Ulcerative Colitis and Mezavant XL

Select

Hi im a UC sufferer for the last five years.Until recently i have been on Pentasa, upon going to the G.I. unit the doc changed my meds to Mezavant, so far they have been great i only take them in the morning whereas i had to take the Pentasa three times a day and i always had 3-5 motions a day now with the Mezavant im on 1 a day.Has anyone else had a similar experience with them?
Does this mean i will put on some weight? What makes the Mezavant so different from the Pentasa?

consultech

Let me guess: You're a Dr. Murphy's clinic patient in St. Vincent's?

That's who put me on Mezavant 9 weeks ago, which coincided with a rapid turnaround of my UC symptoms, despite having been on Prednisolone for 3 weeks previous with no improvement. I'd never heard of or been on it before.

HOWEVER, I think the turnaround was more due to the fact that I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Do yourself a favour, buy this book*.


*Not for the faint-hearted at all, but something which I think may have just saved my life in the last 2 months.

Select

consultech wrote: »

Let me guess: You're a Dr. Murphy's clinic patient in St. Vincent's?

That's who put me on Mezavant 9 weeks ago, which coincided with a rapid turnaround of my UC symptoms, despite having been on Prednisolone for 3 weeks previous with no improvement. I'd never heard of or been on it before.

HOWEVER, I think the turnaround was more due to the fact that I started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Do yourself a favour, buy this book*.


*Not for the faint-hearted at all, but something which I think may have just saved my life in the last 2 months.

Im after ordering that book i followed a similar diet once before and it did wonders.
A bit hard to stick to all the time, ill give it another go and see how i get on.Its mad how the hospitals and doctors never really push diet as a course of treatment in my experience it makes the biggest difference.

consultech

Select wrote: »

Im after ordering that book i followed a similar diet once before and it did wonders.
A bit hard to stick to all the time, ill give it another go and see how i get on.Its mad how the hospitals and doctors never really push diet as a course of treatment in my experience it makes the biggest difference.

... and risk you getting to the point of complete freedom from those oh-so-costly meds? Not likely.

As I said the SCD is not for the faint-hearted. You're going to need to order a yoghurt-maker for a good few of the recipes (Severin make the one I got - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Severin-JG-3516-Yogurt-Maker/dp/B000FMQDW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1271527094&sr=8-1)

www.scdiet.org
www.pecanbread.com

Both of those websites are good sources to start with also.

dungay

My consultant has done the same thing, I was on pentasa which was ok but kinda hit and miss, I was on 4g a day, she put me on mezerant and I'm just wondering how you are finding it. In the middle of a flare up now and it's hell, just feel so low and tired, the pains in my stomach are quite bad, consultant didn't want to give me oral steroids so she has me on salflack (spelling??) enema but I can't keep that in, I'm going back to my gp tomorrow and fingers crossed she'll give me steroids.

Hopefully these new tabs will work....any feedback would be appricated.

shawnee

Have just finished a course of steroids and am on Mezavant and Imuran. However just as I finished the steroids the flare up began. Am really pissed off about it, because It my first time in Imuran and I was hoping for better results. Am at my wits end at the moment and feeling pretty awful. Don't really want to end up in hospital again and wonder whether I will go back on steroids. I may have a look at this diet. Someone else recommended Minuka Honey and l Glutamine and have been using both for the past week. However things not getting any better at the moment.:mad::(

Select

Hi again,

Since I have posted the thread I have moved off mezzavant altogether. My condition is now Chrons following an endoscope. I am currently taking immuran 75mg for the last three months.
To be honest I feel ok but I think that is partly down to the fact that i am also taking entocort another steroid that is more suited to Chrons. The symptoms are still there, loose bowel motions etc but far less frequent. If you are going through a flare up I recommend trying your best to stick to the SCD diet (google it) NO bread, milk, sugar, spuds, cereal, amongst nearly everything you normally eat (its not easy). If you stay on the diet strictly your bms should be less frequent and more solid, you might still be in pain but less bms will help with the enemas. It can be done I personally find it very hard to stick to but I try.
Sticking to the diet religiously is the only time I have ever had no symptoms at all. Apart from steroids which are pretty bad as we all know. hope that helps.

