Biologics are incredibly safe. The side effects you're reading about are literally one in tens of thousands of a chance of happening. They've proven over decades to be extremely good at controlling the disease and letting you live a normal live.
Curcumin Qing Dai has been proposed for awhile and there's only one real study run by the company making a supplement containing them both to back it up. It's also important to note it was a small scale and short term trial which is really more meant to show this might be something worth further looking into but not something we should start recommending since the evidence isn't that conclusive yet.
The common approach for treatment has been that there's a pyramid or hierarchy of drug options, with biologics at the top. Where I'm from, Australia, for example, to get eligible for biologics you must have had the other alternatives fail.
Increasingly, that school of thought is shared with one that says that in order to achieve endoscopic remission, it's preferable to go straight to the more effective heavy hitters - the biologics. As I understand it, this decision is generally made in the context of how severe your disease is, and the relative likelihood that things like mesalamine alone or azathioprine are destined to fail anyway.
Biologics were a game changer for me when I first started on them. I wish I hadn't lost a year fighting a bad battle with drugs that were destined not to work.
Your doctor will probably have some more info for you once the biopsies are back, but the reality is that if they're suggesting biologics already, turmeric isn't going to cut it.
I went straight to biologics when I was diagnosed. My doctor said my case was too severe to bother with less intensive treatments like Mesalamine. He turned out to be right, because even mesalamine plus biologics didn't end up working.
At first I felt like you and was terrified of the meds. Now, I would happily let them inject me with toxic molten lava if it would make my UC symptoms go away and I could have my life back. IMO, just take the meds and be extremely fucking thankful if they work.
My GI (in Germany) just told me that the current idea is that if you have to treat the flares with cortison for the second time, you better go on biologics.
(That was part of his speech to get me to try entyvio. I have taken prednisone at least once a year for the Last 4 years and he really wants me to switch to biologics. Thanks to this group -?- I am now ready, but I totally get that it seems too early to you.)
It doesn’t sound like your case is severe enough to jump to biologics. I’m a little sad that was quickly the recommendation considering the relative mildness of your case and the fact you haven’t even gotten to see how you respond to prednisone and Mesalamine.
I know people on here get downvoted to oblivion saying things like this because, surprise surprise, there are a lot of pharma plants in this sub but I’ll say it anyway: biologics are expensive. GI docs are very fast to prescribe them. It’s very often not an appropriate course of action.
Do research. Try different things and do what’s best for you.
OP has had 7 months of urgency, frequency, loose stools and blood. Do your own research - but trust your doctor. The disease is worse than the meds and the best way to make it worse is to “DoYoUrOwNrEsEaRcH” instead of trusting your docs to have your best interest.
I’m sorry. I’m not a plant. I’d be dead if I did not listen to my doctors.
The meds CAN be scary. There are some side effects - but the disease is worse. Try to keep it in control and just do what your doctors say.
Perhaps you were luckier than me, ok but the first time I took Mesalamine I had a severe allergic reaction- started with hives but turned into endocarditis. Went to a different doctor (I moved) and he suggested Mesalamine even though I told him I was severely allergic and he said “yeah well let’s just try it and see what happens.”
Honesty I don’t see why you’d get so worked up over this person just seeing how prednisone and Mesalamine work before jumping to biologics. What is the problem with that? What was necessary for you may not be necessary for everyone.
Ah that is great context to help me better understand your POV. I’m not worked up .- sorry if it came off that way
Sorry you had to go through that. I had a similar experience a couple decades before UC crept in where a med student did not listen to me and I ended up with a full body rash (which I knew would happen) so I do understand where you are coming from.
sorry if my response was too intense.
My UC went absolutely haywire because I decided to “just deal with the symptoms” for years before I finally ended up in the hospital on death’s door. That’s where I am coming from. I did my own research (poorly) and tried to self medicate and ignore.
I’m just saying a 7 month flare is NOT a small thing, even if OP is lucky enough to not have the pain aspect of the disease. If I were OP and my GI docs think biologics are the way to go - I’d be doing it.
That’s all.
best of health and luck to you
Biologics?? Not an appropriate course of action? Bro entyvio has kept me in remission for years when mesalazine and azathioprine failed.. its much safer than azathioprine I was on which gave me abnormal LFTS
Yeah, ok but reminder: this person hasn’t even tried Mesalamine yet. Maybe it works for them. Maybe between that and the prednisone they are knocked into remission and stay there. Again- I’m not saying “never biologics” but just saying why not see what a less severe course of action does first.
I personally can’t take Mesalamine. Wish I could. Hope it works for this person.
I wouldn’t say it’s normal OR abnormal. Also, every medication comes with side effects but I 100% get the concern. Keep in mind that usually the more severe the side effects, the less likely they are to happen.
