Tapering Budesonide

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

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ewelder
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Tapering Budesonide

Post by ewelder »

Hello all,

Hope everyone is staying well during this crazy time in our lives!! I am sure most of us are used to life being disrupted, LOL. I have a question for those that have taken budesonide. I have been on it since October, starting at 9 mg, then 6 mg and now I have been on 3 mg probably since about January. The past month I have begun to have increasingly more issues with C, so the point that I am taking stool softeners with not much success. I almost rather have some D then having C all the time and always feeling like I need use the restroom with no success. I started the past 4 days taking a 3 mg every other day, so I have only skipped 2 doses. Today the D seems to be coming back. I am GF, DF and soy free. As far as I am aware there is no cross contamination and these days with COVID I am only eating what I cook. I feel like this would be a good time to taper since I am at home. I just want to do the right thing for my body and I have been on the budesonide for 6 months now, which has started causing my face to break out and I am sure some other side effects. I would love to hear what others have done and symptoms.

Thanks everyone!!

Stay well,

Eliza
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Eliza,

I've never used budesonide, but in my opinion, if you are already slipping out of remission after skipping only 2 doses, there is almost certainly something in your diet that is causing your immune system to produce antibodies. The fact that you are experiencing constipation suggests that your body wants to stop taking budesonide, but apparently something (or some ingredient in something) is continuing to cause issues that may cause a relapse if it/they is/are not stopped before discontinuing the budesonide. I would say that you just need to use budesonide a while longer to resolve the problem, but constipation is a pretty strong sign that something else is wrong.

But that's just my opinion. Hopefully others who have actually used budesonide will confirm or deny my thoughts.

Tex
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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.
Daba
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Tapering off of Budesonide

Post by Daba »

I am tapering off of Budesonide also which I started in January with 9 mg. I am now taking 3 mg every other day. I was never in remission on Budesonide. I have always had diarrhea, so I don't know why to expect when I get off totally next week. Anyone tapering, do I just stick to chicken and rice? What do I eat when I am off Budesonide totally?
Daba
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tex
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Post by tex »

If the budesonide has never brought you to remission, it's time to try something else. I suggest sticking with the diet, but try cholestyramine instead of the budesonide. Cholestyramine requires a prescription, but it's a popular cholesterol treatment, so your GP should be happy to write a prescription for you. Ask for the Sandoz brand. Most of those who use cholestyramine here have found that the other brands don't work for treating the diarrhea associated with MC.

If you have never had an Enterolab stool test to tell you what causes you to react, you might be reacting to the chicken, or even the rice. Rice intolerance is rather rare. but chicken intolerance is much more common among MC patients. It it were me, I would switch from chicken to turkey or lamb. Both of those are safe for virtually everyone.

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.
Daba
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Tapering of Budesonide

Post by Daba »

I did take closestrymine earlier but it did not work. I will ask my Gi about that one. Thank you. A lot of cramping today and more diarrhea because it is with a day of no Budesonide. I hate this!!
Daba
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Sandoz

Post by Daba »

I googled Sandoz. It is not clorestrymine. It is a painkiller for arthritis. Are you sure that is the right name?
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tex
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Post by tex »

Cholestyramine didn't work because you took it early on, before the diet had a chance to heal your intestines. It's not a miracle drug — you have to have some healing from the diet before it's going to work.

Just tell your doctor that you want to try a prescription for Sandoz brand cholestyramine. Sandoz makes all sorts of medication products, probably numbering in the hundreds, if not in the thousands.

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.
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