Just checking in

[JMulkey]

Hi all :) Well, thought I'd let you all know what's up with me. I've gone gluten free, well, at least I think I have, so much has hidden gluten. But at least I'm trying. It's been about four weeks now and I've since gone off of the Entecort, and in two weeks, back to D every day. Then went back on for a few days, two pills, am now down to one a day, and GF, and doing pretty good, but only have 8 of them left, and that's it for the rest of the year, I can't afford to buy them. Woke up this morning sicker than a dog! What a horrid way to spend Easter! Nausea, headache, my head fills dense. Can't really describe it. All I had for breakfast was some tea and GF toast. We had tacos last night, but with corn tortillas. From what I read, nothing had gluten in it. But boy I feel awful :( Took a Lortab last night because I was in pain (lupus and fibromyalgia). I'm wondering if the Lortab has anything to do with it?

I really don't understand all the why for's on the ibuprofen causing the D, but man do I need to take some :(

Anyway, I'll start every other day with the Entecort tomorrow. Don't have a choice, D or no D I can't afford any more. Then all I have to fall back on is Prednisone...which I really do NOT want to take. But may have to rely on it a little. I just cannot function at all with this D. I can't go anywhere, can't do much, the pain in my left upper abdomen becomes breath-taking literally.

Anyway, that's where I am. Hope you had a great Easter for those of you who observe. For those of you who don't, I hope you had a great day :)

[tex]

Hi,

It takes longer than a few weeks for the intestines to heal, so that is probably why you relapse, whenever you stop taking the Entocort EC. Most members find it necessary to use Entocort for 6 months to a year, before they can successfully wean off it, without any problems.

Lortab, (acetaminophen and hydrocodone), is generally pretty safe for someone with MC to take, so I'm wondering if you might have caught some sort of "bug", that is causing you to feel so badly today.

There are certain medications that can interact with the acetaminophen in Lortab, to cause certain adverse symptoms such as you describe. They are:

Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, (Elavil, Etrafon), clomipramine, (Anafranil), imipramine, (Janimine, Tofranil), and others;

MAO, (MonoAmine Oxidase), inhibitors, such as isocarboxazid, (Marplan), phenelzine, (Nardil), rasagiline, (Azilect), selegiline, (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine, (Parnate);

Atropine, (Donnatal, and others), benztropine, (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate, (Dramamine), glycopyrrolate, (Robinul), mepenzolate, (Cantil), methscopolamine, (Pamine), or scopolamine, (Transderm-Scop);

Bladder or urinary medications, such as darifenacin, (Enablex), flavoxate, (Urispas), oxybutynin, (Ditropan, Oxytrol), tolterodine, (Detrol), or solifenacin,(Vesicare);

Bronchodilators, such as ipratropium, (Atrovent), or tiotropium, (Spiriva);

IBS, (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), medications, such as dicyclomine, (Bentyl), hyoscyamine, (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline, (Pro-Banthine).

If you're taking any of those, it's possible that this could be the cause of your symptoms, today, though it would be unusual for the symptoms to be so severe, from only a single dose of Lortab.

Are you aware that you can order a generic form of budesonide, (the active ingredient in Entocort EC), for 45 cents per capsule? That price is dirt cheap, compared with other suppliers. I believe that at least a couple of members here have ordered from them.

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/

I hope you start feeling much better, soon. If one Entocort capsule per day controls your symptoms, (along with the diet), you may need to maintain that dosage until your gut heals some more, and then the diet can take over from there.

Thanks for the update. It's always good to learn how members are doing with their treatment, because this feedback provides valuable information for newbies.

Tex