Remicade vs colon removal?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone!

Have not posted in a loong time, just lurking now and then. I have a

decision to make and I am tossed.

Just an update first; I am 3 yrs post trans. and about 1 1/2 yrs.

after trans. my colitis started to flair. I have been on prednisone

and sulfazalazine plus imuran to try to settle it down.

Nothing seems to work and I'm having a terrible time with the

uurgentcy issue (if ya know what I mean). Well I've had enough and

have asked if they would be willing to try Remicade., both my Dr.'s

have agreed.

I had to see a Respiroligist 1st because all my TB test are always

positive and he put me on INH pills to prevent the disease if it

decided to invade my lungs while on the Remicade.

The problem I'm having is I've had colitis for over 20 yrs now and

have had 1 pre cancerous biopsy and am worried I'll go thru all the

infusions and still end up with colon cancer or do I just protect

myself and have the surgery now?

I'm finding it hard to decide because mentally I don't think I'm

ready for another major surgery so soon and don't know if I could

handle not having my colon.

What I'm looking for is some 1st hand knowledge from people who've

been there done that and others who's opinion I would aprreciate.

Thanks for listening

Debbi B.

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbi;

This must be a tough decision. Can I recommend that you read these

articles and discuss them with your doctors ... they may help with

your decision:

Mor IJ, Vogel JD, da Luz Moreira A, Shen B, Hammel J, Remzi FH.

Infliximab in Ulcerative Colitis is Associated with an Increased Risk

of Postoperative Complications After Restorative Proctocolectomy.

Dis Colon Rectum. 2008 Jun 7. [Epub ahead of print]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18536964

Aratari A, Papi C, Clemente V, Moretti A, Luchetti R, Koch M, Capurso

L, Caprilli R. Colectomy rate in acute severe ulcerative colitis in

the infliximab era. Dig Liver Dis. 2008 May 8. [Epub ahead of print]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18472316

(remicade = infliximab)

Best regards,

Dave

(father of (23); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)

[Guest guest]

:

Thank you for reference to those articles, I ended up reading pretty

well everything there.

The articles were a great help and gives me alot of questions that

need to be asked.

Thank you again

Debbi B.

> Hi Debbi;

>

> This must be a tough decision. Can I recommend that you read these

> articles and discuss them with your doctors ... they may help with

> your decision:

>

> Best regards,

>

> Dave

> (father of (23); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)

>

[Guest guest]

-Ruth:

Thank you for your response and I will take your experince going the

surgery route with me back to the Dr's with all my new questions.

No I did not see Sex in the City, could not get into the story line to

keep up with it. One of a few I quess.

Thank you again.

Debbi B.

-- In , " Ruth Blatt " wrote:

>

> Debbie,

>

> I'm sorry to hear your colitis symptoms are difficult. I know

> _exactly_ how you feel, the urgency was terrible for me as well. Did

> you see Sex and the City? >

) "

> wrote:

> Well I've had enough and

> > have asked if they would be willing to try Remicade., both my Dr.'s

> > have agreed.

>

[Guest guest]

-Ruth:

Thank you for your response and I will take your experince going the

surgery route with me back to the Dr's with all my new questions.

No I did not see Sex in the City, could not get into the story line to

keep up with it. One of a few I quess.

Thank you again.

Debbi B.

-- In , " Ruth Blatt " wrote:

>

> Debbie,

>

> I'm sorry to hear your colitis symptoms are difficult. I know

> _exactly_ how you feel, the urgency was terrible for me as well. Did

> you see Sex and the City? >

) "

> wrote:

> Well I've had enough and

> > have asked if they would be willing to try Remicade., both my Dr.'s

> > have agreed.

>

[Guest guest]

-Ruth:

Thank you for your response and I will take your experince going the

surgery route with me back to the Dr's with all my new questions.

No I did not see Sex in the City, could not get into the story line to

keep up with it. One of a few I quess.

Thank you again.

Debbi B.

-- In , " Ruth Blatt " wrote:

>

> Debbie,

>

> I'm sorry to hear your colitis symptoms are difficult. I know

> _exactly_ how you feel, the urgency was terrible for me as well. Did

> you see Sex and the City? >

) "

> wrote:

> Well I've had enough and

> > have asked if they would be willing to try Remicade., both my Dr.'s

> > have agreed.

>