I have CD/UC. I tried Azacol and switched to Colazal with a new GI. I will not take pred because I am diabetic and the pred attacked my pancreas. I did Remicade till I broke out in hives during the infusion, switched Humira till it quick working. I hope to start Low Dose Naltrexone tomorrow. Look up www.ldninfo.org and see what you think.

Best of luck to you!

Hi Mike,

I took Prednisone for about 6 weeks. It worked wonders for me and I saw improvement during the first week. I have not been well since. Right now I am on Asacol, Rowesa, and Entocort. My doctor is trying to find what else may work for me because he says that if you can aviod oral prednisone its better due to long term side effects. I have to say that after the night I just had I would be happy to take it again! I was symptom free while taking it.

Started off with Flagyl which helped. can't take Asacol (hives/rash). Took Colazal, don't really know if it helped or not. Was on the Pred 3 times. Always works like a charm, but the side effects are less than grand. i now take Imuran but my Dr. recently brought up Humira so we'll see.

As far as foods go, I avoid anything deep fried and greasy. I also will not eat wheat products. I try my darnedest to avoid sugar (which is like crack!) but that's a hard one for me. I've limited my dairy consumption to skim milk, fat free plain yogurt and dry cheeses. Lean meats and poultry are OK. Anything full fat gets me! I'm lucky that I can eat lots of fruits and veggies (raw or cooked).

Hope that helps!

I don't like taking prednisone. It gave me more bad side effects than benefit. I have been off prednisone for a few months. I'm on Humira and it's causing me to lose hair. Afterall, these meds are not to cure the disease but to only treat the symptoms. I'm now taking more natural supplements such as probiotics and intestinal soothing herbs. They help.

The trouble with Prednisone is that it doesn't have a lasting effect once you are no longer taking it, and taking it long-term is no longer considered advisable because of the long-term effects on the body, which can be quite serious. We're all probably too aware of short-term side effects, the ones we have when taking Pred, but the long-term damage is pretty scary. The goal of most GIs now seems to be to keep trying alternate meds once a flare is calmed down (often with Prednisone) until one is found that works for each individual. I didn't even get much relief of my flare with Prednisone, so my doc doesn't even think of it as a useful short-term drug for me. Currently taking Remicade, which is working but not totally back to normal, and I avoid really greasy food, beer/wine, and cut way down on fried food, try to limit wheat.

I have Crohn's and the only steroid I am willing to take is Entocort. I refused to take predniseone because it makes me NUTS and I will eat EVERYTHING. I am one of the lucky Crohnies that is short for my weight.

Entocort (which I am no longer taking), Pentasa and Remicade are working for me.

Don't some of the withdrawl symptoms of the prednisone mimic flare?

Each person is different on what foods makes them hurt, the one thing that is a big problem for most people with crohns is any kind of nuts..I love them but don't like to pay the price of the problems. I can no longer eat things with mustard and things like steak sauces. I can eat meat where most say they can't. One big factor is to chew your food really well and it helps a bunch! chew it to a pulp, that way it makes less work for the intestines to digest food, hope this helps some.

Mike, since this is your first flare in years that is a great sign. There should be no rush to start you on many drugs or a more intense treatment. If this only happens every three years consider yourself lucky and try to stay away from any further treatment. also prednisone reacts differently yo almost everyone. It's not a cure but seems to work the best. The only problem is that you can only stay on it for a short time without major side effects. Again, consider yourself lucky and continue to enjoy life...rob

Sorry to hear about the flare! Hope it goes away soon. I had a flare this year after 2 years remission. It went on for 10 weeks or so. Asacol made it worse. Rowasa did nothing. I went on the specific carbohydrate diet for 10-11 days (that's all I could take on it, as I felt worn out and tired). I took Flax oil 1,000 mg tabs two a day. I took probiotics and ate greek yogurt. I even made my own yogurt as directed in the SCD diet book (less lactose sugar that way). I took a few immodium for when company was coming over, and it seemed to help in a pinch. Symptoms gradually faded. I think for me it was eliminating sugar/soy/wheat for 10-11 days, taking flax oil (an anti-inflammatory), the probiotics, and stopping what made it worse (for me asacol made it much worse). Also, I listened to hypnosis tapes for anxiety and tried to get more rest. I think looking at the big picture like that sometimes helps. What do you think triggered your flare? I think my flare was triggered by having a baby (hormone changes), stress/insomnia, and antibiotics I took in the hospital. But who really knows...Good luck! (((hugs))) Hope you feel better soon!!!!