Question:
Ask your doc about Pentasa unlike Prednisone, Pentasa is not absorbed, and the side effects are near nonexistent versus Prednisone. My old doc, was a total idiot and had me on Prednisone–I had mood swings and didnt feel comfortable taking it every day. Whereas, with Pentasa, for me it worked better and was nonreactive. Even your doc is clueless about Pentasa do your son a favor and find a better one.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
The doctor should immediately run bloodwork to check liver blood counts. UC has been known to cause scleral cholengitis (not sure about the spelling) which causes the blockage of the bileducts and can lead to jaundice. Hopefully the doctor is right, however I just wanted you to know about other possibilities. Jack
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Hi, My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
Not sure that it’s relavant to your situtuation but I have UBS and was turning yellow and having much pain. Kept being told it was part of the disease until one night when I could take the pain no longer I went to the emergency room. Turned out the pain and the yellow color were cause by Gallstones which, due to the doctor’s belief that it was all "part of the disease" had gone undiagnosed until I was about a week away from having my gallbladder burst, according to the doctor who did the surgery. I would get ANY strange sypmtoms which recurr checked into. "an ye harm none, do as ye will"
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – cut 3. Stop taking the drugs that doctors love to prescribe. While they may be doing = it in your best interests, there is no way they can know the effect the drugs are goin= g to have on your body in the long run (and from what I have read, it does not look good). cut I tried coming off all the pills. A flare arose. Docs advised low dose of mesalazine to maintain remission. (Better than the scar tissue formed at each flare.) This newsgroup says generally no long term affects from that medication. You take your chance… I’ll take the tablets… Charles — WWW=A0http://webzone1.co.uk/www/dswark * Minerva ProCAD 0(44)1714038686-Vox;0(44)1714034770-Fax * Impression Publisher
Hi Charles, Great response…….You would not believe the guilt trips going on in alt.anxiety-panic over a similar issue. I am glad that you are doing what is best for you. I will also let others take their chances and I will take my meds. Best wishes, Annie
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
Hi, I have had UC for about 7 years and have noticed that if I use Rowasa enemas for more than 1 or 2 days, I get a jaundiced look and feel a little "spaced out". My doctors have been inconclusive as to why although one mentioned a possible reaction to a preservative in them. The symptoms promptly dissapeared when I stopped using them.
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Ken: I congratulate you on your experience. You are in my opinion very naive about this disease. Come back to me in 20 years and tell me that you are "cured". This disease can go into remission for many years. Most of us here have intractable disease. We spend more time in a disease state than in remission. I have been on what amounts to the Gotschall diet for what amounts to the last four years. When I am sick (which is full-time) I am both lactose and gluten intolerant. I have completely eliminated both from my diet. It took participating as a human guinea pig to get my CD under control. Diet, lifestyle changes, all the things you describe does nothing. Talk to the researchers who spend all their waking hours thinking of how to affect these diseases and in the long run will tell you most of what you say is hogwash. Researchers have been testing food issues for 35 years and have progressed no farther in that time. Even Elaine Gotchall says it works for some and not others. Well then tell me how could that even be a component of a cure. The more you research the disease the more you will find it’s complexity. Why for example are they finding some success with inhibiting certain cytokines. After monitoring this group for over a year, we see individuals like yourself with a limited view of the disease, think they have the answer. I repeat, tell me in 20 years you’ve found the "cure".
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Ken says, " Stop taking the drugs that doctors love to prescribe. While they may be doing it in your best interests, there is no way they can know the effect the drugs are going to have on your body in the long run (and from what I have read, it does not look good). However, I would not stop cold turkey, but reduce intake gradually over a long period of time. " While I am happy that Ken is feeling better, this is dangerously irresponsible advice to give. Better advice is, if you have any doubts about medication you’re taking–(1) grill your doctor, (2) contact CCFA for their information, (3) make sure you find out the risk/benefit of any drug you’re on. If you feel you can’t trust your doctor, then you need another doctor. There are many sources available for both medical professionals and laypeople if you need to know more about a medication. Personally, I eat a lousy diet (but it tastes good), rarely exercise, have lots of stress in my life. I attribute my long remission from UC (and sorry, I know I don’t deserve to but I feel *great*) to religiously taking 6 Asacol a day. And yes, I am aware of the possible side effects, and yes, my doctor monitors me for same. YMMV, of course, and it’s true that there are times when medication is not only not the answer, it is very much the wrong answer. But at the same time, the right drug can be a lifesaver. I owe my colon, and possibly my life, to the much-maligned prednisone. Mary Ellen
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cut 3. Stop taking the drugs that doctors love to prescribe. While they may be doing = it in your best interests, there is no way they can know the effect the drugs are goin= g to have on your body in the long run (and from what I have read, it does not look good).
