Fecal cal reading - 321

Hey everyone,

Currently having issues getting out of this flare. Have had three loading doses of infliximab, on 20mg pred and today got my results back from my cal protection of 321.

Is this a high result?

My GI is doing another scope as he think infliximab unfortunately may not be working for me and I’m thinking with that result he may be right.

My symptoms are not bad at all but I think pred could me masking them am I’m worried to taper!

Thanks v much

m xxx

Hey ipoop!

Hope you’re doing well.

Yes have informed my IBD team who
Will do a scope & may give me an extra dose of infliximab.

Just wish I could end this flare so frustrating

Thanks again

m xx

I don’t know that’s the problem. I was in hospital on IV so assuming it was probably through the roof but I think I’m more inflamed than I was few weeks ago.

Stupid disease!!!!!!!

Going to get a scope see what’s going on, and keep on top of it. If I’ve failed then on to the next treatment!

M xx

Fwiw. Most labs make the cut-off for "normal" around 50. But when I've had numbers in the range 50-100 and been anxious about it, my GI told me he only considers above 200 a problem (and the value fluctuates depending when you take the sample. Generally first poop of the morning will have the highest reading as there has been more time to accumulate calprotectin.)

So again, a value of 310 on its own doesn't tell you much without knowing what it was before starting infliximab because even if it would be working, if you had a sky high value at the start of treatment it's going to take weeks or months to fall to normal.

Doing a scope is very wise. If you feel there has been any improvement on infliximab you could try increasing the dose before switching to something else. Hope you get some relief soon. I also flared after my 3rd infliximab infusion while tapering pred, I think that was one of the lowest points in my UC history. Hang in there, you'll get there eventually.