mikeyqu

I`ve noticed with you all that no one has mentioned Humira. IBS, Chrones, UC, etc.... are all Linked. I suffer from Ileo Colonic Chrones Disease which effects the descending Colon( part of the Large Intestine ) and was diagnosed about 3 1/2 years ago. Ive been on Pentasa, Steroids, Imuran and am now on Humira injections weekly, self administered. I`m weaned off all oral meds now thank god, and I have improved greatly.
Everybody`s condition is different and at a different stage, but I think that Stress is a major contributing factor. Of course nowadays the government or whats left of them aren`t helping us at all.
Diet
Stress
Lifestyle
These all make matters worse but for me personally, talking to someone about this and other problems helps a great deal.
Please feel free to chat anytime.:o

shawnee

Am feeling a good bit better this week tg. I was getting physically sick a week ago after I took the Mezavant and Imuran. I eased off the Imuran and went on that chicken soup diet. After a week , I can eat again and feel a whole lot better. I am now getting joint pain and am wondering if the Imuran was keeping that away Saw my specialist in Limerick last week and as usual she suggests a Colonoscopy which will probably take a month at least. She was surprised that the Imuran was causing nausea , when it had been okay for a couple of months. I am tempted to go back on it again in the hope that this hip and joint pain would ease.
The thing about this f..... colitis is that anytime I get an ailment, I link it to that , now most times I am right but sometimes I wonder.
Consultants, so far I am less than happy. Waited two and a half hours to see mine this week , for ten minutes. When I mentioned joint pain , she suggested taking paracetemol. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Will continue with the chicken soup for the moment ! thanks for allowing me the forum to rant and complain to a few people who understand, it definitely is reassuring :P

mikeyqu

May I suggest trying a second opinion, I left my consultant in Galway Hospital and was referred to Dr. Clarke , Gastro guy, Balinasloe Hsp, he tried medication that is traditionaly used in the later stages of the disease, ie. infliximab infusions on a regular basis and the relief was great, it`s your body and money and i hope he might work for you too. if you want any more details give me a call anytime

Keep chatting it helps.M

shawnee

Thanks , I have sent you a pm for more details.:D

dungay

Hi, just to give an update:

I stopped taking the Mezavant XL 4 days ago, (i went back to 4g of pentasa) I was just getting worse, even though I was on 30mg of prednisolne for a wk, 2 days after stopping the Mezavant I was feeling so much better, the cramps have gone completely, my bm's are still liquid but I'v only gone once today (touching wood) where as I was going 23 times at worst and 14 times this day last wk...while on Mezavant.

I guess I just reacted badly to the Mezavant, I didnt go back to my doc/consultant to see if coming off the mezavant would be worth a try, just thought I couldnt get/feel any worse.

My course of steriods is out today, so I'm a little apprehensive about tomorrow...pleaase God it wont flare up again.

shawnee

Yeah , one always feels aprehensive nearing end of steroids. However if things are not well with me , it usually kicks in when I am down to two or three . So here's hoping you will be okay.;)
Feeling a good bit better myself this week, following chicken soup almost every day and generally taking things easy until I feel confident.

dungay

Glad to hear your feeling better...good luck with the soup.

scullen

HI everyone, I have UC for the last 25yrs.. have had various medications over the years and been hospitalized bout 15 times for the magic steriods. At the minute they are trying to convience me to have a colostomy bag non reversable.. cant get my head around that one yet so the other options is mezavant however previously when taking similar meds I suffered with terrible headache's has anyone had any adverse reaction to these tablets. Am also on Imuran. Infleximab has been mentioned but maybe I have condition too long for that procedure to work.

Any feedback would be appreciated.