Posted 12/8/2011 9:06 AM (GMT -5)
Ok,,, 10 years ago, my son was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis,,,he was 34 years old.
For years he flared and none of the Asacol , or other meds did much good. Finally, on the Colitis
board, they suggested Remicade. He has no insurance, but qualified for the free Remicade, thank God.
It has helped him a lot, and he is starting on his 4th year. No side affects, every 8 weeks. L
Last March, he developed a perianal abcess...first one...they drained it and it took a couple of weeks to heal
good. Now, 3 weeks ago, he developed another abcess, but this time during the draining the doctor said he
had a "fistula" and he worked on that and put in what was called a "surgical rope" to keep it open and let it
heal from the inside out to create a scar tissue. He has been in a lot of pain. Yesterday he went to get the
"surgical rope" removed in the office,,,but doctor couldn't get it out, so now he has to go back to the hospital
to have it removed under anesthesia. Needless to say, since he has no insurance this is costing thousands of
dollars...and I, his mom, is digging in my retirement savings to help him pay for this. Insurance is very costly,
and he can't afford it. Now, the doctor tells him yesterday,,that he may have Crohn's Colitis instead of just
Colitis because of the fistula he got. Is this what he has to look forward to from now on? Now his doctor wants
him to take Remicade every 6 weeks instead of every 8 weeks.
Have any of you had this problem? His doctor doesn't think any other meds would help, and just do the Remicade
and that's all. I feel so bad for him and for all you poor people who have this nasty condition. It is so depressing
to watch him suffer and know there is no real cure for now.
Is there any cure on the horizon?? I read about Fecal transplant on the Colitis Forum, and it has worked for some folks.
God bless and help you all.