cut I tried coming off all the pills. A flare arose. Docs advised low dose of mesalazine to maintain remission. (Better than the scar tissue formed at each flare.) This newsgroup says generally no long term affects from that medication. You take your chance… I’ll take the tablets… Charles — WWW=A0http://webzone1.co.uk/www/dswark * Minerva ProCAD 0(44)1714038686-Vox;0(44)1714034770-Fax * Impression Publisher
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I was pale yellow because I was losing blood in my colon. It was far up and was mixing with my stool so I didn’t notice it and almost died. I would immediately get a blood count. Good Luck, I hope it’s not for the same reason as me. James – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
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I have constantly read of people who are told by doctors (and everybody else for that matter) that there is no cure for colitis, chrones and IBS. Just because the doctors and researchers don’t have a chemical cure, doesn’t mean that one does not exist. I am proof it does. For me it began 1 year ago after a rafting trip in Quebec, Canada. On this trip , myself and 2 others caught a parasite (actually, it caught us). For me this parasite caused extreme discomfort and was supposedly the catalist for my colitis. After several tests (and no bedside manner), I got the lab report that said I had colitis. I shared all the signs and symptoms as many others on this page (although I have too admit some of you have it much worse than I do). Once confirmed that colitis was going to be a part on my life, and after hearing the doctors say that there was no cure but only measures to control it, I took it upon myself to prove them wrong. The first break through was when I read a book writen by Elaine Gottschall named ‘Breaking the Vicious Cyle – Intestinal Health Through Diet’. This book is very well written and anyone who has any form of IBD should read it. In her book she talks about the way various foods are broken down in the body and what foods are easier to break down than others. Dairy and Grain products seem to be the most destructive to the digestive system, sugars in these foods (lactose and starch) are difficult for the body to break down. The end result is that bacteria in our systems (the bad kind) release toxins into our systems as they use these undigested sugars for their own purposes. This is the condensed version of her book, there is muct more to it and if you’re interested, I would read the book. Although this was a good start, the book still didn’t know what caused the disease. There are many theories and I think the reality is that there is more than one cause. My personal belief is that there are a combination of things that initiate it. I think stress, poor diet, poor hygene, parasites, chemicals that companies put into our food, and fitness are all contributing factors. I myself think that poor diet, stress, parasites and chemicals were the factors that caused my colitis. Because this is a complex disease I think the cure is going to be unique for each individual. Once again there is a however, and here it is — However, I think that there are common things people can do to get over the disease. And here they are: 1. As I hope most of you have noticed (or experienced) is that these diseases hit you in waves – there are times where things seem to go well and times when they really suck. Begin by keeping a close eye on everything you did when things were going well. Conversly, keep an eye on what things you were doing when things went poorly. I found this to be crucial in my fight against colitis. Even although doctors don’t have a clue as to why this wave cycle occurs, I figured it must occur for a reason, and that there must be factors that worsen or improve the disease. When making these observations look at what you ate, when you ate it, how you felt when you ate it, what was your stress level like, what did you do before and after you ate, and anything else that is important to you – be very honest with yourself as you are doing this. (I had to do this for 3 months before I found a pattern). For me the pattern involved certain foods, certain people and certain situations. 2. Alter your diet. Although it may be difficult, sticking to the diet in the book mentioned earlier really does help, but you have to give it a chance. I addition to following the suggested foods, also note the time of the day when you eat certain foods (I found this to be as important as what I ate). Please also consider that everyone is unique and therefore everyone is also going to have a unique metabolism. Something that works for one person may not work for another, that is why it is important to track things yourself and to be honest with yourself. If you have a poor memory, write it down. 3. Stop taking the drugs that doctors love to prescribe. While they may be doing it in your best interests, there is no way they can know the effect the drugs are going to have on your body in the long run (and from what I have read, it does not look good). However, I would not stop cold turkey, but reduce intake gradually over a long period of time. While stoping the usage of drugs does go against what I have read, it worked for me. (Mind you, I am not tied into any large drug company and I don’t have to worry about someone taking away my reputation and livelyhood. The reason I say no to drugs (including alcohol and tobaco) is because they interfere with the bodies natural defense mechanisms. The human body is more complex than any one doctor could ever understand (that’s why we have specialists), but it’s also a fact that our bodies individual organs when not working right, effect other parts of our bodies. If you are suppling your body with man made drugs (something Mother Nature did not expect in her millions of years of evolution) you will throw your bodies natural chemistry off. