Is the hospital even doing elective, non urgent procedures like that? I would be surprised. A family member in a low-risk New England state thought he was lucky getting the last scheduled scope...
I felt safe at the infusion center for my 4th Entyvio dose. The facility was calm and uncrowded. The staff was constantly cleaning with disinfectant wipes. I am from the Land of Shelter-in-Place so I...
Caution! My symptoms do not include the long-term known side effect like osteoporosis and cataracts. A reaction can be different each course so will not happen all at once, if at all. Feel free to...
I have canceled everything from 2 airline flights to a haircut. IBD and Entyvio are minor considerations. My main reason is age. But I will venture out to the infusion center. Someone I love very...
It would be like a reverse "taper" at the beginning of Prednisone use, but more rapid, and in non emergency situations. With the usual taper at the end. What could be the disadvantages? I'm thinking...
Let us know what your doctor thinks about the lab results. What was he/she looking for? In the recent past a stool culture was reported only for pathogens. In other words, "No Salmonella, no...
Thanks everyone! It's unanimous and confirms what I was already thinking. There is no compelling reason to delay and I scheduled the first infusion in about 2 weeks and the second 2 weeks after that....
The doctor and I have been talking about this for a year and a half. Finally Entyvio was ordered for me 3 weeks ago and I had a big decrease in symptoms during those 3 weeks because I had just...
Good timing Tblock. Me too. The infusion center left a message to start Entyvio, my first biologic, but I feel better at the moment. l will stop the 5mg of Prednisone, use Rowasa/Canasa less...
Yay. I really am happy with the replies. I am not on a biologic yet but in the future it would be nice to escape the oral mesalamine rat wheel: what's approved by which insurance; what's the cost...
I can confirm that our local laboratories are required to reject formed stool for C.diff testing. Also this is not a test for an infection or to find the bacteria. It is a test for the toxin. That...
iPoop: so you discontinued Lialda after a clear scope and there were no negative consequences? Over what period of time did you drop Lialda or decrease dosage of 6mp? That would help with the...
Thank you Flowers for that very clear explanation. I have not had the talk with the doctor yet about what medications to continue even after a biologic. We will see. I recall that iPoop was advised...
Oh, Flowers and Geezer. You are on Entyvio and an oral mesalamine too? Was it just a fantasy that with Entyvio, and if it works, that will be enough? If flares were only relieved by Prednisone, as...
At a consultation with an IBD specialist I was feeling great having recently weaned off Prednisone. I suggested occasional use as needed. The doctor said that Pred will become less effective over...
CCinPA thanks for asking! "Left side moderate colitis, biopsies, we will want you on Entyvio". Tell me something I don't know. A new finding was pseudopolyps, whatever that is. I so get it Michelejc....
Thanks for the replies! Sorry if profile didn't show. I'm on 9 Balsalizide (ug) and rotate Rowasa/Canasa/Uceris foam (ug). Entyvio is next but the doctor wanted this look first. I turned down a very...
Jen, I am going through a split prep right now this minute. I have one Xanax on hand and wonder when you took yours. Before the during the evening prep? I was going to ask about anti-nausea but...
I am not convinced that the benefits outweigh the negatives. But here I am starting a Miralax prep later today. Other preps have not gone down well. The doctor wants another look only 14 months after...
A couple of years ago a primary care doc handed us a card without comment: RxConnected (Canadian and International Pharmacy Services). 1-877-385-5040 No website on the card. I got Mesacol from India...
Your numbers don't seem that high. Better a few extra platelets than too few. The important thing is if they are effective and working to control bleeding. Are there tests for platelet function?...
Avoid! A med student told me they are not going into gastroenterology after a gastro rotation with lots of looks. They don't want to spend their career scoping bleeding colons---most of which were...
Try for a formulary exception from the insurance company. The doctor can communicate that this is important; if that doesn't work, followup with a written request documenting the situation with dates...
I don't get it. Other than joint surgery when would things like Xeljanz need to be discontinued? How about invasive dental work, appendectomy, hernia repair, cochlear implant, belly button piercing?...
FlowersGal: Your story gives me inspiration and hope. The IBD specialist recommended Entyvio and your experience makes me want to get on with it. Seconder: Thank you for the clear, easy couple of...
