bleeding

According to my GI, there is more data out there indicating efficacy of Remicade over Humira. I had been on Humira at one time and told him I was willing to return to it, but he preferred to try Remicade. The next step is Entyvio, if Remicade does not work, or I have to stop it for side effects. But, Entyvio is not approved for arthritis, so I am unsure if it would be useful.

Letlive, in your case, there could be issues, since you are returning to Remicade, as opposed to first time use. Testing for antibodies in advance would be useful for dosing and additional meds, like methotrexate or Imuran.

I suppose you are swigging antacid due to upper GI involvement, which could be from small bowel involvement. It won't heal anything, but just treat symptoms.

Jan

Thank you both for your responses. I'm sorry my post was so cryptic. I've been swigging on the Pepto-Bismal to relieve the bloating. The 28th of April I'm going to get my first infusion of Entyvio after six months on the Remicade and several years before on a two-week regiment on Humira, which became every week. I went to taking once a month injections, two shots at a time, with something, but it didn't work either. The doc talked about some pills coming our way in a couple of years if this doesn't do the job.

I finally called the VA gastro doc, he called me back ant told me that he knew I must be in bad shape since I never call. He said yeah keep taking the 9 mg. of the Budesonide, and take 30 mg. of the Prednisone for a week and then go onto a taper. Usually, he says a person would take one or the other, but in my case take 'em both and then stay on Budesonide when I'm done with the taper. I go down to the VA Friday (tomorrow) for my third in a series Iron Sucrose Infusion, so they'll do some CBC blood work to see where I'm at. I'll pick up a prescription for more Prednisone. Yesterday, after about 30 hours of bleeding it just stopped, so I hope I'm on the mend, but I'm still going on the meds. I did take a Xanax and 2 grams of Red Vein Borneo Kratom - perhaps it helped. 

I went to the gym today on my 30 mg. of Prednisone and I had to cool it since I wasn't getting tired doing stuff I normally don't do, and I certainly didn't want to overdo it and be sore as hell. I hope I sleep okay tonight, but I've got a ton of energy. I have bad memories 15 years ago before the j-pouch using this stuff and never sleeping. I have permanent bags under my eyes from those long nine months of high dose of prednisone, then taper, taper, taper and the bleeding would come back and back up to the higher dose and taper. At least I'm now retired Floridorian.  

Sounds like the other med you were on was Cimzia. That is the one I just came off of. You can do two injections a month or one every two weeks. I did the two week dosing because I did not feel it lasted a month.

I agree, it is easy to overdo on prednisone. It always gives me high energy and euphoria.

Jan

That's right Jan. It was Cimzia. For the last three days on this Prednisone I'm experiencing some stomach pain and bloating. I didn't eat right away the first day, but have eaten first on all the consecutive days before I take it, but still feel crummy. 

Doing the taper off the Prednisone. I'm down to 20 mg. but my guts are killing me. Is it the Prednisone.? I eat before I take it. It's like my food is killing me. I go down to 10 mg. Thursday and then the following week I get my 2nd infusion of Entyvio. It was a surprise that the infusion only last a half hour. I'll stay on the Entocort for a good while afterwards. Still feel weird in the stomach or guts, but I'm not presently bleeding, so all is good on that front.

Probably not the prednisone, but whatever is going on in your gut that is supposed to be treated by the prednisone. Hope your Entyvio kicks in soon!

Jan