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Pentasa....For intestinal inflammation

I was wondering, that if I take Pentasa for the first time. if I eat with it is it better? Will I have less side effects if I eat with it?
If anyone that has experience with it, and have any advice that would be great.
My gastro doctor toll me that I might not have IBS and that my symptoms are probably caused by the inflammation in my intestines. I'm 22 and 130lb.
If anyone can help that would be great.
Thanks :)
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Avatar universal
I took Pentsas for my chrons and it does help.  No side effects with or without food.
It is used for chrons in the small intestine.  My gi said it is really the best at this time for chrons in the small intestine.  
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Avatar universal
hello i noticed the above conversation because it seems to be very simular to mine. ive had all kinds of negative testing including ibd, parasites etc.  now most would say i have severe ibs symptoms althought nothing calms it and my dr was concerned because of mucus in my stool. after months of this he finally treated me with pentasa and strangly it has helped no mucus, regular bowl movements took about 10 days before noticing the difference.  i guess my question is how can i have a negative colonoscopy and labwork but the symptoms point to crohns and the medication helps.  even my doctor agrees and is stumped that it must be crohns. if it were just ibs would pentasa help that also?
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your help. I've been taking Pentasa with food and I didn't get any side effects YET. What happen with the my doctor is that he did do a colonscopy a couple years ago and he did see some inflammation, but thought that IBS was the cause. But after a couple years that nothing helped, he decided to give me some gastrointestinal inflammatory (Pentasa). So far I stopped Imodiums, I used to take them every day because of my bowels, and I've been having regular BM. Hopefully it stays like that, I would be happy if It would.
Oh yeah he also tested me for Celiac Disease because it has similar symptoms, but it came back negative. I have an appointment in August, to see if they helped me.
I've been like this for about 4 years now, and it's the first time that I have only 2 bowel movement. So it's different for me.
Well anyways, thank you for your help, and I hope that everything with you will get better.
Thanks :)
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Avatar universal
Hi there - sorry no-one has answered your query as yet so thought I would give you my observations.

I have had Crohn's for some 37 years (now a decrepit 62 yrs old but still smelling the roses!) and can empathasise with your problem. As far as I know, Pentasa is only prescribed for Ulcerative Colitis, not Crohn's.  I have googled Pentasa and there does not seem to be any guidance on when to take this medication. I take 4 different drugs each morning, for Crohn's and breast cancer, and I figured that the only way I can remember to take them is while I am waiting for the kettle to boil for my early morning tea! May sound stupid, but it works for me.  I have no problems with acid reflux or whatever. Just grateful to get that done with and get my cuppa tea. I don't think you will have a problem at all if you take the med with food - try it, and if you get a problem, take it early morning with a glass of water.

I am not at all comfortable with your remark "my gastro told me I might not have IBS and my symptoms are probably caused by inflammation in my intestines." There is no "probably" about having a proper diagonosis. Meds for IBS and IBD (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis) are all very different, and you need to get a definitive diagnosis, by endoscopy and biopsy. Crohn's particularly, is an auto-immune disease, with no cure, and in extreme cases can cause morbidity. With the proper meds and constant supervision, you can live a good life. I was 24 yrs old when I was first dx, and no-one had ever heard of it then. It is still an "orphan disease" but a lot of research has been done since I was dx, and there are lots of new meds around now to keep the disease in remission and allow you a good quality of life. For instance, I have learned to inject methotrexate (a toxic chemo drug) once weekly - much like a diabetic does daily, and it is duck soup now, with the occasional bruise because I don't get it quite right. Still here though - and enjoying life.

There are other reasons besides IBD for inflammation in the intestines such as parasites etc. but you really DO need a conclusive diagnosis for you to get with your treatment and life.

Let me know if I can help you further - but my advice would be to see another gastro who knows what he is talking about and has some experience with IBD problems.

Take care,
Liz.
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