What would you do? help please

[markbills85]

Hey guys I was diagnosed with crohns disease 3 years ago after it wiped me out of grad school. I was on medication imuran prednisone etc. on and off for 6 months then I saw a new GI who said it was just IBS. Since i was diagnosed I have had about 6 major flares and prednisone seems to help each time. i had a really bad flare 4 weeks ago and my other GI said enoughs, enough lets get an MRI and pill cam done - although i had to leave home to finish school so didnt get those done yet. i went on prednisone for 4 days bc didnt want it in my system long. Now today the flare has come back terrible pain, morning nausea the worst, dry heaving, went to walk in clinic Dr. said that she could hardly hear any bowel sounds and that she was gonna contact my bad GI òne who said I have IBS, he failed to call me back as expected. I called his office they advised i go to emerg. as did the doc. i saw 2day. But quite frankly im sick of going to emerg to see more docs whom dont know what to do. So I started 50mg of prednisone and took down a bowl of soup. Am i in over my head or would u go to emerg, i got 3 months left in my education after 8 long years of school and i cant afford to miss time.

 

[Nancy Lee]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Please please do as the walk-in clinic doctor says and go to Emergency.
You could have a serious bowel blockage there..also I am concerned about
the fact you are self medicating with Prednisone.
Prednisone is a very good drug when used as prescribed
but you cannot take it for four days and stop again and then jump back on.
Plus it must be weaned from your system.
Please go to the hospital and tell them what is happening.

Also...come back and let us know okay?

Welcoming hugs~Nancy

 

[markbills85]

Yeah but if I decide to go in, Ill be there all night and they will most likely just tell me to go on prednisone. i been through this process a few times and its always the same result. the pain is a bit worse than usual but im sure the prednisone will work

 

[xoxava]

I would go but that's just me. I've been to the er a million times it seems like. I know what you mean though. It is aggervating to go in er and see drs who don't know anything be careful with the prednisone. It does wonders but can mess you up pretty bad. Let us know what is going on. I know you don't want to miss school time I'm going through the same thing, but make sure your taking care of yourself first!

 

[markbills85]

hey thanks for your posts, ill monitor my symptoms closely if pain gets worse or persists or if i cant hold down any food ill go in, for now ill stick to the prednisone and taper properly. i was also advised if i stay on it for 4 or 5 days i can go off cold turkey as it wont affect the adrenal glands just yet.

 

[Jennifer]

hey thanks for your posts, ill monitor my symptoms closely if pain gets worse or persists or if i cant hold down any food ill go in, for now ill stick to the prednisone and taper properly. i was also advised if i stay on it for 4 or 5 days i can go off cold turkey as it wont affect the adrenal glands just yet.

That may be true but treating yourself for only 5 days isn't going to fix the problem (not to mention that no one should self medicate). I know that school is important but so is your health/life. Your professors will understand if you miss a day or even a week for that matter (I've been to grad school and had to deal with similar issues) but the ER only keeps you for a few hours to at most a day usually and I highly doubt they will admit you unless they find a blockage (which is what one would worry about when your bowels have gone silent and you're in a lot of pain).

 

[SdN]

Be extremely careful with Prednisone if used incorrectly it can make a bad situation much worse. I know you feel comfortable self-medicating and I know Prednisone has quick results but I highly recommend against popping steroids for a few days when you feel bad. Prednisone is only ever a temporary fix and for Crohn's you typically need to take it for at least a few weeks to give your insides time to heal up.

It sounds like you are in need of a long-term solution to your symptoms. There are a lot of medicines out there that might help you, mesalamine, imuran, remicade, humira and so on. If you truly have Crohn's then you should be on something long term, not off and on as you feel symptoms.

I'm in no way a doctor but I think you may need an X-ray to see if there's a blockage. If that's ruled out then yes you may need one or all of these (colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, small capsule endoscopy). The doctors may also need to take biopsies to help diagnose you if there's any doubt as to why you're having these problems.

Best luck to you. That's my advice I hope it helps in some way.

 

[markbills85]

back from emerg

just got back from an 8 hr stay in emerg, they gave me a great nausea drug which helped a bit so im gonna try to get some food down, basically it was a waste of time they did an ultrasound on my appendix it was normal which i said it would be, then they told me to go on 50mg of prednisone for 5 days which is what i had planned to do. Im gonna attempt to eat i got way 2 much school stuff to do and cant let this get me any worse.

 

[Terriernut]

hey thanks for your posts, ill monitor my symptoms closely if pain gets worse or persists or if i cant hold down any food ill go in, for now ill stick to the prednisone and taper properly. i was also advised if i stay on it for 4 or 5 days i can go off cold turkey as it wont affect the adrenal glands just yet.

Wrong it wont affect your adrenals! You need to be properly evaluated as you go on and as you taper! You go on and taper too fast...you guarantee a new flare?!!!! It is simply riduculous to think that you can do this and not cause this to happen. I think you are thinking about a shot of pred that they give you for allergies...not the same thing.

Are you asking for trouble? Go to the ER! Do you honestly think that the brain that controls the adrenals and hormones in the body DOESNT NOTICE THE PREDINISONE AND ALTER ITS SIGNALS???? Duh??
My tough love for the night.
Misty