Need your opinion . . .

[Sue777]

Hi Guys.
As you know I have been on 6 pills of Asacol a day, and since I was doing so well with that, doc told me to drop down to 4 pills a day. That was about 5 weeks ago, and for the past three days I have had a problem with my stomach/intestines right after lunch. When it happened the first day, I figured it was just a fluke. The second day, I started looking for a pattern and remembered that I had just added a magnesium supplement to my lunchtime regimen, so figured "ah ha - it must be the magnesium that's causing this awful pain and subsequent BM." Today, day three, I skipped the magnesium, didn't have the severe pains of the past two days, but DID have diarrhea! Boy, I can't believe how depressing that is after having been in remission for so long. I was trying to diagnose whether or not it felt like, looked like, smelled like the old familiar CC type (how gross!) and unfortunately I think it did. It wasn't 30 trips (yet!) it was only 2, but it's still very depressing thinking I'm heading that way again.

Here's my dilemma: should I wait a few more days and just see if this is a stomach bug and if it gets better on its own, or should I start taking 6 Asacol again right away to nip this in the bud?

My fear it two-fold: one - that I'm starting to relapse back into active CC again, and 2 - that it's caused by low-carb eating. I feel so much better doing low carb (because of my hypoglycemia problem) but certainly can't continue eating that way if it brings back the constant D!

Calling my doctor isn't an option right now..... it's craziness in the office this week with absolutely NO privacy to make that kind of call.

Would cutting down on Asacol take 5 weeks to start going bad? The doc said I'd notice a problem within days if I were going to have one, but that didn't really make sense to me since it took four weeks to kick in. Why shouldn't it take four weeks to kick OUT?
Sue

[starfire]

Sue,
I'm sure you will have much better answers soon, but I know that I "forget" my 2 noon pills quite often. If I skip them for several days in a row I can tell a difference, but I don't get D. They just get smaller, skinner, softer and my hemmies start acting up.

I don't believe your low carb diet is doing it BUT I have nothing on which to base that feeling. It's just a gut feeling (sorry about the pun).

I am starting the Paleo diet today. I am just tired of being tired, feeling bad and hurting. It is definitely low carb so perhaps I'll have something better to back up my opinion in a few weeks.

Good Luck,



Shirley

[Sue777]

Oh, Shirley - good luck on the diet! I'm sure you've probably read all about it and you're armed and ready? Get all the temptations out of the house if you can, stock up on the allowable foods. And if you've never done anything like this before, be prepared to feel bad for the first few days. In Atkins terminology.... "Induction Flu". It's worth it, though.

I'm glad to hear you don't think this "bad gut" of mine is related to my low-carbing. That would be awful! A case of damned if I do and damned if I don't! I think I'm going to start taking 6 Asacol again until I notice that things have cleared up, and then maybe I'll try weaning again. I just can't afford to have this progress into a full blown CC attack again - I've got inlaws coming up from Florida to visit in a few days, and I've only met them twice before this. If possible, I'd rather not spend their entire visit in the bathroom.

Thanks for replying.... it IS awfully quiet in here lately. And good luck with the diet, Cavewoman! I'm curious - why did you choose that particular format to follow? There's not as much info on that one as some of the others, but something about it must have caught your eye. I'll be looking forward to your reports and updates.
Sue

[barbaranoela]

Hiya Sue------I eat some Low-carb stuff----and I dont seem to have any issues -
Could be a *bug* cus there were 3 peoples I met this week complaining of not feeling good---tummy/blah all over~~~~

If I remeber correctly the Magnesium might cause some *D*
Think my *old* GI told me that but then he didnt seem to know to much either about the whole issus of the disease~~~~

I tapered off Colazal in a good way----the things that would run the *D* would be if I had a stressful issue but lately I seem to be getting that WHATEVER feeling---I might get riled up ,which is OK~~~~

Maybe check with your GI-----

Hope U feel better and *chin-up*

luve Barbara

[Polly]

Aw, RATZ, Sue!

I was hoping that this wouldn't happen. The combination of the lower dose of asacol and the magnesium may be what did it (remember Milk of Magnesia for constipation?). Anyway, my thought would be to go back to the higher dose. I seriously doubt if it has anything to do with the low carb diet. I say that based on some of the experience here. Those of us with multiple intolerances have found that we feel our best when we eat high protein (mainly meat and nuts) and low carbs (minimal grains, potatoes, beans). So I don't think you need to change your diet right now.
At least that's my 2 cents worth!

Hang in there and keep us posted. I have everything crossed for you. Good luck with the inlaws.

Love,

Polly

[tex]

Hi Sue,

Here's my 2 cents worth. I doubt that the low carb diet is causing your problems. I once cut out carbs almost 100%, and it didn't cause D.

I think your doctor is mistken about the time lag for symptoms of Asacol dosage reduction to show up. IMO, 5 weeks is a very realistic timeframe for symptoms to begin to appear, especially if it took almost that long to take effect in the first place. We are all different, and we will all have different responses in a case such as that.

