Not sure how well Entocort is working but don't want to try Pred

[happyballerina]

I've been taking Entocort for a week and a half now and I'm not sure how much it's helping, if at all. I am bleeding less - in fact, I haven't had any blood that I could see for a while - however I was doing mesalamine enemas for a while before starting the Entocort and I think that it was really the enemas that stopped the overt bleeding. I'm also not going to the bathroom quite as often, so that is an improvement for sure - again, not sure if it was the mesalamine or if it's the Entocort; I do actually think that the Entocort had a role in this one...in fact it really seems like both the mesalamine and the Entocort are responsible for the reduced frequency.

However - I'm still having urgency, and I'm having mucous again. And recently, I've been having abdominal pain again; the rectal pain is way, way reduced, and that I know is due to the mesalamine. I'm no longer taking the mesalamine, and I don't think I need to (nor do I particularly want to!), but I have to say that it did help with some of the inflammation I had in my distal colon.

Anyway, I wanted to see what others experienced with Entocort. It being a steroid, albeit a less potent and systemic one than prednisone, I would expect it to work right away. And yet, it's been a week and a half. Did anyone start noticing improvements after some time? Or is it more of a "if it hasn't done its thing yet, it won't"?

I am starting Humira probably by next weekend, and after the loading doses I see my GI doc for a follow-up, so that will be in about 3-4 weeks I think. I'm thinking, though, that maybe I should mention this Entocort thing to the nurse when I schedule that appointment.

Here's the thing - first of all, I don't WANT prednisone...I really, REALLY don't. And second, the Entocort was so expensive that I do not want to be throwing it away.

I don't really know what I'm asking for besides your own experiences, but I just am not sure where I stand at the moment and any help is excellent help.

I want remission... :ybatty:

 

[DJW]

Hi.

I'm afraid I'm not any help. I've never been on entocort.
Pred worked great for me.

Sending you my support.

 

[pete b]

Was on entocort 9mg for 3 weeks and did nothing so was put on prednisone

 

[Polaris]

I've been on entocort a few times and it's worked. Although the last round made me a raging b*tch and I had to stop the med. I can't imagine what I'd be like on pred.

 

[happyballerina]

Thanks, DJW.

Pete, that is unfortunate The prednisone helped, though? What was your dose (40 mg 8 week taper, something else...)?

stelarjess - oh no! What do you think you'll do if you need another round of steroids? :O

 

[pete b]

No prednisone not working as good as it used to do I was on hydrocortisone injection when in hospital and that seem to help a lot better

 

[abudman]

I was on entocort and humira and neither worked for me. I am on prednisone 40mg taper and just had my first entyvio infusion.

 

[alex_chris]

I've been taking Entocort for a week and a half now and I'm not sure how much it's helping, if at all. I am bleeding less - in fact, I haven't had any blood that I could see for a while - however I was doing mesalamine enemas for a while before starting the Entocort and I think that it was really the enemas that stopped the overt bleeding. I'm also not going to the bathroom quite as often, so that is an improvement for sure - again, not sure if it was the mesalamine or if it's the Entocort; I do actually think that the Entocort had a role in this one...in fact it really seems like both the mesalamine and the Entocort are responsible for the reduced frequency.

While entocort (and pred by the way) starts working within days, a significant effect on inflammation takes a few weeks in most cases so 10 days is not enough to judge entocort for you.

However - I'm still having urgency, and I'm having mucous again. And recently, I've been having abdominal pain again; the rectal pain is way, way reduced, and that I know is due to the mesalamine. I'm no longer taking the mesalamine, and I don't think I need to (nor do I particularly want to!), but I have to say that it did help with some of the inflammation I had in my distal colon.

In your signature you say you were diagnosed just one month ago. Unfortunately drugs take a while to work. Plus, have you started any other Crohn's related measures (e.g. Diet, treated any vitamin or mineral deficiencies, stress relief etc.?) Many people require a long time to get to manage Crohn's effectively and get to good long term remission, for me it took many years - that does not mean you can't handle it much better and faster, I am just saying you need to work on it and fine tune your approach and have some patients.

Anyway, I wanted to see what others experienced with Entocort. It being a steroid, albeit a less potent and systemic one than prednisone, I would expect it to work right away. And yet, it's been a week and a half. Did anyone start noticing improvements after some time? Or is it more of a "if it hasn't done its thing yet, it won't"?

Entocort (the drug is actually budesonide, entocort is the brand name) is just as effective pred, but it does not help throughout the whole intestine, it is targeting only the ileum and upper colon. Do you know where your Crohn's inflammatiom is located? For me it's principally where budesonide works. Although i have to admit, generally pred subjectively did more for me.

I am starting Humira probably by next weekend, and after the loading doses I see my GI doc for a follow-up, so that will be in about 3-4 weeks I think. I'm thinking, though, that maybe I should mention this Entocort thing to the nurse when I schedule that appointment.

Here's the thing - first of all, I don't WANT prednisone...I really, REALLY don't. And second, the Entocort was so expensive that I do not want to be throwing it away.

I agree with your approach. As whether your GI prescribed entocort because he knows where your crohn's is exactly located. If most of your colon and your upper smaller intestine is affected, then it would make sense to switch to pred.