Introduction:
My name is Kelli and I am 24 years old. I have been diagnosed with UC since I was 13 years old. I am currently experiencing a flare up and my doctor is wanting to start me on remicade. I have been on asacol since I was diagnosed with Colitis.
Any Advice With Remicade?
A little background on my medical history~ At 14 years old I was hospitalized for a week due to low blood count (it was 4.6 when my normal is usually around 14) I was released and put on prednisone for many months until the UC went into remission. Since then I haven’t been hospitalized but almost each year I tend to have a flare up and be put back on prednisone until the remission comes back. From the age of 13 until 24 I went to a pediatrician ( I realize I maybe should have switched sooner but I liked and was comfortable with my doctor and wanted to stay with him until I couldn’t any longer)
~ My current flare started around May/June 2011
At the start of my current flare I was seeing the pediatrician GI and he put me on entocort instead of prednisone cuz it was suppose to be better on my body even though it would take longer to kick in and start affecting me. I took entocort for months and it seemed to be helping SOME but it really did take to long. Once I switched GIs he had me come in for a scope to see the extent of my UC. We found out that my left side is what is mostly affected and he had me come off of entocort and put me back on prednisone and started me on mercaptupurine. I was suppose to try and only be on the meds(prednisone) for about 6wks (he started me on 40mg for 2wks and then I was to taper off 10mg a wk and only stay on the dosage for a wk) I was not able to get past 30mgs.
Every time I try to go down to 20mgs the blood and frenquent of using the bathroom come back worse.
My Dr. doesn’t want me on prednisone any longer than I have to be (which i understand because i already expreience the side effects of prednisone..from using all those years before)and he feels that I am steroid dependent.
~Now he is suggesting REMICADE.
To be honest as soon as he left the office my eyes began to water I don’t know if it’s because this new treatment will make where I have to go to an office to be treated and the not being able to take pills at home makes me feel as if my UC is ALOT worse than I’ve ever thought it was, I know it also makes me think more of cancer treatments which I know that is what he is trying to prevent from happening. (Which I know since I’ve been diag for over 10years I have a greater chance at getting)
I was wondering about Remicade?
Is that something I should really look into?
My Doctor is only really offering that as my next option he hasnt given me any other types of medical treatments to do, is there anything else out there that I might/should ask my Dr. about?
ALSO has anyone been on Remicade and PREGNANT? (Im not pregnant now but before this flare I was really thinking about starting a family)
Any information or feedback/thoughts would be greatly appreciate.
As always I hope your UC day today was better than your last!!:)
written by Kelli
submitted in the Colitis Venting Area
My name is Kelli and I am in my twenties and have was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 13. March 8, 2012 I found out I was pregnant, so now I am worried about the medications I’m taking.
