Remission?

[Wiggles]

Hi - quick question about remission.

I have what you would call mild crohn's. I have been on multiple rounds of prednisolone. Currently I am at the end of a tapering off of preds (down to 5mg currently), combined with fish oil, s. boulardii probiotics, and a feeble attempt to keep my diet 'safe'.

However, I have no idea if I am in remission. I have read a lot of threads here - it sounds to me like many people never acheive what you would call "normality" even when they are in remission, but then others seem to get to a point where they are almost 100% free from signs of Crohn's. I am only fairly recently diagnosed so I'm trying to figure out whether or not I'm in remission.

Symptoms before: random, unpredictable, very urgent D; otherwise very loose movements maybe 50% of the time with lots of mucous; (maybe) weight loss and fatigue.

Symptoms now: exactly the same, but with greatly reduced incidece of the D.

So in other words, two (hideous) rounds of prednisolone and a grab bag of complementary treatments later, as well as curbing the admittedly pretty large excesses of my lifestyle (mostly booze and extremely spicy/fatty food... sob! I miss it soooooo much), I don't generally have the sudden D-attacks.

But I still have very loose movements, lots of mucous (which is what really bothers me, because it just seems so wrong) and I am always tired and don't put on weight.

Is this remission? Should I expect all my symptoms to go away entirely?

 

[D Bergy]

I do not know what any one person can achieve for remission. My definition is solid stool, going once a day, no pain or other sensations in my guts.

There are a few exception. I can trigger loose stool by drinking Milk or some other food I know I do not tolerate.

Pain or sensations in my guts always mean inflammation as far as I am concerned.

Dan

 

[mharvey90]

i was diagnosed when i was 9 years old with crohn's, went into what i call a "semi-remission" for 3 years, then needed surgery when i was 12. from the time i was 12 years old up until early this year (7 whole years) i was 100% free of crohn's symptoms. i went most of my teen years forgetting that i had crohn's because i felt completely normal. unfortunately, i got a bad flare up early this year that is still in action, and nothing has seemed to help it. i went on a dose of prednisone, started at 40mg and tapered off about a month ago, and that helped me a lot, but a couple weeks ago i started to feel terrible again. i just started on another dose of 20mg the other day, and so far it has yet to kick in. i think sometimes prednisone will make you think you have gone into remission because it can make you feel so great, but for me it is only a temporary fix. however, i hope you have better luck than me and that you will have a real remission! good luck