Hi everyone. I had a follow up doctors appt with my gastro-enterologist this morning and am confused, a little upset at the Crohn's thing, but mostly really scared...we finished the appointment with me having to consider and really think about going on a biologic drug...which just creeps me out!!!
I just got diagnosed with a severe Crohn's beginning of August this year and am still coping with accepting this big life changing event...and learning about this disease that I still know so little about...
I am currently on Prednisone and Apriso. Thought it would get me into remission and then my life would continue close to what it has been all my life, just eating carefully and figuring out what I cannot handle...yes, that was naive to think, but how can one know when one doesn't know much about Crohn's in the first place!!??
It looked like the Prednisone was working quite well. I thought I understood the "wonder drug" label that I read here in the forum a lot. I have not had huge side effects ( I was/am exhaustion and had aweful sleeplessness), but my blood test after 2 weeks showed that the inflammation went down and everything looked better. Then I hit 10mg and some symptoms reappeared. So my doc told me to go back up to 15mg. Little did I know she told me today, that the fact that I can't get off it as easy as she had prescribed it ( I was supposed to be on 10mg for one week, then down to 5mg for the last week), makes her believe that what she had first believed upon diagnosis: that I am a candidate that should be on biologics. I guess this is the "evil" prednisone.
I am so hesitant to go on any other drugs really, this is my first bad flare. I understand that the reason they think these drugs would be good for me is that, if they do work for me, they eliminate the high risk of a bad flare that would put me in the hospital and needing surgery. But still. I have never been a person that likes drugs or takes pills. I HATE it. I don't like to give my body something that "screws" with it. I guess I will have to find a way to rethink that and accept the fact that I most likely will always need some medication. But I guess I am not there yet. Anyhow, my doc is very understanding and said I have to be ready for it, she will not make me do anything that I don't want and she will work with me on whatever I decide. I love that about her and think I am lucky in a way. But what do I do? I feel like I don't have a choice...not really...
I would love to hear from anyone. What made you go on Humira ? What side effects do you notice since starting it? Anyone been on it during pregnancy?
Thanks much!!
I just got diagnosed with a severe Crohn's beginning of August this year and am still coping with accepting this big life changing event...and learning about this disease that I still know so little about...
I am currently on Prednisone and Apriso. Thought it would get me into remission and then my life would continue close to what it has been all my life, just eating carefully and figuring out what I cannot handle...yes, that was naive to think, but how can one know when one doesn't know much about Crohn's in the first place!!??
It looked like the Prednisone was working quite well. I thought I understood the "wonder drug" label that I read here in the forum a lot. I have not had huge side effects ( I was/am exhaustion and had aweful sleeplessness), but my blood test after 2 weeks showed that the inflammation went down and everything looked better. Then I hit 10mg and some symptoms reappeared. So my doc told me to go back up to 15mg. Little did I know she told me today, that the fact that I can't get off it as easy as she had prescribed it ( I was supposed to be on 10mg for one week, then down to 5mg for the last week), makes her believe that what she had first believed upon diagnosis: that I am a candidate that should be on biologics. I guess this is the "evil" prednisone.
I am so hesitant to go on any other drugs really, this is my first bad flare. I understand that the reason they think these drugs would be good for me is that, if they do work for me, they eliminate the high risk of a bad flare that would put me in the hospital and needing surgery. But still. I have never been a person that likes drugs or takes pills. I HATE it. I don't like to give my body something that "screws" with it. I guess I will have to find a way to rethink that and accept the fact that I most likely will always need some medication. But I guess I am not there yet. Anyhow, my doc is very understanding and said I have to be ready for it, she will not make me do anything that I don't want and she will work with me on whatever I decide. I love that about her and think I am lucky in a way. But what do I do? I feel like I don't have a choice...not really...
I would love to hear from anyone. What made you go on Humira ? What side effects do you notice since starting it? Anyone been on it during pregnancy?
Thanks much!!