worried about weaning off budenofalk

Discussions on the details of treatment programs using either diet, medications, or a combination of the two, can take place here.

Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh

Post Reply
Julie
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguin
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:03 am
Location: Belgium

worried about weaning off budenofalk

Post by Julie »

Hi everybody,

I have to wean off budenofalk and I'm worried. Are there any side effects to expect? I hope not.

Do you feel sick when you wean off entocort? I took it since July 3 a day. Today was the first time I took 2 pills instead of three. Do you guys go immediatly to 2 a day or do you do one day 3 and then the next 2 and then 3 and then 2? How did you feel?

Greetings

Julie
It doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up en go for it again. HOPE !!!!
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Hi Julie,

Budenofalk is not like the other corticosteroids. Normally it does not cause withdrawal symptoms the way that the other corticosteroids do. If you took it for several years, you might notice some withdrawal symptoms, but they would be nothing like the severe withdrawal symptoms of the other cortoicosteroids.

That said, we have found that there seems to be a rebound effect when the use of budenofalk is discontinued. It appears that withdrawing from the drug too rabidly may cause an increase in mast cell numbers, which causes additional inflammation. Most of the members here find that they are much less likely to suffer a relapse of symptoms if they taper the dosage of budenofalk very slowly — the slower the better.

The rate at which the initial reduction in the dosage from 3 to 2 capsules per day is made, doesn't seem to matter, but as the dosage is further reduced from there, taking longer to make the transition between stages will help to prevent a relapse. In other words, when dropping from 2 to 1 capsule per day, instead of simply dropping the dose to 1 capsule per day, alternate between 2 per day and one per day for a week or so before settling on 1 capsule per day.

Even more important is making the transition from 1 capsule per day to none. Take one every other day for a couple of weeks and then take one every third day for a couple of weeks or so, then one every fourth day for a couple of weeks or so, etc. The longer you take to wean off the drug, the better your chances of successfully remaining in remission.

The point is, you will not have any withdrawal symptoms from budenofalk, no matter how fast you reduce the dosage. After using it for only a few months, you could probably stop taking it in one day, and not have any withdrawal symptoms. However, the faster you reduce the dosage, the higher your chances of a relapse of MC symptoms.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Julie
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguin
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:03 am
Location: Belgium

Post by Julie »

HI Tex,

thanks for your reply. Meanwhile, I'm in the hospital because of an infection to my stomach. I had to stop Budenofalk completely (from 3 a day to zero in only one day). Are you sure that I won't have whithdraw symptoms? The notice says that I will have these symptoms. I'm so worried.

Julie
It doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up en go for it again. HOPE !!!!
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Hi Julie,

I'm sorry to hear that an infection has put you in the hospital. If you've only been taking budenofalk for a few months, there is no reason why you would have withdrawal symptoms. If that were to happen, you would be the first person on record to have that problem. You would have to take it for a year or more to have any significant withdrawal symptoms. Now if you had been taking some other corticosteroid (instead of budenofalk), then you might have withdrawal symptoms, but not with oral budenofalk.

I hope your doctors can stop the infection quickly. Did they happen to mention what type of infection it is?

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Julie
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguin
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:03 am
Location: Belgium

Post by Julie »

Hi Tex,

My GI took a biopsy to see what kind of infection it is. I don't know what kind it is yet. This time it is an infection on my stomach. I don't really know how it got this far again. But the good news is: I feel better and I can go home today. I'm so happy.

Thanks for your reply.

Julie
It doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up en go for it again. HOPE !!!!
ant
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 1676
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:59 pm

Post by ant »

Dear Julie,

Glade you are feeling better and going home.

Best wishes, Ant
----------------------------------------
"Softly, softly catchee monkey".....
Post Reply

Return to “Discussions on Treatment Options Using Diet, and/or Medications”