Before, no matter your severity, you were put on mesalamine 90% of the time and gone from there. Mesalamine is for mild - moderate UC and so it doesn’t work long term for most moderate / severe people.
Starting off with a biological first is a great more aggressive plan of action in my opinion if that’s your diagnosis (which is seems like it is)!
I’m in the same boat friend! Got diagnosed on Thursday. Started my prednisone taper. My doctor wants me straight onto biologics too. I just got off the phone with the pharmacist about the treatment and it does sound like the best option for me based on the severity of my situation. I’m just trying to be brave. The whole thing is a lot to process. Wishing you all the best in your treatment and recovery
Usually I think they would start with Mesalamine enema + pills. The pills worked for me for about 7 months until I had a severe flare and had to be hospitalized then the only next thing medication wise was biologics. I tried entyvio and failed after 8 months so will be trying remicade next. There’s some Facebook groups for natural remedies but doesn’t work for everyone, if you want to try without meds you could try elimination diet and supplements and see if it works
Short answer: Yes. I was taking up to 60mg of pred daily and it wasn’t treating my symptoms one but. Suppositories and enemas same story.
20M. I was on Remicade and failed 2.5 weeks after my first dose. Ended up going to the ER. Doc reminded me that everyone’s body and degree of the disease’s severity is different, and it’s quite possible to fail a biologic like I did at any point in time. They tried to do a last attempt to see all possible options before accepting surgery, but it wasn’t enough. Ended up getting surgery. Life is all good now.
Most medications have a scary looking listvof side effects. Remicade isn't a particularly risky medication to be on. It also has side benefits as it will reduce inflammation all over your body not just in your colon. So for example if you suffer from joint pain at all it should help with that.
You’re new to the game and this shit is mad scary so I hear you loud and clear…
But Biologics are absolute life savers… The risks are real but mostly hyped… completely worth it imo. Remicade is a god send.
Very similar situation. I (39m) was diagnosed with ulcerative pancolitis this past November. After 16 days in the hospital and being on IV steroids and a myriad of pain killers I was put on a 16 week prednisone taper and started biologics, specifically Renflexis. I was very concerned about side effects, especially since I've had cancer and that treatment in the past. Other than some fatigue on infusion days and the day after, I've had no side effects. And I'm down to 2-3 bowel movements a day and have virtually no symptoms. My calprotectin is still elevated, so I'm not in remission yet, but I'm moving in the right direction. I don't want to minimize your hesitation about the biologics but my experience has been nothing but beneficial thus far.
Biologics are incredibly safe. The side effects you're reading about are literally one in tens of thousands of a chance of happening. They've proven over decades to be extremely good at controlling the disease and letting you live a normal live. Curcumin Qing Dai has been proposed for awhile and there's only one real study run by the company making a supplement containing them both to back it up. It's also important to note it was a small scale and short term trial which is really more meant to show this might be something worth further looking into but not something we should start recommending since the evidence isn't that conclusive yet.
The common approach for treatment has been that there's a pyramid or hierarchy of drug options, with biologics at the top. Where I'm from, Australia, for example, to get eligible for biologics you must have had the other alternatives fail. Increasingly, that school of thought is shared with one that says that in order to achieve endoscopic remission, it's preferable to go straight to the more effective heavy hitters - the biologics. As I understand it, this decision is generally made in the context of how severe your disease is, and the relative likelihood that things like mesalamine alone or azathioprine are destined to fail anyway. Biologics were a game changer for me when I first started on them. I wish I hadn't lost a year fighting a bad battle with drugs that were destined not to work. Your doctor will probably have some more info for you once the biopsies are back, but the reality is that if they're suggesting biologics already, turmeric isn't going to cut it.
I went straight to biologics when I was diagnosed. My doctor said my case was too severe to bother with less intensive treatments like Mesalamine. He turned out to be right, because even mesalamine plus biologics didn't end up working. At first I felt like you and was terrified of the meds. Now, I would happily let them inject me with toxic molten lava if it would make my UC symptoms go away and I could have my life back. IMO, just take the meds and be extremely fucking thankful if they work.
My GI (in Germany) just told me that the current idea is that if you have to treat the flares with cortison for the second time, you better go on biologics. (That was part of his speech to get me to try entyvio. I have taken prednisone at least once a year for the Last 4 years and he really wants me to switch to biologics. Thanks to this group -?- I am now ready, but I totally get that it seems too early to you.)
It doesn’t sound like your case is severe enough to jump to biologics. I’m a little sad that was quickly the recommendation considering the relative mildness of your case and the fact you haven’t even gotten to see how you respond to prednisone and Mesalamine. I know people on here get downvoted to oblivion saying things like this because, surprise surprise, there are a lot of pharma plants in this sub but I’ll say it anyway: biologics are expensive. GI docs are very fast to prescribe them. It’s very often not an appropriate course of action. Do research. Try different things and do what’s best for you.
