• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Stubborn case of UC??

Hey everyone,

I am needing some info for a friend. My friends hubby has Ulcerative colitis, he has had it for like17 years now or close to it. When he was first dx he was put on Asacol and it put it back in the box. According to my friend, he would have a couple flares a year that would be last a couple weeks and then go away.

About a year ago, he starting having a flare that would not go away, he was with it for like a month or so. Well he ate some Mexican food at some fast food place and that night all hell broke loose. He got so sick. I mean he was pooping water and blood for like four days and finally went to the ER due to being dehydrated. They gave him cipro and flagyl and also steroids. He took those and it made him worse, he ended up with a severe yeast issue all over his body. My friend has had him on a very mild diet for now for the last year trying to get this thing back in the box. Nothing is working. He is basically housebound. He goes to work,( luckily he is right next to a toilet) otherwise he would have to stop working, but then he goes home and has to stay right by the toilet. It is so bad he has accidents with not being able to make it to the toilet quick enough. My friend is at her wits end and so is he. They do not know what to do. When they went to his gastroenterologist, he just said, this is UC, this is what UC does. He then told them that he was lucky when he was only having 2 flares that lasted only a couple weeks all that time. SO the gastro just offered steroids which he wont take as it made him worse last time and gave him a severe yeast issue along with the antibiotics.

So here is the thing, the poor guy hardly gets decent sleep since he is up pooping like 10 times a night. Some days are better where he gets up once to three times, but usually he is up half the night going. I am sorry, but this is unacceptable!

What can he do? My friend has him on paleo diet pretty much. It really helped get rid of the yeast issue, but my friend said they cannot sway off the diet, like a few weeks back she added more grains, and carbs, and BAM, yeast came right back. So he went back to the strict diet and the yeast went away again mostly.

Does anyone have any ideas of how he can get this back in the box to where he is not pooping all the time and being unable to leave the house except for work?? They have tried so much already. My friend is totally againt biologics, and for good reason. I mean she thinks it will just add another problem due to the severity of the side effects of those meds. The Asacol just does not wok anymore, so what else is there? She is thinking of having him do a very strict diet( kind of like the brasco broth diet), I mean he is already doing the bone broth, but this diet is a bit more severe. It would mean him eating like only chicken soup for two weeks and then adding raw kefir to the diet for another couple weeks and then you work your way up to more things. But my friend said her husband is less than excited to try this. Is it normal for UC to stay flaring for a whole year with NO improvement? Please if anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
It looks like the asacol has quit working for him. After awhile of being on different meds, this does happen. In fact, it's happened to me too. Has he been on anything else than asacol and steriods? I too am totally against remicade and humira unless absolutely neccessary. Here are a few things that your friend can suggest to the doctor or take a look online about. Hopefully he'll find something that will start working for him. Please keep us updated on how he's doing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_ulcerative_colitis

-Other forms of 5ASA (Sulfasalazine, Azulfadine, Pentasa, etc)
-Immunosuppressive drugs (Azathioprine, Lialda, etc)
-Hydrocortisone Enemas, Mesalamine Enemas, Canasa Suppositories
 
Thanks Cross-stitch gal for the info. I will mention these medications to my friend. I hope he can find something that will help him. I appreciate the help.
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
No problem! I know it helps having someone who's gone through the same situation. Let me know if you have any more questions. I hope this will help and he'll be able to feel at least somewhat better soon.
 
When they went to his gastroenterologist, he just said, this is UC, this is what UC does.
I think he should find a new GI doctor. He should not be going through that for a year, without at least trying some new meds/treatments. He needs to find a doctor that is more aggressive in finding a fix.

I am no where close to that bad, but probiotics have helped me; your friend might think of trying those.
 
Top