what would you do?

Hopeful · Post by **Hopeful** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:53 am

I'm having a dilemma. The elimination diet has finally normalized my gut enough that I'm just going once or twice a day - pretty Norman. I have been on 3mg. Entecort for a long time.

So, I'd like to loosen up my diet some. Is it better to keep the diet strictly while slowly tapering off the pills? Then, if I'm able to go Entecort-free, I could have the enterolab testing done in a couple of months and find out, for sure, what my sensitivities are.

Or, should I stay on the Entecort 3mg. during the Russian roulette of introducing new foods? I understand that it could keep reactions under some control if I make mistakes in diet.

What would you do?

dfpowell · Post by **dfpowell** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:16 am

Taper Entocort and stay with a strict diet. You may have food sensitivities that Entocort is masking. When you are off Entocort completely and stable then introduce new food one at a time.

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:09 am

Hello Hopeful,

I endorse Donna's suggestion. I don't think we get the true answer as to what we react to as long as we're on Entocort.

Make sure that you taper Entocort slowly, for instance like Tex' suggestions to me, here:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ht=#162725

Lilja

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:25 pm

Hi,

Agree with the others....stick with narrow diet while on Entocort and for 8 weeks after last Entocort pill. Slow taper to get off.....see Liljas link.
Consider start antihistamine regimen (benadryl or claritin ready tab.) about 3 days before last Entocort. Stay on antihistamine about 3 or 4 weeks.
After last Entocort I had rebound of mast cell activity....(runny nose thing) for about 3 or 4 weeks. Antihistamine will protect for MC flare up.
Entocort suppresses mast cell activity.

I was on Entocort 4.5 months. I took Enterolab test 4 weeks after last Entocort. Any question call Enterolab.

Stay on narrow diet for 8 weeks after last Entocort and don't try to test anything new during that period. Your goal is to get and stay off of Entocort.

If you have anything stressful coming up........wedding, new job, move etc.........stay on Entocort longer.

I'm presently dog watching.......Brandy

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:22 pm

Please stick with the bland, low ingredient diet while tapering....
Your body is just starting to heal, if you try other foods you are risk of going back to the starting point and needing higher dose of entocort again....

Being your first round, this is the key time to optimise healing and a good taper...

doing this process as good as possible the first time, will minimise issues for a long long time....

Hopeful · Post by **Hopeful** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:57 pm

See - that's why this forum is great! I will do my best to follow the consensus advise and do a very slow taper. And I'm already doing some antihistamines - experimenting with what works best for me.

I don't know about the rest of you, but the holiday parties were tough! So many tempting looking foods and me stuck with my bland diet. Got through it, though...

Thanks, Chris

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:28 pm

I agree with everyone. Get off Entocort slowly first. See how you feel without for a while. Then test one food at a time for three days straight before trying another.

Leah