Please Help Westcoast Joe

Hi everyone, this is Westcoast Joe asking for your help. Its been a long time since I have been on this site , except for the Ostomy pages. I had Colitis for 4 years and lost my colon. The ostomy bag was a good life and things were going great. Than my insurance stopped paying for the bags. I talked to my doctor and he told me I that my retum is good and i should get re-connected. I did just that on Jun. 14th. It was hell and still is. Two weeks ago they discovered that my rectum still has Colitis. The Doc gave me 2 choices. Go on Predisone or get a J-pouch. I decided to go back on Pred. I have been on 40mgs for 5 days and I'm still going every hour and have pain. Question number 1 - How long does it take for the drug to start working, it has been a long time since I took the Pred. Also, my company is laying off almost everyone in my department. I have been on disability for the past 3 months. They want to keep me and promote me. My short term disability runs out in 10 days. Do i go back to work feeling sick to make sure I get the promotion or get on long term disability in case I need the operation. My disability is through work. I have no official offer yet. I'm afraid they will think I'm damaged goods and lay me off too. Any help or opinions would be a God sent. thank you, Westy

Hi Westy Not sure what you should do, the pred. works good for me if you don't get better soon maybe the Dr. will increase it ,you could also try low roughage diet while your just starting off on the pred. might help you get better sooner .Sorry you are going threw all this and wishing you all the best. Let us know and keep in touch. lol gail

wow....now i know i am gonna wait longer for my reversal if i can help it. maybe i should have had the whole colon and rectum out instead of just the temp. ileostomy. i am so scared about returning back to "normal"

I find that working with this disease is my own saving grace, when i don't work, I get down on myself. But, sometimes you can't do it no matter what.

Good luck, and yes, if you have a loving wife, talk to her openly and earnestly. How is your relationship with your old boss, can you trust him to speak frankly?