Pentasa symptoms and conditions

BE VERY VERY CAREFUL WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICINE. Get regular blood tests. I have Chron's disease. This is the drug I was supposed to have been taking to keep me in remission once I got there. (I took it while I was trying to get into remission as well- actually not into remission yet.) I landed in the hospital for what the "DR.s" say was "unrelated severe back/flank pain." Aside from it being the worst hospital experience I've ever had (they told me that nothing they could see was wrong and that the ER was only for life threatening conditions. ) After mixing up every conceivable test they possibly could, the ER dr came in with blood results and said well we have to keep you in the hospital because your KIDNEYS ARE SHUTTING DOWN. I was freaked because he made it sound like they were already almost gone. Luckily a nephrologist came to see me quickly and explained that it had lost 1/4 of its function but that she thought it could be fixed. After an exam and talking she determined it was the PENTASA that had done this. She said that I had to immediately stop taking it and that if that was the problem as she suspected my function would come back up to the reasonable range. It was the Pentasa and my function did come back. What was trying was that all the GI doctors and hospital doctors other than the nephrologist hadn't even thought about Pentasa as a possible problem because they say that "there is less than a 1% chance that Pentasa would shut down your kidney function." None of the doctors in their time had actually seen someone who it had happened to. If I hadn't landed in the hospital for back pain my kidneys would have shut down completely over time without me having a clue and the consequences of that are scary to think about. I'm just glad that I had at least one doctor that looked at the overall picture and examined the "less than 1% chances."

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in July. I had my colonoscopy/endoscopy the day before 4th of July. Got sick with what I thought was the flu on June 26th. That's when I first landed in the hospital (dehydrated & sick). After the diagnosis I was first put on Entocort and Pentasa (Pentasa is supposed to be a remission drug - keep you from having flare-ups). Entocort didn't work so they switched me to Prednisone. I've been on Prednisone for about 6 months now. Going from 20 mg to 40 mg and then I'm finally weaned down to 5 mg. I get to go completely off of it Jan. 13th. Scared of what other side effects might occur from coming off the drug. While on it I've had emotional problems, acne(never had a problem with it before), moon face, gained 30 pounds, joint pain (I was in therapy for as long as insurance covered. - I recommend water therapy, it helps for some people as it did me), trouble sleeping (haven't slept a full night since I got sick), certain days I'm really really thirsty, I've had sort of what I'd call restless leg (I had this before I was on this medicine but it has gotten significantly worse - mostly at night or when lying down), and dry skin.I have to say though that the WORST side effect is the FOG. It's horrible. I enjoy learning and using my brain and when I'm on this I can't think, I mix up words, and it feels like my brain is covered in cobwebs.I had to drop a calc 2 class and that got me off the track I'd set with my academics. My inflammation rate is down where it's supposed to be as of the last blood test a couple weeks ago. So I guess the Prednisone and Remicade are doing what they are supposed to - but I still don't feel as if the pain (not associated with Prednisone - caused by the disease) has gone completely away even if the inflammation has gone down. And Prednisone's effects are just horrible. Some nights I feel depressed and just want to cry and cry. The past months have been trying because of several hospital stays, switching to many different doctors (gastrointernologists, nephrologist, urologist (kidney stones), primary doctor - and they think maybe I should see a rheumatologist), and Pentasa (it began shutting my kidneys down). I just hope that when I come off the Prednisone the side effects will fade (hopefully quickly but lets be realistic - ill just be happy if they go away sometime in the next few months) and I won't flare up again. Anyone know the best way to get rid of the weight? I'm already drinking lots of water and I go walking and do exercises everyday.

QUESTION: When tapering Prednisone does anyone have a place(s) on their stomach that are sunken in and feels dry compared to the skin around it?

Anyways, I hope that everyone overcomes their difficulties, whatever they might be or concern. It's hard to have a life when you are constantly fighting your own body to stay healthy.There are plenty of situations in life that are already hard enough to deal with without medical issues of your own. Best of luck to all!

Are any of you losing hair with Imuran? I'm on 50 mg and my hair is falling out worse and not growing on my arms or legs. Previously I was losing hair with asacol and pentasa, and just quit prednisone.