Serenity, the weakness, shaking, plus feeling freezing cold sounds like low blood sugar. So I would conclude that you need to keep replacing electrolytes somehow while purging pre-scope. On the past...
C-scope is really the gold standard for evaluating mucosal conditions in the colon, and it can reach the terminal ileum, too. They used to be done in U.S. with the so-called "twilight sedation" combo...
Glad to read that you're doing ok so far, CC. Hopefully the worst of your switch-over is now behind you; the insurers tend to make any Rx change into The Pits! Reminds me of that old maxim "What...
That sounds like good news. You reportedly had mild inflammation in the rectum more than once, but so far it has subsided w/o causing lasting damage to the mucosa there. It can happen that UC...
Wishing you all the best, CC. Definitely keep us posted. / Old Hat...
Your terminal ileum shows no signs of past involvement, your right colon has mild involvement now, and your rectum has shown signs of mild involvement in the past, to my knowledge of IBD indicators,...
Agree with you 200% that this type of situation is stressful & scary. Back in 2012 several of us on oral med suddenly found out it had been removed from production w/o prior warning, also many...
Yes, CC, that's the section of CCFA Website I referred to. "STEPS" falls under Access To Care. They list 4 or 5 obstacles that insurance companies typically throw at IBD physicians' RXes when they...
Recently I looked at the Advocacy section of CCFA Website. It seems that they've been trying to lobby Congress since pre-pandemic years over "STEPS" issues, whereby insurance companies override...
I get the picture. Having worked longtime in university settings, I've witnessed many stressful scenes and experienced stress myself from overbearing academics and/or administrators. Their individual...
Welcome to the UC Forum! I can't comment on Remicade, but let me caution you on just walking away from treatment if it disagrees with you, as in your initial experience with mesalamine. You should...
It's usually one "bad apple" in the workplace who causes the most stress. Good that your supervisor is supportive. Think about what you could do to minimize contact with the troublesome staffer. You...
A point veteran UCers here have agreed on in the recent past: if doing the "day before scope" prep, start drinking earlier than the official instructions usually specify. That will hopefully enable...
Outrageous, CC. Hang in there! Fingers crossed for you to get what you need!!!!! / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)...
Sorry to read that you're flaring, Serenity. The key answer, I think, to determine how much prep you need to drink is whether or not you reach the stage of passing clear fluid only. If you still see...
You mentioned job-related anxiety, though. That could be the root of your recent physical problems. Maybe you need a major change there. Getting away from a toxic dept. head in the workplace...
Great to hear from you, ByeByeUC! Congratulations on your healthy state! Actually, it would be helpful to newer victims of UC if you could drop in (when time permits) to advise some with special...
Hopefully you can work it out, Fruitgirl. A very active, sharp senior neighbor of mine got DXed with microscopic decades ago, but it rarely bothers her. She does continue to see a top IBD gastro for...
Good luck toward resolution in your favor soon, CC!!!!! I totally identify with your situation. Generics have proven to be a boondoggle in many different patient situations over decades since the...
Glad you updated us, 3TC. Good luck with hernia repair. NO to heavy lifting for 6 weeks at least!!!!! Definitely take good care post-op 'cause we know you're a hard worker. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with...
At least you got that procedure over with! It's a good idea to run your right side issue past the gyn. I can recall a colleague having sudden acute right side pain that turned out to be caused by an...
Hang tough, CC, because the Rx med formularies are just about the biggest hassles we get to confront when approaching our retirement years. The situation with insurer's approval is the most...
RE your gastro advising to try only 1 new thing at a time, I agree that a cautious approach is best. Traditionally some physicians would take the attitude of "throwing everything but the kitchen...
Glad you updated us, Fruitgirl. I was thinking about your situation over the holiday weekend and hoping you wouldn't hit any more snags prior to c-scope. It does sound like you're on a better track...
Hi, Fruitgirl! It's great to see you posting here again, but, of course, I'm sorry that you have a new gastrointestinal dilemma. I think it's wise that you've scheduled a c-scope soon because several...
Songlady, you really are an "007" fighting the evil of Big C!!!! More power to you!!!!! Glad to read that you can switch to a pill regimen from infusions. (Just an aside: a longtime friend of mine...
