had an upper endoscopy with dilation and a colonoscopy this afternoon.
Not the first time doing it.
Doc said the colon looked good, but there was a mild stricture and inflammation at the IC junction.

And since stricture means a capsule endoscopy would be riskier, my labs are all normal, and he was able to dilate the bowel stricture, the verdict is prednisone.

I've eaten very little and I HURT. The doc gives me a script for a small amount of liquid pain meds after the upper dilations.

I think this is mostly good news (?), but I HURT all around my stomach and the last time I took prednisone I was angry and mean and I gained 40 lbs. Which I haven't fully lost yet.

I'm going to drink my cocoa and wait for the oxy to work.

 

[my little penguin]

Is the inflammation mostly in your small intestine???
If so can you ask about een(exclusive enteral nutrition- formula only ) for 6-8 weeks??
It’s as effective as steriods just no side effects
Or weight gain
GI can prescribe it and some insurance will cover it

Some can tolerate polymeric over the counter (boost ensure etc)
Others need semi elemental (peptamen peptide )
They use this method a lot in kids to avoid steriods if they can (sometimes they can’t but...)

Might be worth asking if your avoiding steriods

What maintenance med are you on ???

Hope the belly pain gets better

 

[paddywack]

Is the inflammation mostly in your small intestine???
If so can you ask about een(exclusive enteral nutrition- formula only ) for 6-8 weeks??
It’s as effective as steriods just no side effects
Or weight gain
GI can prescribe it and some insurance will cover it

Some can tolerate polymeric over the counter (boost ensure etc)
Others need semi elemental (peptamen peptide )
They use this method a lot in kids to avoid steriods if they can (sometimes they can’t but...)

Might be worth asking if your avoiding steriods

What maintenance med are you on ???

Hope the belly pain gets better

I'm on remicade. They did labs a month ago and the medicine levels and antibodies were all where they want them.

My doctor is out of the office next week. I could send a message to the clinic and see if another doc might weigh in.

He said the stricture and inflammation at the IC junction was 'mild'. IDK if there's inflammation in the small bowel, but historically that's where it has been.

I was first diagnosed with crohn's after a pill cam showed multiple ulcers and inflammation in the small intestine.

So it's a distinct possibility.

I tried budesonide before I started the remicade, a few years ago. I can't swallow pills due to strictures and scar tissue in my esophagus.
Maybe that's why it didn't work?

I feel better after sleeping all night.

But the whole thing is kind of depressing. I talked to DH about it. Hopefully the mood is short-lived.

 

[my little penguin]

FWIW Ds has done een while on humira for inflammation instead of pred

Glad your feeling better today a bit

 

[paddywack]

FWIW Ds has done een while on humira for inflammation instead of pred

Glad your feeling better today a bit

My doc is out of the office this week. I could send a message to the clinic and see if another practitioner would weigh in. But I'm kind of a pain. I get weird side effects and the things that rarely happen seem to happen to me. So they might be a little leery. I could try it on my own, but I don't see DH being very supportive of that. I could be wrong.

If insurance doesn't cover it I can't afford it. We're still paying for braces on the youngest, and we're on a debt management plan to get rid of our credit card debt.

Above all, I don't want to think about quitting coffee. I literally just heard that in my head. Ugh. I need to quit coffee... I have reflux, I've been on PPIs for years, and the doc noted gastritis (but didn't say anything about it?) on my EGD last Friday.

Between the caffeine and the acidity, I don't think coffee is a good idea. Logically.

 

[my little penguin]

No need to give up coffee on een
Most permit that as well as other things like clear broth
Hard candy
Etc...
Some do 90/10
90% formula
10% food or other

Again check with your doc