That said, that doesn't mean that the problem you are having is caused by the dosage reduction. It could certainly be something else, or a combination of things. The fact that it took the Asacol 4 weeks to achieve control, suggests that it was not easy to accomplish, and you may not be as good a candidate for dosage reduction, as, for example, someone who was able to gain control by using it for only a few days.

At least that's the way I see it.

Wayne

[starfire]

Oh, by the way, I hope Peg will post her experience, or did you read about it before?

She weaned herself off Asacol and I believe it took several weeks for the D to return.

Thanks for the advice about the diet. I can't eliminate temptations because of my husband. He insists on having his carbs and sweets, but if I can start feeling better fairly quickly AND perhaps lose a few pounds, that would be a great incentive for me.

The reason I chose the Paleo (hunter/gatherer) diet is explained in a post in the room right above this one. It's rather long so I won't reproduce it here.

Here's hoping you are doing better real soon. I'm sure I'd go back to the 6 Asacol for now if I were you.

Shirley

[Mars]

Hi Sue,

Did you just recently introduce the magnesium? If I remember correctly, I seem to remember that my stools were dark, tarry and I had lots of gas and bloating when taking it.

I wish you luck. You are one determined lady! Keep up the good work!

[annie oakley]

The first time I cut back on My Asacol it took about 3-4 weeks for me to notice a difference and start having problems. I alsohad to drop the magniseum and everything got better. It took me several tries and lots of food elimination to get to where I am now...I take One asacol a day anfd have no D except for an ocassional flare caused by eating something I shouldn't usually. Hope things Improve for you soon. Love Oma

[CAMary]

Sue -

The 2 times I tried unsuccessfully to lower my Asacol dosage, in less than a week it was clear that my problems were back - not full-blown, but clearly heading that way. When I bumped it back up, I rebounded pretty quickly. I was only taking 3 pills/day but if I was late with the midday pill (the one I tried to drop first) I could feel my gut was not happy....

My tummy (along with many others') is very happy with low carb eating....problem if you drop the magnesium AND up the Asacol - then feel better -you won't know which it was - though I'm willing to bet it is one or the other - I'd try both - but one after the other, instead of together....

JMO, Mary

[Sue777]

You guys are all so darned helpful I'm getting choked up here. (uh oh - hormones outta whack this afternoon????)

Everything you all said makes perfect sense - thanks for taking all the confusing thoughts running around in my head and putting them in some semblance of order and practical delivery where I could actually use them!

I just cautiously ate my lunch and am waiting to see what happens today.... this is where I've had the problem for the past three days. So far so good - but I'm going to grab 2 Asacol and take them back to the office with me so if I do "erupt" in the next hour or so, I'll know for sure that I have to go back to 6 a day. I had no magnesium yesterday or today, and I had a really bland lunch of turket meat wrapped around some cream cheese with a small bit of frozen mixed fruit for dessert. If I still have to "run" in the next hour, we'll know for sure it was either the Asacol reduction, or a bug.

I agree Wayne (and others)..... if it took 4 weeks for Asacol to kick in, why would I notice a difference in a couple of days when I cut back? Didn't make sense to me when doc said it, but I didn't argue. I certainly will at my next check up, though! Poor doctors really are pretty clueless about this disease and it's drugs.

Gotta get going - but will "walk softly" and slowly so as not to rustle anything up in my stomach. Isn't it funny that we (or at least I) really think that will somehow help???

Thanks again. It's great to have you all here!
Sue

[starfire]

Ok, Kid, don't leave us hanging. How did the afternoon go?



Shirley

[Sue777]

Sorry, Shirl... and thanks for the reminder. I think "walking softly" helped. LOL I felt the pangs and stabs of pain for about an hour or two after lunch, but it never developed into the need to "run". But you know what? That two hours of pain, along with the past 3 days of "D" was enough to prompt me to take the extra two Asacol. I was reminded of how horrible it is to live in pain and in fear of not being able to go too far from home, and I decided I want to avoid being back there in any way I can!

I'll go back to 6 Asacol a day for a while, and then in a month or so I'll try cutting back to four again and see what happens. But right now with all the stress at work and having the inlaws arriving tomorrow morning, I really don't need to be experimenting with my colitis.

I do think it was the cutting back that was causing the relapse.... it was the same type of problem, and it was all too familiar.

Thanks for asking.

Now... how is your diet going?????

[kate_ce1995]

Hi Sue,

Sorry you've been having these problems. My reaction was it could very likely be related to the magnesium supplement, and maybe that was too much for your system with the reduction of Asacol. Maybe focus on trying to get more magnesium in natural forms (nuts, etc.).

Good luck.
Katy

[starfire]

Thanks Sue,

I think you are approaching this intelligently. In-Laws visiting can be very stressful, even if you get along well with them. Since you haven't been around yours much, it could be even more stressful.

Take care of YOU, Lady. If you don't, no one else will.



Shirley