- Joined
- Apr 17, 2011
- Messages
- 177
Today I saw my GI for a follow-up. Colonoscopy a few weeks ago showed what we originally thought to be UC, but I was having Crohn's symptoms so we did some more blood tests and the pillcam capsule endoscopy. Today we looked at the pillcam results and I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (until now it was just IBD but we weren't sure which one).
My upper GI tract is ulcerated and inflamed in so many places throughout, including some in what I think is my stomach or duodenum (which is less common - however nothing but CD could cause those types of lesions). There is disease throughout the rest of my small bowel as well, and then of course the distal colon which we saw first. At least, that what I think is the case from my appointment today (I am waiting on a copy of the actual report from the reading of the pillcam).
Anyway, plan of action is:
6-8 weeks of Entocort, then tapering until I'm done with it
Humira
We factored a lot of things into the decision to go ahead and start Humira right away (as opposed to trying less extreme therapies first), but I think the main reasoning is simply the extent and severity of disease in my intestines.
From what I understood, I am headed straight toward surgery if we don't treat intensively...and I do NOT want surgery :eek2:
So - Humira it is! I should be able to start within the next week; I just need to do some blood tests first and a chest X-ray.
I'm going to ask for the syringe instead of the pen as I heard it hurts less because you control the rate of injection yourself.
I'd been on mesalamine enemas meanwhile but they were difficult to do and weren't doing much (although they did make my rectal pain go away). I'm stopping those now (yay!) and I'm really looking forward to starting the Entocort and Humira and I am so hopeful that they will induce and maintain remission! I can't wait to be in remission.
Anyway, sorry for the length of this post. I have a lot on my mind today! And I wanted to share with you all, now that I'm part of this nice little section of the forum :dance:
My upper GI tract is ulcerated and inflamed in so many places throughout, including some in what I think is my stomach or duodenum (which is less common - however nothing but CD could cause those types of lesions). There is disease throughout the rest of my small bowel as well, and then of course the distal colon which we saw first. At least, that what I think is the case from my appointment today (I am waiting on a copy of the actual report from the reading of the pillcam).
Anyway, plan of action is:
6-8 weeks of Entocort, then tapering until I'm done with it
Humira
We factored a lot of things into the decision to go ahead and start Humira right away (as opposed to trying less extreme therapies first), but I think the main reasoning is simply the extent and severity of disease in my intestines.
From what I understood, I am headed straight toward surgery if we don't treat intensively...and I do NOT want surgery :eek2:
So - Humira it is! I should be able to start within the next week; I just need to do some blood tests first and a chest X-ray.
I'm going to ask for the syringe instead of the pen as I heard it hurts less because you control the rate of injection yourself.
I'd been on mesalamine enemas meanwhile but they were difficult to do and weren't doing much (although they did make my rectal pain go away). I'm stopping those now (yay!) and I'm really looking forward to starting the Entocort and Humira and I am so hopeful that they will induce and maintain remission! I can't wait to be in remission.
Anyway, sorry for the length of this post. I have a lot on my mind today! And I wanted to share with you all, now that I'm part of this nice little section of the forum :dance:
