Male 28. Was diagnosed a couple of months ago with Ulcerative Col...

Hi - 25 F
I can't help you with anything about UC, but i can relate to your concern about available treatments. i have asthma, or atleast that's what they tell me. it has been uncontrolable for the past 10 months. i have been on more prednisone tappers than i've been off of the meds... its horrible. it was bad enough that i pulled myself off all my steriods and just quit going to the doctor. for 3 months i felt great, i actually was happy and felt me like again. so wonderful. but i had another bad flare up of my asthma and ended up the ER this past weekend. i'm going to the pulmonologist tomorrow and am scared, no terrified that she is only going to add to the prednisone the ER doc gave me. and that i will just be put back on the same steriod meds... it really makes me question whether that quality of life is "better' than not breathing.
I get the weight gain, the "moon" face, the acne, i get paranoid and anxious. i hate everything including myself - but i can breathe.
but anyways.. i wish you the best as you struggle with your decision of treatment. I'll be thinkin of you as i make my own.
take care

Thanks for the support.

Hi, in order to put the UC into remission, you'll need to change your diet, otherwise, it is next to impossible to completely eliminate it with corticosteroids. I'd suggest that you take a look at the following websites for lots of useful info:

http://www.gutsense.org/
http://www.mercola.com/

Good luck, and if at all possible, stay away from exogenous glucocorticoids as their side effects are many and far-reaching.

I feel your pain. I have been on Prednisone 40mg for at least 3 months. Intially it was Asacol- which made my UC worse. Apparently I was intolerant to it. So I am on a combo of Prednisone and Imuran, an immunosupressant.
Finally- I am being weined of the Prednisone!! Decreasing 5mg a week. So far the weining process is going well. I have gained overall approx 15-20 lbs and have a horrible Moon Face. I don't sleep well, I pee alot, I get hot flashes, and can be irritable. It ish ard to look at myself, and hate all the comments of others---is your face swollen???!! YES - IT IS- I am on Prednisone. So I hope they find some good Maintainence drug for me so I can go off the Imuran next.
So- Time will Tell!! Just got to hang in there. And hope for a normal life again.
-Christine, age 32