Fred's UC flare up

[Guest guest]

Happy New Year everyone! Hope and pray for progress on the PSC front

(and all its accompanying problems!)

Speaking of, Fred was doing so well but two weeks he started having

another UC flare up. He had lowered his steroid dose a little faster

than the dr. wanted him to, and was only taking 6 Asacol instead of the

9 a day he should have been taking. He'd been watching his diet pretty

carefully though; very little fat. And he cut out the yogurt he was

eating (type of yogurt specifically recommended for UC patients). So who

knows if the faster reduction of steroids combined with the lower dose

Asacol, and/or yoghurt caused this or not.

He's upped the steroids to 20 mg. a day from the 5 mg. he was on, and is

back on the 9 Asacol (as of two weeks ago). He's also taking pretty

powerful probiotics - started at two packets of the VSL#3 a day 12 days

ago. For the last five days he's been taking four packets a day. There's

been no improvement, and things are actually a little worse. See info on

VSL#3 at: http://www.crohns.net/page/C/PROD/VSL4000.

If anyone can relate or offer suggestions/advice, we'll take it! He's

very frustrated and somewhat discouraged. Is doing everything he knows

to do. I told him the research on VSL#3 says it could take a month to

see improvement, but it's not fast enough for him!

BTW, interestingly, his liver enzymes over the last few months when he's

had really bad UC, have been NORMAL. They have not been normal in over a

year, even on high dose Actigal (Urso). Anyone else have that happen?

Wife of Frustrated Fred, PSC 03/04, UC 03/06