J-Pouch ForumsPouchitis
Luckily nobody promised me this was the cure and they were very straightforward with me about what the risks are and the long term complications could be. I signed on to surgery because the risks sounded less bad than the severe case of UC that I had. I almost died from sepsis once from a flare up. The only regret I have is doing alternative medicine instead of proper medicine, which was tantamount to doing nothing for my illness which is how the sepsis arose. My UC dragged on for so much... [ more ]
This chain has me thinking back. Many gastroenterologists used prednisone as first line and maintenance therapy for Crohn's and UC back when I was diagnosed, which was routine and routinely bad medicine for many years. The 5-ASAs were in clinical trials for UC, not super effective, and they came with probably under-reported liquid diarrhea - so what was the point? 6-MP wasn't commonly prescribed. It was so un-common that pharmacists would question me when I went to fill my script! So... [ more ]
Back when I had my colectomy, Remicade was considered experimental (and not covered for treatment for UC). So, not an option at the time. I think the best solution is the one you can live with. Maybe the problem is that there is so much information to be had that it becomes a mine field. Hard not to imagine possible side effects as likely side effects. Some doctors are better than others at helping you sort through it all. But in the end, we are the ones that have to accept our choices. I... [ more ]
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