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Nervous about new medications..

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/28/2018 3:42 PM (GMT -5)
So I’ve had colitis almost my entire life, but I’ve been off medication for a few years & recently started having trouble again I’m very against medication because of the horrible side effects most of them have. I’ve been in a flare for about a month & a half now & have been trying to control it solely with suppositories & enemas but that wasn’t working. My doctor told me to take 2 medications - apriso & Uceris. The apriso I know can cause hairloss & I already have extremely thin hair & I’m hoping this won’t happen but I’m putting in extensions this week just in case so I don’t have to see it happen. Has anyone experienced hairloss with apriso though? As for the Uceris, I’m even more worried about that one to the point that I’m considering not taking it. It’s a steroid & I’ve had horrible luck with steroids in the past - both times I’ve taken them I gained 30 pounds. I worked very hard to lose weight over the past few years & im still trying to lose 20 more pounds, so gaining weight from a medicine is just not an option for me, I won’t let it happen. My doctor only wants me on the Uceris for a couple of weeks to get the flare under control but I’m very scared - I don’t want to even gain a single pound. And I definitely don’t want moonface either. I’m a cosmetologist - my physical appearance is very important to me. Can anyone please just tell me their experience with short-term use of Uceris? Did you experience symptoms? Specifically weight gain, moon face or acne? I want to get well, but I don’t want to get ugly in the process....
Posted 2/28/2018 3:55 PM (GMT -5)
Uceris is a 90 percent topical steroid with only 10 percent being systematic (Prednisone is 100% systematic). The systematic part is what gives us side effects. Uceris is a budesonide steroid which are known for less side effects than other steroids. As far as safety goes, Uceris would be one of the safer ones and with the least likelihood of experiencing side effects. Generally what you'd experience would be on the milder end of the spectrum of possible steroid side effects and I would not anticipate weight gain or moonface, especially only for a few weeks. I cannot promise you that you will not have any side effects (as it is still 10% systematic), as it varies person-to-person whether they get them and what they are.

We've already talked about hair loss/thinning hair and UC in prior threads, and I gave you advice there which you can refer back to.
Posted 2/28/2018 4:12 PM (GMT -5)
I just really want some insight from people who have actually taken these medications though. Because I’ve done plenty of googling & everything I’ve found is very scary...
Posted 2/28/2018 4:49 PM (GMT -5)
I took Uceris and had no side effects. It also did not help with my flare though.
Posted 2/28/2018 6:26 PM (GMT -5)
budesonide/uceris for 3 weeks. didn't help my UC and didn't cause any side effects, either.
Posted 3/1/2018 12:41 PM (GMT -5)
I been on uceris foam for about 3 months I see my dr next month he says I could take it for a while I had no side effects but I'm not fully in remission still have an urgency problem and I go 3 to 4 times a day before 12 I'm on mesalmine 4.8 grams canasa supp and uceris foam got diagnosed 4 years after taking 2 sets of antibotics for a bad sinus infection never been the same since rectum and sigmoid 35 cm
Posted 3/1/2018 1:46 PM (GMT -5)
Hi....you should ask the doc for mesalamine retention enemas 4g to use at night and use the Uceris foam during the day.

it takes a while to get things under control, and using a combo of meds with full coverage could be the key.

Are you on probiotics?

q
Posted 3/1/2018 2:12 PM (GMT -5)
I take saccharomyces boulardil once or twice a day I mentioned the enemas last time to the DR he said to take uceris foam twice a day for 2 weeks and then once a day but ill ask him again I'm going to try the scd diet again its so hard especially when your cooking for kids being around all that good food. vsl #3 its to expensive
Posted 3/1/2018 4:09 PM (GMT -5)
I had had horrible side effects with prednisone, also. I am only now down to the weight I was pre-pred (and that was 30 years ago!)
I was on Uceris about 2 years ago, and it took care of my flare. It was slow acting, not dramatic like pred, but over a few weeks the flare went away. The only side effect I ever got in the 8 week course was some facial flushing from time to time.

Best of luck to you!
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