I have been fighting antibiotic resistant pouchitis for 6 months now. Six weeks of cipro didn't work. Taking budesonide since early April (9mg/day).It has helped,but only moderately.I didn't care for the slow pace,and the difficulty scheduling with my local GI,so I went to the big city hospital.
In July, I started going to the University of Colorado Hospital,where they added xifaxin and cortisone supositories to the budesonide. Again not much of a change. August 7th I had another pouchoscopy,and as soon as the scope was inserted,the doctor said ,"oh yea,we need to change your medication".My pouch was very inflamed and red.
The next day I met with my doctors,and they advised I go on 6mp and prednisone. The prednisone would be 40 mg for 4 to 6 weeks to jump start the 6mp.
I took prednisone for about 3 years when I had UC,and I was difficult to be around. It made me like Gunny the Drill Sargent on crack!
I said no way to prednisone,and then was given the choice of an anti TNF: Remicaid or Humira. I chose Humira. While waiting to start the Humira,I needed to have what I thought was an ear infection cleared up.On the 13th I started taking some left over Augmentin,and stopped the xifaxin. Went to the doctor 2 days later to have my ear checked,and was told no sign of ear or sinus infection.Don't know what it was.
However, the day after starting the Augmentin, my pouchitis was immediately better ! It's been 11 days now and my pouch feels better than it has in 6 months. When I told this to my doctor,they replied that it's unlikely antibiotics alone will cure the pouchitis,and I should still go on the Humira.
After reading well into the wee hours about the Humira horror stories,I am a little hesitant,and my inner voice is saying maybe I should try to rotate antibiotics,or do something else. Any recommendations what antibiotic I should try next ? I'm open to experiment.
My doctors are very intelligent, yet quite young,and have only been practicing for 3 and 4 years respectively. Also,they've only been treating me for less than 2 months.
I'm feeling a little apprehensive about these things right now,and trying to figure out what direction to go.
In July, I started going to the University of Colorado Hospital,where they added xifaxin and cortisone supositories to the budesonide. Again not much of a change. August 7th I had another pouchoscopy,and as soon as the scope was inserted,the doctor said ,"oh yea,we need to change your medication".My pouch was very inflamed and red.
The next day I met with my doctors,and they advised I go on 6mp and prednisone. The prednisone would be 40 mg for 4 to 6 weeks to jump start the 6mp.
I took prednisone for about 3 years when I had UC,and I was difficult to be around. It made me like Gunny the Drill Sargent on crack!
I said no way to prednisone,and then was given the choice of an anti TNF: Remicaid or Humira. I chose Humira. While waiting to start the Humira,I needed to have what I thought was an ear infection cleared up.On the 13th I started taking some left over Augmentin,and stopped the xifaxin. Went to the doctor 2 days later to have my ear checked,and was told no sign of ear or sinus infection.Don't know what it was.
However, the day after starting the Augmentin, my pouchitis was immediately better ! It's been 11 days now and my pouch feels better than it has in 6 months. When I told this to my doctor,they replied that it's unlikely antibiotics alone will cure the pouchitis,and I should still go on the Humira.
After reading well into the wee hours about the Humira horror stories,I am a little hesitant,and my inner voice is saying maybe I should try to rotate antibiotics,or do something else. Any recommendations what antibiotic I should try next ? I'm open to experiment.
My doctors are very intelligent, yet quite young,and have only been practicing for 3 and 4 years respectively. Also,they've only been treating me for less than 2 months.
I'm feeling a little apprehensive about these things right now,and trying to figure out what direction to go.
