Laura,
I agree with Shirley - sleep issues are common with the disease itself, but I don't recall anyone who has complained that Entocort made the problem any worse.
I have two observations to make about your doctor's treatment, however, (based on all the accumulated experience of our members here), 3 weeks is not an effective treatment program for Entocort.
#1. Many GI docs think that they can prescribe Entocort for 3 weeks, (along with a 5-ASA med, such as Asacol), and then wean the patient off the Entort, and rely on the 5-ASA med to maintain remission. That rarely works, in our experience. First off, the gut has to heal, and it takes much longer than 3 weeks. It typically takes from several months to a year or more, for the gut to heal sufficiently that a maintenance med can take over, and successfully maintain remission.
Usually, what happens, assuming that the Entocort brings normal BMs within the 3-week, or 6-week, or 8-week Entocort treatment period that the GI doc prescribes, is that once the Entocort is withdrawn, a week or two after it is discontinued, the patient will relapse, and the doctor will wonder why the treatment didn't work. It didn't work, because he or she doesn't understand MC. A more practical treatment program for MC is 6 months to a year of Entocort, followed by tapering the dose down, while introducing Asacol, or Lialda, or one of the other 5-ASA meds, to use as a maintenance med, to sustain remission.
#2. There is no point in taking Asacol, (or any other med designed for IBD treatment), while taking Entocort. It will provide no benefit, because typically when Entocort doesn't work for a patient, it's because the patient is allergic to it, and it will make the MC symptoms worse, plus it will add a few symptoms of it's own, regardless of whatever other med the patient might be taking. IOW, if the Entocort doesn't work, the Asacol is not going to work, either. If the Entocort does work, then the Asacol is totally redundant. Why take a med, (and risk the side effects), when it's unnecessary.
Also, GI docs as a group either don't know much about the side effects of the drugs they prescribe, or they think that what the patient doesn't know won't hurt them, because they seem to be notorious for ignoring side effects, and/or denying that they exist. Trust your instincts - if you feel that a med is making you sick, it is making you sick.
I also agree with Shirley that a partial dose of Entocort may be a waste of time. You need to take the full dose, to achieve remission. You can take a much smaller dose later, to maintain remission, but at the beginning, you need the full dose. IOW, the proper course of treatment would be to discontinue the Asacol, take the full dose of Entocort, and after you have been in remission for at least several months, then taper down the Entocort dose, and introduce the Asacol.
Since I'm not a doctor, though, this is not a recommendation, these are only my thoughts on what I would do, if I were in your shoes. Hopefully, some day, GI docs as a group will get their act together, and actually learn how to properly treat MC.
Tex
Starting Entocort
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Laura!
I haven't had any sleep problems while taking the Entocort. I feel you need to take the 3- 3mgs in the morning. I will stand by what I have shared as far as 3 weeks not being enough time on it to gain remission.
As far as the Asacol, I was taking the Entocort & Asacol at the same time, also.
Even being on both, I was still experiencing the D...
I stopped the Asacol after finding out that it contains dairy and it was enough to over ride the Entocort. You know your body better than the GI, and if you are suspecting that the Asacol is causing you to be nauseous and vomit, then stop it on your own. How long have you been on the Asacol?
After stopping the Asacol, I started having formed bms being on the Entocort.
Have you chosen to eliminate anything from your diet???
Dee~~~
I haven't had any sleep problems while taking the Entocort. I feel you need to take the 3- 3mgs in the morning. I will stand by what I have shared as far as 3 weeks not being enough time on it to gain remission.
As far as the Asacol, I was taking the Entocort & Asacol at the same time, also.
Even being on both, I was still experiencing the D...
I stopped the Asacol after finding out that it contains dairy and it was enough to over ride the Entocort. You know your body better than the GI, and if you are suspecting that the Asacol is causing you to be nauseous and vomit, then stop it on your own. How long have you been on the Asacol?
After stopping the Asacol, I started having formed bms being on the Entocort.
Have you chosen to eliminate anything from your diet???
Dee~~~
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
