At the end of my rope with UC

[battlecat]

Hello.  Since April 2011, I have had major issues concerning my digestive tract. Well, I consider them major since I didn't really have this stuff happen to me prior.  I began to go to the bathroom over 12 times a day, and all of those times was bloody/mucus.  I had a lot of pain, and waited about 1 month before I went to see a doctor.  I have had 3 colonoscopies since April.  I was having pain on my right side above my belly button, so the dr. thought it was Crohn's.  After the 3rd colonoscopy the dr ruled out Crohn's and said I had UC. I was on steroid for 4 months along with Asacol, Canasa.  Every time the steroid was finished my symptoms would come right back.  I have not been in remission yet since April.  I am tired of taking medicine that is not helping.  I am literally tired, I was unable to sleep b/c of meds, and I am still bleeding every time I use the bathroom.  I am constantly pooping on myself.  I keep hearing of how people with UC live normal lives, but my life has been far from normal.  I am only 34.  The dr said they are not going to prescribe me steroid anymore, so I will have to go on the next level of meds.  The one's that interrupt your immune system, can cause cancer and I will have to come to hospital for regular blood testing.  I am a little irritated with the medical field b/c everytime I went to see dr they never once asked me what I was eating!  I am left to stop taking my meds, changing my diet, and praying for the best....at the end of my rope.....

[Nitemare1]

Well it makes me ill hearing about another person in my world and I've been in it for 18. You would think by now with the Millions of dollars in research something would come about. Then like any decease somebody with big money invested as in cancer if they beat it billions of dollars would be lost by those making it, but this doesn't help you now. Ok when you are taking your Prednezone are you increasing your intake of Asacol as well? Now from my own personnel observations, I took a incrementally lowering dose of Prednezone starting at 70 mg per day for three days then lowering by 10 mg every three days. If bleeding restarted at a low dose I would automatically go back to the higher dose and start again. My Family Dr. trusted my reasoning and always gave me a couple repeats so I virtually did my own dosages. At the same time I would increase my Asacol to 4 tabs 3 times per day, so by the time I had the bleeding under control the Diahria would usually stop as well. I would continue this dosage until I felt I may be getting constipated the drop down to 8 per day and use some stool softeners just to make sure. If my stool started to soften more than I felt it should I stopped the stool softeners and after a couple days if it was still too soft then I would increase again to 10. It was at this point I realized Asacol was no longer working so he changed me to Pentasa 10 years ago and has been fairly normal since except after my bad car accident when I discovered it can be treated from both ends. I took 9 Pentasa per day and a Pentasa enima at night from my bottom end. Now I'm down to six Pentasa tablet per day every day and at the first sign of Diiarhia I use a Pentasa Enima at night for about four nights and I'm right as rain. I really hope this is helpful to you, I'm not used to typing this much but you do sound desperate, oh and just a reminder do not eat Pepermints or anything related in any way. That too is a no no for me lol. If you have any question I can help with feel free Good Luck
Rick

[hava]

Yes pranayam is part of yog. It is the duration of the pranayam(breathing technique) that is important and builds up the immune system.So you need to do kapalbhati for 30 minutes, twice a day. When UC is active, do it very gently.

[battlecat]

Hello,

Thank you for your response.  Is this breathing technique like yoga?

[hava]

Initially take the immuno suppressing medicine to control UC. Also start this alternative technique to build up your immune system.You will know when the UC is in control and then think about reducing/stopping your medicine.
Have pommegranate juice daily to calm the colon.If you eat the fruit to get the juice, then discard the seeds after chewing.
This works gradually, so allow months to notice the benefit.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati pranayam -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
November 13, 2011

[battlecat]

and to add to matters, the burning pain has not gone away on my right side.  I have been looking up symptoms for upper right abdominal pain.  I am wondering why my doctor has not been concerned with this. Just to be quite honest I am not too fond of dr right now.  I feel like a test dummy for medicine, and nothing more.  I will say they have been trying to get me to do the stomach x-ray thing, but I refuse to drink that nasty stuff.  In the matter of 6 months I had to get 2 CAT scans and drink that nasty stuff, plus the nasty stuff I had to drink to get the 3 colonoscopys!  I am just not mentally nor physically ready to go through some more nastiness.  I just might be hard headed.  Someone please help me.