I know how you feel - my husband is discouraged and not happy with losing the past year 1/2 of his life basically. Surgery is something that is out there in the back of his mind but he is certainly hoping and trying to be optomistic that maybe the meds just haven't kicked in yet - maybe the dose needs to be upped - or maybe there is something else out there that may help bring about
a remission.
To continue with the meds, side effects, yadda yadda............our hope is the Mayo Clinic can give him something else give him more hope and help bring about
a remission. How much longer he will continue to accept this if things don't improve remains to be seen.
My real concern is - if surgery should be considered or is a real possibility down the road...then at what point (age) does it become more risky. He is 61 and basically healthy insofar as surgery but in another 5 or 10 years, staying on meds creating other problems, oh to have that "crystal ball" to help make the right decision at the right time!!!
What a tough call each and every one of you have to make to try and find what is the right thing to do personally. It's great to get all the different info here to help try to make sense of things.
60 yr old male~Colitis 1st diagnosed Jan '05-cleared up within a few wks. Flared again in May '06 ... left sided UC now, fully involved and trying to get in remission. Acute inflammation-pancolitis-tenesmus rectal pain-granulation is showing some healing started. Osteopena of spine from prednisone DX 8/07 July 07 good days & bad days 75mg Imuran 40 mg prednisone (tapering 8/07) 12 Asacol, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Jelly 2%,multi vitamin, iron 3X day, DanActive, chewable calcium, Prilosec 20mg, enalapril 10mg, glipizide 5 mg, zocor 20 mg, baby aspirin, (Fentanyl pain patch 50mg 72 hrs Morphine Sulf 15 mg twice daily)Colocourt enemas at night. Fosamax and mthly B12 shots folic acid 1mg