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying all drugs are bad, there are some very good ones – but when the doctor’s don’t know what causes the disease, don’t have a sure-fire cure, and don’t even know what makes it come and go in waves, how can they presribe a drug to fix it. 4. Finally, make sure you don’t dismiss anything you read, hear, see or learn about, when it comes to things like colitis, chrones and other diseases. Although what you may read may not be true for you, it will be true for someone else, in addition there may also be something you can extract from what you learn and apply to your own situation. I have shown no signs or symptoms of colitis for 6 months now. While it still remains in the back of my mind, it doesn’t influence my way of life anymore. I’m playing rugby, soccer, tennis, golf, and all the other sports I love with no ill affect. What I have written here is a very condensed version of what I have read and observed. If you would like to know more, or if you think I’ve fallen off my rocker, please e-mail me. If you would like another opinion aside from the one the doctors gave you, or if you would like my opinion on your particular situation please let me know and I will do my best to help. Please also excuse and grammer of spelling errors it’s well past my bed time. Best of luck to you! Ken Age 27
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My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why.
Sounds like jaundice. If your doctor hasn’t checked your son’s liver function, I suggest you find another doctor – fast! Ray Bonar
Response:
Hi, My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
Response:
I’m no medical expert, but I seem to recall that looking yellow (jaundice) can indicate liver problems. Perhaps your son’s doctor has already ruled this out, but if not I would think a blood test would be in order. Mary Ellen
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Tom- Yellow is the color people turn when they have liver problems. As far as I know, liver trouble or excessive beta carotene are the only causes of yellow skin. I seem to remember hearing that mesalamine can cause liver trouble in very rare instances. This is worth checking immediately, as it may be reversible if caught soon enough. jage – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, My son has had UC since 11/95 and has lately (about a month)started to look pale or yellowish all the time. The doctor doesn’t understand why. He did say his iron level was low and for him to take an iron supplement. He said the prednisone does not cause it. All my son is takeing is Rowasa and 15 mg. of prednisone daily. Any ideas? Thanks
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi folks, Since posting a message about irritable bowel syndrome a while ago, I’ve been doing a lot of reading and thinking. I’m now wondering if maybe I don’t have irritable bowel syndrome (my doctor never said I do for sure, just that it "seems" I might). Maybe my symptoms of bloating, gas and stomach cramps (nearly everyday to some extent) and diarreah and contipation and heart burn (a few bouts a month) are caused by my colitis medicine. I’ve been taking Dipentum for about two years now, for ulcerative colitis which is in remission. Yesterday, I took a good look at the info sheet that comes with the drug. Under "adverse reactions" it says reactions are rare, but nevertheless, lists diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas … as possible. Why didn’t my doctor think of this? I’ve been told to try Dicetel for the irritable bowel syndrome, so I’ll give it a try. But it’s a possibility that Dipentum is the cause of my problem, even though it is keeping the colitis under control. By the way, I have tried Asacol, and didn’t like it much. BUT the very first medication I tried for colitis was a supppository called Salofalk. It worked great. I was only taken off it since my doctor figured I’d rather take a pill than a suppository. Gas and the other symptoms I mentioned are also symptoms of colitis, so I’ll probably always have them more than a completely healthy person. But I remember that my complaints about gas, bloating, cramps and heartburn, etc (post colitis treatment) really started AFTER starting asacol and dipentum, possiblly because they are really strong, and could harm the stomach as they pass through it. Salofalk, being a suppository, doesn’t pass through the stomach. Does anyone have any experience with Salofalk? I think I’ll ask to switch back to it. It may be inconvenient, but if it works, then I say it’s worth it. Kim 
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