What do you do about diarrhea?

[old_motters]

So I have had crohns for 4 years now but have not been suffering with it, things have changed and my crohns is in flare. I am lucky not to be suffering with appetite loss or any pain however, the diarrhea is getting me down. I am taking 8 capsules of loperamide a day which should be causing me constipation but I am still getting 2-3 loose bowel movements a day. I am going back to my GP tomorrow to see if anything can be done. Before I go, I was wondering what other people are doing about it.

I am tapering off pred - taking 25mg a day.

 

[ronroush7]

Wouldn't it be better to see your GI? Ask your doctor about Colestid.

 

[Charlotte.]

Sorry to hear you are not doing well at the moment.
Did the course of pred help or was it merely the loperamide that helped?
If the pred wasn't effective enough, maybe your GP might consider upping the dose, what dose have you started with?
Maybe he also might want you do start with immunosuppressants, and keep the pred until the immunosuppressants show some effect.
It's important to know whether there is still inflammation or not, have your blood results been helpful for that in the past? There is also fecal calprotectin that determines inflammation in the intestinal lining.
I would try to have the inflammation treated, the loperamide (in long term) should not be the drug that hides your symptoms while in fact there might still be inflammation.

 

[old_motters]

Wouldn't it be better to see your GI? Ask your doctor about Colestid.

I am waiting for an appointment with a GI having been referred. I am in the UK so have to wait a couple of months.

I will look up colestid. Thanks for the tip!

 

[ronroush7]

You are welcome. Best to you.

 

[old_motters]

Sorry to hear you are not doing well at the moment.
Did the course of pred help or was it merely the loperamide that helped?
If the pred wasn't effective enough, maybe your GP might consider upping the dose, what dose have you started with?
Maybe he also might want you do start with immunosuppressants, and keep the pred until the immunosuppressants show some effect.
It's important to know whether there is still inflammation or not, have your blood results been helpful for that in the past? There is also fecal calprotectin that determines inflammation in the intestinal lining.
I would try to have the inflammation treated, the loperamide (in long term) should not be the drug that hides your symptoms while in fact there might still be inflammation.

My blood tests came back with slightly raised inflammation but my CRP was fine. The Dr didn't give me the exact numbers so they are treating me on the symptoms.

The loperamide was prescribed when they thought i had IBS. It was only after my appendix went bad that they found inflammation in my bowel during the operation. It was keeping the diarrhea under control for about 4 years and until recently.

I started on 40 mg of pred which was working fine until i started the taper. I am now taking 25mg and its definitely having less of an effect.

Thanks for the response!

 

[Charlotte.]

My blood tests came back with slightly raised inflammation but my CRP was fine. The Dr didn't give me the exact numbers so they are treating me on the symptoms.

The loperamide was prescribed when they thought i had IBS. It was only after my appendix went bad that they found inflammation in my bowel during the operation. It was keeping the diarrhea under control for about 4 years and until recently.

I started on 40 mg of pred which was working fine until i started the taper. I am now taking 25mg and its definitely having less of an effect.

Thanks for the response!

That the pred was working for you is good, and also a sign that there must have been inflammation, which now might be slowly coming back.
My blood tests have always been fine, and I have active arthritis in addition, but my blood results never showed any of what is going on inside.
Tell your GP that the pred has been working, hopefully he sorts something out in terms of medication for you. Keep us posted if you like!

 

[old_motters]

Just been to see my GP on an urgent appointment.

The GP is unable to prescribe immuno-suppressants or colestid/colestyramine, I have to wait for a GI to make further investigations before that can happen. So I am back up to 40mg a day of pred to see if that settles things again. The GP surgery referred me urgently in November and I still don't have an appointment letter so that's being chased up.

Considering I was quite happy on 40mg of pred, I am hopeful my diarrhea will settle again while i wait for a GI appt.

 

[ronroush7]

Prayers.