Thanks everyone. So I guess yet another scope isn't such a terrible thing. To be clear, the doctor did not say he would not continue treatment without the October scope. I haven't asked him yet. Our...
Next appointment is to show up prepped for a full colonoscopy in October. I am thinking of canceling unless I am given a good reason for the procedure or the doctor won't continue to treat me without...
I could have written your post. I defer to FlowersGal who has been very helpful. Flowers tells how her Entyvio is a hospital or infusion center medication and is therefore covered by Medicare medical...
If he is walking around with a Hgb of 5 he has been bleeding for awhile. Transfusion time? This might not be IBD but of course it's the first thing we think about. Let us know what happens....
Yes, UCSF and Stanford are the main research hospitals. You might need to get a referral from your current doctor. Ask the gastroenterology departments at these universities....
Zoledronic acid (Reclast) is supposed to be protective against bone loss from prednisone, according to my endocrinologist. It is an infusion every couple of years up to once a year. Reclast can be...
I read the book a few months ago. It was heavy going and I ran up some library overdue fines. The IBD studies did not show a lot of hopeful results but at least a lot of research is happening. We are...
Thanks everyone, I updated my sig to reflect the change to Balsalizide. (NSSG: liked your post a couple of days about the big pills and it reminded me of a fun family moment which I described in my...
I call it my "baseline" because this is the first calprotectin I have ever had. (Normal usually less than 50.) What next? I should have been on biologics by now. Symptoms do match that high number....
NSSG: I like the way you describe "with those big, nasty, powdery capsules!" When I took them last time my adult son came over, looked at all the bottles on the kitchen counter, laughed his head off...
Thank you too NSSG, I am awaiting results of my first calprotectin ever. The good news about "Canadian" mesacol is that I tolerate 4.8g (4 pills) without the repeated side effects that I got from...
Thanks iPoop, I will pick up the Balsalizide today but don't have high hopes. To me the symptoms are not minor. Who's counting? More than 5-6 in the morning is a very good day if I am left alone...
The IBD specialist thinks that Balsalizde might be worth a try. It has a slightly different mode of action than most of the delayed-release mesalamines. I tried Balsalizde for awhile in 2014 without...
That drip oozing out of the applicator after the foam is applied is reasonable, expected and reassuring. The system is working! The amount wasted is negligible....
That Reddi Whip moment must mean that you are getting the proper dose, so stick with it, especially if you are getting benefit. My GI thinks the foam is superior to hydrocortisone enemas. I have...
I had the same response to Uceris foam. It was great a twice a day but started to fail at anything less than that. My doctors don't see too alarmed about using for longer than the 6 weeks (2 boxes)...
Acmech: this is ridiculous on the part of your insurance company and should be a quick and easy fix. If your doctor's office can't help, don't give up. I had to deal with Express Scripts myself once....
What you describe seems to be a common product from Canada made in India. I am on my third round of the exact same thing. My cost is a bit more. It would be nice to have an analysis done for the...
Have you tried a couple of meals without the chewing motion? Maybe a smoothie to prove that chewing causes the reaction. Can you actually see the swelling in the mirror? Just because this has not...
Let us know what happens. I have been holding back on reporting the results of my first low-dose (30mg) pred taper to see what happens next. I stopped bleeding within hours and it has not returned...
I was referred to an IBD specialist for the first time and asked the busy doctor about possible tissue changes from using hydrocortisone enemas and Uceris Foam for more than a year. As others have...
I have been using Cortenemas and Uceris Foam for at least a year and half, so aursruby's questions are of interest. We keep hearing about tissue thinning but have we heard from anyone that had this...
Seriously, iPoop? You clean the bowl only once a week? it's every day at my house and Quincy said the same thing I remember. Sometimes a little touch up in the middle of the night.......
I read the book "I Contain Multitudes". It was heavy going and I racked up some library fines. He cites study after study but, correct me if I am wrong, did not find a lot of help for IBD. Even...
Gourmet meals every day The kitchen is sparkling clean Walk the dog twice as far and twice as fast Starting the taxes Reorganized the file cabinet; all new color folders Shopping, shopping Snacks all...