- Joined
- May 20, 2015
- Messages
- 2
Hi. This is my first post here and thought I'd say hey. I found your forum while researching side effects of Biologics.
A little background. My Crohn's was diagnosed in college almost 30 years ago. I had stupidly been ignoring stomach pains for some time blaming them on the bad diet and excesses of college life. Finally the stomach pains, weight loss and constant throwing up resulted in a hospital visit and resection (15 cm small intestine). I took folic acid and Azulfadine for a few years after and then nothing at all for quite some time.
After the birth of my first child 11 years ago I decided to see a GI where I now live and after a colonoscopy he told me I was no longer in remission. I was symptom free for that entire period. He put me on 50mg 6MP and it has been successfully keeping all symptoms at bay. I've had three more colonoscopies since and check in appointments every 6 months. I take B12 supplement nasally, and have bloodwork done every other month.
This year I have had to have three separate squamous cell carcinomas removed, along with a bunch of treatments to treat a multitude of pre-cancers. I am a sunscreen user, and consider myself to be pretty good with regards to limiting sun exposure. My Dermatologist and GI have advised me to switch meds, with the GI noting an increased rate of these issues in his patients recently. He did emphasize that there was still a lot of debate re the connection, but strictly his opinion based on what he's seen in his practice. He has asked me to step up full skin cancer screens with the dermatologist to 3x per year.
For the med switch he suggested Methotrexate, but the research I've done on side effects there makes me very uncomfortable -- fatigue, hair loss, migraines, nausea -- and inability to have any alcohol at all is also a downer. His next suggestions were either Humira or Cimzia. The idea of injections has me completely rattled, but obviously I will do what needs to be done to keep things under control.
Wondering if anyone else has switched meds for this reason, and have also been reading through the Methotrexate, Humira and Cimzia threads.
A little background. My Crohn's was diagnosed in college almost 30 years ago. I had stupidly been ignoring stomach pains for some time blaming them on the bad diet and excesses of college life. Finally the stomach pains, weight loss and constant throwing up resulted in a hospital visit and resection (15 cm small intestine). I took folic acid and Azulfadine for a few years after and then nothing at all for quite some time.
After the birth of my first child 11 years ago I decided to see a GI where I now live and after a colonoscopy he told me I was no longer in remission. I was symptom free for that entire period. He put me on 50mg 6MP and it has been successfully keeping all symptoms at bay. I've had three more colonoscopies since and check in appointments every 6 months. I take B12 supplement nasally, and have bloodwork done every other month.
This year I have had to have three separate squamous cell carcinomas removed, along with a bunch of treatments to treat a multitude of pre-cancers. I am a sunscreen user, and consider myself to be pretty good with regards to limiting sun exposure. My Dermatologist and GI have advised me to switch meds, with the GI noting an increased rate of these issues in his patients recently. He did emphasize that there was still a lot of debate re the connection, but strictly his opinion based on what he's seen in his practice. He has asked me to step up full skin cancer screens with the dermatologist to 3x per year.
For the med switch he suggested Methotrexate, but the research I've done on side effects there makes me very uncomfortable -- fatigue, hair loss, migraines, nausea -- and inability to have any alcohol at all is also a downer. His next suggestions were either Humira or Cimzia. The idea of injections has me completely rattled, but obviously I will do what needs to be done to keep things under control.
Wondering if anyone else has switched meds for this reason, and have also been reading through the Methotrexate, Humira and Cimzia threads.
