Crohn's Disease Weight Loss & Medicine

[JJ307]

I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and was prescribed Entocort.  I have been on the drug for a week and a half and I am still having symptoms.  Has anyone else tried this drug?  How do you control the diarrhea?  I keep taking Immodium but I still keep having issues and I still keep losing weight.  I am having a hard time staying about 100 ibs and I'm 35 yrs old!  All foods in the grocery stores are designed to help people lose weight.  Fast food & fried foods don't stay in me as they immediately make me sick.  How do I gain weight?  How do I stop the diarrhea?  Any suggestions would be helpful as this disease is tearing me apart.

[TriciaV]

Sorry for the last response!  

I am a lot better than I used to be, the medicine has changed my life.  I'm still unable to work due to complications I had from the Crohn's before they knew I had it, but I'm looking into surgery to fix them.  But if it weren't for those the Humira most definitely would make working a lot easier.  I used to weigh 105lbs during my worst episode and now I'm having trouble keeping it off! lol  But I'd much rather worry about losing it then having to keep it on.

Good luck!

[JJ307]

Thank you for your response.  My doctor is on a leave-of-absence for the month of May, so when she returns, I will ask her about the other drugs that you mentioned.  I hope this means that your symptoms are gone or much improved.  Commuting to work and getting through a work day is a challenge.  I hope you are still able to work yourself.

[TriciaV]

Hi JJ307.  I am so sorry that you have this disease.  As a 10 year veteran myself I know the pain you are enduring every day and what you are going through.  I also had a hard time maintaining my weight, very frequent diarrhea, and was also put on Entocort for about a month.  I never felt a difference with the Entocort but I have heard some people respond well to it.  If you don't feel any difference after a couple of weeks, give your doc a call and see what he says; he may have an alternative.  Unfortunately, with all cases of Crohn's, everyone varies in their reaction time to medications so it's hard to say how long it might take.  I know it can be frustrating. :(

I never could stop my diarrhea no matter what I took and I hope someone else on here can offer you some help with that.  That part was always the biggest nuisance to me.  I felt like I lived in the bathroom.  The weight loss is no fun either and scary as well.  All of this went away for me when I was put on Remicade, then Humira.  

Has your doctor discussed this type of medication with you?  It's very successful and worth the risk for some who desperately need the relief.