Hello,

When I was 20 years old (summer 2008) I began having a fairly intense flare up of UC (not previously diagnosed so I did not know what it was). My primary doctor did not diagnosis it however, and instead prescribed an antibiotic (which in retrospect seems very confusing). After a week or so I began having chest pains and discomfort on and off for several days. It was not until my 2nd visit to the ER that the doctors realized that I was having a heart attack. I had two stents placed over the next week and pretty much a full recovery in terms of my heart. After being discharged from the hospital though, my UC symptoms returned (I think they had subsided because I was lying down all the time in the hospital). My cardiologist of all people ordered a colonoscopy and I was finally diagnosed and treated for UC and my symptoms went away fairly quickly. My new doctors admitted that it was my UC and MI were likely linked giving the timing, although could not know for sure or know how. There was never any cause determined for the heart attack. I was completely healthy prior to this episode. No history of either illness or risk factors in my family either. I stumbled across the below post recently, and it was the first time I saw a case similar to mine (although I can't attribute my MI to prednisone since I was not taking any meds yet for UC at this point). If anyone knows of any similar cases or has anything to add please let me know.

Somebody said...

Hi all,
My name is Erica & I am a 24 year old female who was diagnosed with UC in March 2009. I was hospitalized & put on Prednisone by my GI. 40 mg a day & tapered off to 10mg a day. Well, 2 days after I stopped taking prednisone & started Asacol, I had a heart attack. The doctor's claim that they do not know what caused it, but I firmly believe that it was because my doctor weaned me off of the prednisone too fast. Good Cholesterol. I asked them about this & the cardiologist claims that steroids do not cause heart attacks. My GI doctor and his colleagues all work at the hospital that I was admitted to & I firmly believe that they are all working together. They know the truth, but don't want to admit it. I went to see my GI at his office the other day & he was extremely nervous & explaining (now) that I need to be weaned off slowly. WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS BEFORE? He also asked whether or not I went to see the cardiologist. I told him that I was going to get my own doctor & he suggested that I go back to the cardiologist who treated me at the hospital because they are a good group of doctors. Did I mention that their office is right across the street from his'? I'm extremely upset because I am 24 years old with a heart attack on my medical record. I was perfectly fine before taking meds for UC. I wonder if a malpractice atty will consider taking my case, but with my luck they wouldn't. My point here is that you should be extra careful when tapering off of prednisone. It can be fatal.

Signed,
FRUSTRATED