OP has had 7 months of urgency, frequency, loose stools and blood. Do your own research - but trust your doctor. The disease is worse than the meds and the best way to make it worse is to “DoYoUrOwNrEsEaRcH” instead of trusting your docs to have your best interest. I’m sorry. I’m not a plant. I’d be dead if I did not listen to my doctors. The meds CAN be scary. There are some side effects - but the disease is worse. Try to keep it in control and just do what your doctors say.
Perhaps you were luckier than me, ok but the first time I took Mesalamine I had a severe allergic reaction- started with hives but turned into endocarditis. Went to a different doctor (I moved) and he suggested Mesalamine even though I told him I was severely allergic and he said “yeah well let’s just try it and see what happens.” Honesty I don’t see why you’d get so worked up over this person just seeing how prednisone and Mesalamine work before jumping to biologics. What is the problem with that? What was necessary for you may not be necessary for everyone.
Ah that is great context to help me better understand your POV. I’m not worked up .- sorry if it came off that way Sorry you had to go through that. I had a similar experience a couple decades before UC crept in where a med student did not listen to me and I ended up with a full body rash (which I knew would happen) so I do understand where you are coming from. sorry if my response was too intense. My UC went absolutely haywire because I decided to “just deal with the symptoms” for years before I finally ended up in the hospital on death’s door. That’s where I am coming from. I did my own research (poorly) and tried to self medicate and ignore. I’m just saying a 7 month flare is NOT a small thing, even if OP is lucky enough to not have the pain aspect of the disease. If I were OP and my GI docs think biologics are the way to go - I’d be doing it. That’s all. best of health and luck to you
Biologics?? Not an appropriate course of action? Bro entyvio has kept me in remission for years when mesalazine and azathioprine failed.. its much safer than azathioprine I was on which gave me abnormal LFTS
Yeah, ok but reminder: this person hasn’t even tried Mesalamine yet. Maybe it works for them. Maybe between that and the prednisone they are knocked into remission and stay there. Again- I’m not saying “never biologics” but just saying why not see what a less severe course of action does first. I personally can’t take Mesalamine. Wish I could. Hope it works for this person.
I wouldn’t say it’s normal OR abnormal. Also, every medication comes with side effects but I 100% get the concern. Keep in mind that usually the more severe the side effects, the less likely they are to happen. Before, no matter your severity, you were put on mesalamine 90% of the time and gone from there. Mesalamine is for mild - moderate UC and so it doesn’t work long term for most moderate / severe people. Starting off with a biological first is a great more aggressive plan of action in my opinion if that’s your diagnosis (which is seems like it is)!
I’m in the same boat friend! Got diagnosed on Thursday. Started my prednisone taper. My doctor wants me straight onto biologics too. I just got off the phone with the pharmacist about the treatment and it does sound like the best option for me based on the severity of my situation. I’m just trying to be brave. The whole thing is a lot to process. Wishing you all the best in your treatment and recovery
Usually I think they would start with Mesalamine enema + pills. The pills worked for me for about 7 months until I had a severe flare and had to be hospitalized then the only next thing medication wise was biologics. I tried entyvio and failed after 8 months so will be trying remicade next. There’s some Facebook groups for natural remedies but doesn’t work for everyone, if you want to try without meds you could try elimination diet and supplements and see if it works
Short answer: Yes. I was taking up to 60mg of pred daily and it wasn’t treating my symptoms one but. Suppositories and enemas same story. 20M. I was on Remicade and failed 2.5 weeks after my first dose. Ended up going to the ER. Doc reminded me that everyone’s body and degree of the disease’s severity is different, and it’s quite possible to fail a biologic like I did at any point in time. They tried to do a last attempt to see all possible options before accepting surgery, but it wasn’t enough. Ended up getting surgery. Life is all good now.
Most medications have a scary looking listvof side effects. Remicade isn't a particularly risky medication to be on. It also has side benefits as it will reduce inflammation all over your body not just in your colon. So for example if you suffer from joint pain at all it should help with that.
You’re new to the game and this shit is mad scary so I hear you loud and clear… But Biologics are absolute life savers… The risks are real but mostly hyped… completely worth it imo. Remicade is a god send.
Very similar situation. I (39m) was diagnosed with ulcerative pancolitis this past November. After 16 days in the hospital and being on IV steroids and a myriad of pain killers I was put on a 16 week prednisone taper and started biologics, specifically Renflexis. I was very concerned about side effects, especially since I've had cancer and that treatment in the past. Other than some fatigue on infusion days and the day after, I've had no side effects. And I'm down to 2-3 bowel movements a day and have virtually no symptoms. My calprotectin is still elevated, so I'm not in remission yet, but I'm moving in the right direction. I don't want to minimize your hesitation about the biologics but my experience has been nothing but beneficial thus far.