Started my medication today - Keep taking it?

[Leopardos]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with Crohn last Wednesday..

My symptoms was diarrhea ( 1 to rarely 3 times a day ) and weight loss (6Kg) , and mucus every week or so for 7 months before doing the colonoscopy ..
I had no much pain, just cramps ... from time to time.


I was feeling very bad at the start ( before 3-6 months ),
But lately I felt very good, I had days without even going to the toilet,
and was eating Fried and VERY SPICY food , without getting pain or even diarrhea ...

But last 2 weeks , I found mucus again ... just for curiosity, I went to the doctor and he sent me to do the colonoscopy , and here I did , and they found Crohn ..


I started to take Budesonide today for the first time ( took 3 capsulitis 3Mg each ) ,
But I cant see any improvements using it , I felt bad to be honest, diarrhea and even more pain than without the pills...

Why would I keep taking it if it make me feel bad?
I was feeling fantastic without medicine, and getting better week after week... I even imagined that I would be healed after 1 year all by my self (before doing the tests) ...

I'm thinking to quit it , yes after 1 day only, and never take a medicines ever again in my life, because I don't usually do and I hate medicines ,
I take one Acamol capsulate a year if I get headache or so only... ( Im very healthy )...



So, Could this colonoscopy test be wrong ? Could it be that I can get healed without medicines ?

Im now lost,
I don't know what to do ..


Thanks everyone and sorry for my long post ..

 

[CrohnsChicago]

I just started the same medication 3 days ago. They say it can take up to a month or so for it to kick in. Some folks it kicks in right away, others it won't.

What sort of side effects are you having where you feel worse?

Im having some funny side effects myself after 3 days (intense gas and twitchy eye). But I'm going to stick it out because i think maybe if there are side effects happening, then it must be trying to work its way into the system and fix things. This medication is a lot milder than prednisone to which is probably why it takes a bit more time. But there are less serious side effects compared to pred so I would rather be on the budesonide (Entocort is the brand name) right now. I have done prednisone 2 times already and prednisone can cause some serious damage if you are on it too often and too long.

My GI told me to give it at least 3 weeks and if it doesn't seem to be helping, then we will change treatment plans.

There are many other medications (and med combinations) and healing crohn's can often be a trial and error process for many of us. We just have to do our best to be patient but also know that if it is something that really is bothering us, to discuss it with our doctors. So if you feel it is really becoming an issue, make sure you let your GI know so they can determine what the next step in getting you better will be.

It can be very difficult for people to achieve remission when not on medication. Symptoms may disappear, but the damage could still be occurring in your insides. Thats why medication can be so important, especially when you take into consideration the severity of your disease (how bad it looks on the inside rather than how bad your symptoms are).



Good luck.

 

[CrohnsChicago]

I would also try to be more mindful of the types of foods you eat as they make digesting and healing a flare that much more difficult.

Do your best to avoid fatty, oily and processed foods when you are flaring (and in general). When you are in intense pain, it is best to eat softer, blander foods. The BRAT (Banana, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) diet is both easy to digest and works to help bind stool and reduce diarrhea.

A food journal would probably be helpful so you can learn what foods and drinks make symptoms worse and which ones are safe to consume.

 

[Leopardos]

I just started the same medication 3 days ago. They say it can take up to a month or so for it to kick in. Some folks it kicks in right away, others it won't.

What sort of side effects are you having where you feel worse?

Im having some funny side effects myself after 3 days (intense gas and twitchy eye). But I'm going to stick it out because i think maybe if there are side effects happening, then it must be trying to work its way into the system and fix things. This medication is a lot milder than prednisone to which is probably why it takes a bit more time. But there are less serious side effects compared to pred so I would rather be on the budesonide (Entocort is the brand name) right now. I have done prednisone 2 times already and prednisone can cause some serious damage if you are on it too often and too long.

My GI told me to give it at least 3 weeks and if it doesn't seem to be helping, then we will change treatment plans.

There are many other medications (and med combinations) and healing crohn's can often be a trial and error process for many of us. We just have to do our best to be patient but also know that if it is something that really is bothering us, to discuss it with our doctors. So if you feel it is really becoming an issue, make sure you let your GI know so they can determine what the next step in getting you better will be.

Good luck.

I have pain from time to time but not much, Gas, and went to the bathroom 2 times today after using Budesonide...

I had Diarrhea only, once a day without pain ( i was getting better each week as i mentioned, before doing the colonoscopy )...


Could it be that they mistaken the colonoscopy test ? and if not, Could a Crohn patient's body heal it self without medicines for a life time long? or there is no way ?

 

[CrohnsChicago]

It can be very difficult for people to achieve remission when not on medication. Symptoms may disappear, but the damage could still be occurring in your insides. Thats why medication can be so important, especially when you take into consideration the severity of your disease (how bad it looks on the inside rather than how bad your symptoms are). There are people who claim they have achieved remission and have no pain, but if you do a scope, there is still inflammation going on.

I personally have inflammation, bleeding and ulcers going on in the inside. I will (reluctantly) put my faith in medication to help cure that over simple diet any day.

A combination of diet, exercise, medicaiton and lifestyle changes in general is a good approach to attacking crohn's and encouraging healing and reducing discomforts. I am sure there are some on here who would lean more one way or the other based on the factors I mention above but at the end of the day the decision is always yours. Trust your body and be your own advocate, but also understand the severity of the disease on the inside and let that be an influence in your treatment options.

You will quickly learn on here that no one experiences all the same symptoms nor do the same treatments offer the same help. What works for one person may not work for you. It's not a linear disease. But do your best to learn as much as you can about YOUR symptoms and disease and start from there.

What did they say it looked like inside from your colonoscopy? where exactly is the disease located and how severe is it?

 

[Leopardos]

What did they say it looked like inside from your colonoscopy? where exactly is the disease located and how severe is it?

I don't have the tests result at the moment,
I'll try to post them tomorrow...

Thanks for your answer anyway,
You could be right, from the outside I may feel good regarding the symptoms, But inside, there is a Crohn and must be taken care of ,


So, Should i keep taking Budesonide for 2-3 weeks to check how it goes?

 

[CrohnsChicago]

I would call your doctor who prescribed it to you and address your concerns and take it from there. I personally would never stop a medication such as the ones we take without first consulting a doctor as you always risk doing damage to your body.

My GI told me what he thought was best for my specific situation. You should discuss your concerns with your doctor and find out what is best for you.

I don't have the tests result at the moment,
I'll try to post them tomorrow...

Thanks for your answer anyway,
You could be right, from the outside I may feel good regarding the symptoms, But inside, there is a Crohn and must be taken care of ,


So, Should i keep taking Budesonide for 2-3 weeks to check how it goes?