Introduction:
I am 47 and had to put my Master’s schooling on hold for various autoimmune issues. I am married to a wonderful and understanding woman. I am training a puppy to be a therapy dog to visit people in nursing homes and hospitals. I want my life back!
My Symptoms:
Cramping, frequent and urgent bowel movements, blood in stool. loose bowel movements and some loss of bowel control. Pain and aches with extreme exhaustion.
My Story:
I am seeing a GI Doc and was using cortememas to control the UC, but when I was told to ween down, the UC flared again. I was then placed on Prednisone. 40mgs to start for two weeks. The prednisone cleared up the UC pretty fast, and I was told to ween down less 5mgs per week. I am now at 20mgs, and have started to flare again. I am very uspet and feel so hopeless.
I have a call in to the GI Doc and left a message with his PA.
Has anyone else had a flare return after weening down from Prednisone? What was the next treatment you tried?
I am thinking that I will get put on Remicade because the Doc mentioned this before.
I am heading into some depression, I can feel it growing because the ween down from prednisone has brought the colitis to flare. I am also getting sores on my leg again. Everything autoimmune symptom that the high dose of prednisone fixed is back, the colitis, sores on my leg, and the rash on my hand. I will tell all of that to my Rheumy and GI Docs. This is going to be a long haul. I am wondering if my spring semester is in jeopardy too. Gretchen always says, “It is no big deal if you take the full year off before starting the master’s”. I still feel somewhat guilty.
I have also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and inflamatory arthritis by a Rheumatologist. I have sores on my leg, and a rash on my hand that also went away during the higher dose of prednisone, but are returning now with lowered doses. I had a small taste of my life being back to somewhat normal, and now it has all gone to hell.
Where I’d like to be in 1 year:
Back in the master’s program at school. UC free, and in remission. I would also like some relief from the pain and exhaustion from the Fibromyalgia and arthritis. I do not want to be so limited.
Colitis Medications:
Cortenema worked, but UC flared after ween down.
Prednisone worked, but UC flared after ween down.
Asacol not controlling UC.
written by John in PA
submitted in the colitis venting area
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I am a 47 year old (in 2012) Man returning to college for a Masters Degree in Psych, married with no children, and a new puppy that I will train to be a therapy dog to visit patients in nursing homes, hospitals, and aid in learning disability.
