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I was diagnosed with LC last Friday and my GI gave me a script for Entocort. I read up on Entocort, and found that it stopped watery diarrhea. I had only started the watery diarrhea a week before being diagnosed with LC, but I was glad to see a med that could stop it! HOWEVER, here is my dilemma. While waiting for the Entocort to be filled, which takes a few days, I started to take Imodium. Not a lot, just 1 or 2 pills every other day. But what a difference! No more watery diarrhea, just 2 or 3 bowel movements a day. Some mild cramping just before going, but the stools were formed, although very soft. Now, what do I do? I'm not really wild about taking Entocort at all and I am not 100% sure that the Imodium is what is stopping the watery diarrhea. I haven't changed my diet/pills much in the last few days except for two vitamins that I no longer take. So, should I still keep with the Imodium? Or take the Entocort? Which med will give me the least amount of side effects/reactions? I want to explore my diet and sensitivities through the Enterolabs, but won't have the money till probably next month. Suggestions, please? Thanks!
Mandy
What to do?
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Mandy,
IMO, just about any OTC medication is safer than just about any prescription drug, especially when you're comparing an OTC anti-diarrheal with a corticosteroid. If I were in your shoes, I would wait on taking the Entocort, to see if I actually needed it. At some point, you might, but that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. I would take the Imodium as needed. Imodium has a very good track record among the members of this board. I am one of only a few members here who have ever had any problems with it - it makes me dizzy, so I had to discontinue taking it, but most of us never have that problem. A few members have had to reduce the dosage, to prevent C, but that's a minor issue, and simply shows that it does indeed work.
If you were not planning to adopt diet changes, my advice might be different, but diet beats drugs any day, (for both long-term safety and effectiveness), so it's a clear choice, in most cases. You can always add Entocort to the mix later, if you feel that it's needed, but IMO, I wouldn't choose to use a drug unless there was a good reason to use it. At least, that's how I see it.
Tex
IMO, just about any OTC medication is safer than just about any prescription drug, especially when you're comparing an OTC anti-diarrheal with a corticosteroid. If I were in your shoes, I would wait on taking the Entocort, to see if I actually needed it. At some point, you might, but that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. I would take the Imodium as needed. Imodium has a very good track record among the members of this board. I am one of only a few members here who have ever had any problems with it - it makes me dizzy, so I had to discontinue taking it, but most of us never have that problem. A few members have had to reduce the dosage, to prevent C, but that's a minor issue, and simply shows that it does indeed work.
If you were not planning to adopt diet changes, my advice might be different, but diet beats drugs any day, (for both long-term safety and effectiveness), so it's a clear choice, in most cases. You can always add Entocort to the mix later, if you feel that it's needed, but IMO, I wouldn't choose to use a drug unless there was a good reason to use it. At least, that's how I see it.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Dear Mandy,
I agree with Tex. If the Imodium handles the D for you, I'd stick with that, and diet changes. The Enterolab tests are very helpful at determining sensitivities. If it were me, I would go ahead and eliminate all gluten right away, even before the Enterolab testing, because they can still detect gluten sensitivity for a year or more after you stop eating it.
Martha
I agree with Tex. If the Imodium handles the D for you, I'd stick with that, and diet changes. The Enterolab tests are very helpful at determining sensitivities. If it were me, I would go ahead and eliminate all gluten right away, even before the Enterolab testing, because they can still detect gluten sensitivity for a year or more after you stop eating it.
Martha
Martha
Hi Mandy,
We all seem to have varying stories where Entocort is concerned, but for me it has worked pretty well. About nine months after a diagnosis of LC, I am on 3mg/day, which I supplement with Imodium every second or third day, but double up on if I have to travel, or am going to be in a situation in which I want a little security.
I feel like Entocort has really settled my bowel down--I don't feel nearly the "burn" that I sometimes used to feel, nor do I have the frequency of loud gurgling/rumbling. But, I have recently changed my probiotic, and feel like that has made a difference also. I have tried switching off to Colazal, but that hasn't worked nearly as well.
I have not--yet--had Enterolab testing, though I haven't ruled it out either.
We all seem to have varying stories where Entocort is concerned, but for me it has worked pretty well. About nine months after a diagnosis of LC, I am on 3mg/day, which I supplement with Imodium every second or third day, but double up on if I have to travel, or am going to be in a situation in which I want a little security.
I feel like Entocort has really settled my bowel down--I don't feel nearly the "burn" that I sometimes used to feel, nor do I have the frequency of loud gurgling/rumbling. But, I have recently changed my probiotic, and feel like that has made a difference also. I have tried switching off to Colazal, but that hasn't worked nearly as well.
I have not--yet--had Enterolab testing, though I haven't ruled it out either.
Suze