CCinPA: RE age 65 Medicare sign-up, Part A = Hospitalization coverage. Part B = Outpatient physician + medical tests/lab coverage + a few limited types of med coverage. Some yrs back when I was...
Hopefully you got the enteric-coated tablets-- because sulfasalazine is known to be hard on stomach. In any case take it with some food and plenty of plain water. I agree with Quincy that it's better...
With private insurance they can change their Rx drug formularies pretty arbitrarily, a valid reason to opt for original Medicare over the Advantage plans. The Alliance for Retired Americans is one of...
Geezer and CC, have a look at Website of the Alliance for Retired Americans. They offer a free e-newsletter that one can sign up for online, which is useful because they keep up-to-date on govt....
Gloria-- please keep us updated on your situation with Prolia, also if you get to see the experienced endocrinologist who is booked for months ahead. Sending you very best wishes for good help (at...
There was a helpful discussion about Medicare + retiree Rx coverage here about a month ago in a thread started by EnjoyGolf. He had raised the issue of an employer's retiree health insurance offering...
Sorry to read that you're experiencing all these hassles over med, Geezer. Hopefully your doc's appeal for Rinvoq will get approval ASAP, but with holiday season now upon us speed-in-processing...
So, KingM., from what you've researched RE hospitalized UCers facing colectomy, HBOT could be an alternative to Cyclosporine therapy (?) Wishing you good luck with your own treatment! / Old Hat (40+...
Joint pain is part of UC territory, alas! It sounds like your UC inflammation is not totally under control if you're experiencing multiple flares. Do you take any mesalamine for maintenance of...
I think that Straydog's doctor takes a wiser approach. Most UCers have a wonky immune system so it makes sense NOT to subject those cells to a potential stimulus overload. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with...
You're welcome! It's unfortunate but true that many parts of the U.S. lack reliable gastroenterological care/treatment. A few months back we received posts from a man living 2 hours away from the...
So you're in Oregon? Still the USA (just joshing), so you should be able to get better med that treats the inflamed rectum. For UCers 1 of the best is Cortifoam = 10% hydrocortisone in a retention...
Great if you don't feel any UC symptoms, Mike! (Way-to-go!!!!) But it sounds like your wife should take up Tai Chi or another exercise safer for bones, or at least wear protective braces on wrists &...
It sounds like you have tenesmus, as CCinPA replied to you. That would indicate inflammation in your rectum. Have you been taking oral mesalamine or the retention enemas, or both? You may need a...
Hi, Old Mike-- thanks for updating us! And you named your stoma "Laurie", right? (After your surgeon.) Good to know that you feel well except for the nerve damage to hand. That's definitely a bummer....
Find out what meal options your airline will provide, then bring whatever food supplement can safely travel w/o refrigeration. Maybe a natural peanut or almond butter with graham, rice, or soda...
It seems that you're dealing with a bunch of stupid physicians who haven't got a strong clue on treating UC over time. They must be confusing fecal urgency caused by UC inflammation with pelvic floor...
Hi, Quincy-- So sorry to read that you & hubby got COVID recently, and hope you're both recovering now w/o further nasties. Just FYI, I recently developed lower-left hip/thigh discomfort for the 2nd...
Checking in here with report on my bivalent COVID booster given a few days ago: so far, so good, and fingers still crossed. Following my 3rd shot last winter I did sprout a fever on the 2nd evening...
CCinPA-- once you enroll in original Medicare, their HQ sends an update to insurees every autumn that explains new features or changes to be implemented in the following year. If you choose an...
RE: "Leaving the science to countries that can do it properly" comment above: the 1st polio vaccine was devised by American Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in...
CCinPA-- I agree that Medicare seems daunting, especially at first, but you'll learn to deal with it, and in many cases it works better than private insurance. Have you looked over its Website? Be...
Be very wary of leaving original Medicare for an Advantage plan! BTW, how did your safari trip turn out? / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)...
To-date my worst reaction was to smallpox vaccination near my 6th birthday. The doctor scratched it into my left arm, then within a day the left side of my torso turned purple! My mother tried not to...