New to the forum

[embo500]

Hello everyone. Just posting an introduction. I'm new to this forum, but not to Crohn's.

Diagnosed in April 1998, and had been on Pentasa and imuran for about 7 years. In 2005 I took myself off Imuran as we were thinking about having kids...stayed pretty much symptom free with just Pentasa until this spring, and I'm now in the middle of my worst flare since I was diagnosed.

Am now on 30mg prednisone (tapering 5mg every 14 days from 40mg). Also ramping back up on 100mg/day of Imuran.

It's going OK. Some days are great and symptom free, but I still am getting brief cramps in my terminal ileum once or twice a day that last 10 - 15 minutes and nearly put me to the ground. That and just general pain in the region...sort of feels like a sunburn on the inside of my intestines, that never really goes away.

Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and say hello.

 

[Jessi]

Hello embo and welcome to the forum. :hug:

Wow! 14 years with this nasty bugger of a disease. I'm sorry that you're dealing with this current nightmare. Prednisone is kind of a nightmare in itself. Are you struggling with any major side effects?

Check out our prenisone section of this forum for some quality venting time if you so desire. http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

Once again, welcome. I hope you feel at home here.

 

[embo500]

It's not terrible, but certainly not perfect. If I take it with breakfast, I can sleep with no problems at all, which is great. But I do notice I have a shorter temper.

I'm lucky in that over the last 4 years or so I've altered my eating habits to generally eat healthy anyway, so weight gain hasn't been too bad. The one bad thing I would say is that I can tell is messes with my blood sugar because if I don't have a hunger feeling in the hollow of my stomach, I instead will have a bitter taste in my mouth that I can't get rid of.

Hope I am able to get off of it on schedule. The cramping has lasted longer than I thought it would compared to previous times I've been on pred, so I am not sure it's helping as much as it used to. We'll see.

 

[Jessi]

I'm super moody, too, on pred. In fact, I just took my last dose this morning!!

I also take mine with breakfast. I've slept well most of the time on this round, but the last week has been hard.

I hope your cramping dies down soon. Prednisone usually works fast, but be patient with it anyway. It took a little longer than normal for me this time, too.

 

[David]

Hi embo and welcome! Thank you for joining and sharing your story with us I'm sorry to hear you're no longer in remission but those 7 years of few symptoms must have been amazing! I hope you can get back there soon.

Out of curiosity, when was the last time you had a colonoscopy or other tests to evaluate how you're doing inside?

Again, welcome! We're pleased to have you and here for you anytime you need us.

 

[Angrybird]

Hello Embo and welcome to the forum, glad you have decided to join I will be keeping fingers crossed that you will soon be feeling fully improved again soon.

AB
xx