Crohn's Disease Pill Side Effects?

Question

I was diagnosed with crohn's disease 6 weeks ago and have been takeing some srtof steroids to maintain it quickly and have just started on the long term drug. But the steriod I have to take for aother 3 weeks. My face though is starting to puff / swell up from a side effect of the steroid. Does anyone know if there something I can do to reduce the swelling in my checks / face? I am in school and its getting embarassing, Any suggestions would help a lot. I have tried ice but it doesnt seem to work. And I cant stop takeing the pill.

Answer 1

hi clear, I'm a crohn's patient like yourself. I was on prednisone for 13 yrs. but now am on Entocort (another type of steroid BUT there is NO side effects like puffiness, mood swings, increased appetite, weight gain because it doesn't get absorbed into your blood stream. It goes straight to the inflammation in the small bowel and then goes away. Many GIs are going this route just because steroids have serious side effects long term like osteoporosis, bone thinning, glaucoma etc.

To get the puffiness down, you need to avoid any food with high salt content such as potato chips, pretzels, don't use the salt shaker, exercise, and when you start to wean off, it will eventually go down.

Check out the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America website. There are many tips in regards to finding the latest treatments, local support groups, diet, surgery, emotional support, coping skills, etc. They have a live chat and a toll free number run by healthcare professionals who are very experienced in IBD M-F 9 am - 5 pm (EST).

Are you a candidate for Remicade or Humira? These are the latest biologics in treating Crohn's. Humira is self injection and Remicade is an IV that is given in an outpt. setting. I've had Remicade and am now on Humira since Remicade lost its effectiveness. I have been on 6MP long term until my white cell count dropped dramatically last yr. so now it's just Entocort and Humira.

Feel free to email me with any questions. I've had this since I was 12 and my ileostomy since I was 17. I've had surgeries as a last resort when medication failed (that was way before the biologics were invented and they only had steroids and sulfa to treat IBD.

You are not alone in dealing with this. Wishing you a speedy remission.

Answer 2

The steroid is probaly prednisone.

This is a normal side effexct of this medication, may also cause stomach pain, and possible bleeding. If it does cause bleeding get back to your gastrentroloigist. As far as getting the swelling down it will subside when your body adjusts to the medication, I was on this for 3 years off and on, and I am sorry but there is no way to reduce the swelling.

Other meds they may put you on in the future are flagyl, it is an antibiotic, also asulfazine, as well as varios other drugs.

I have been on alot of different meds for my chron's, have had it since 1983.

have had multiple bowel resections, because of obstructions caused from the chrohn's.

Follow all your doctors advice, take all your meds and eat whatever you can tolerate,.

There is no specific diet for chron's and there is no cure, The best we can do is follow our doctors advice,

BUT, It is your body and if something your doctor tells you does not seem to be working let them know.

Know one knows your system the way you do, Eat what you can tolerate , for example I had a doctor who put me on a high fiber low protien diet, WRONG, didn't work found out that I could not tolerate the fiber content due to the fact that i had a very thin passge of the bowel by the illium.

Hope this helps and good luck, it is an unrelenting disease but with proper diet and the right doctors YOU will be able to live a somewhat normal life,

Just be sure if go on any long trips, to know where every rest stop is , that is what i do for the obvious reason.

good luck to you .

P.S. Ask your doctor if you may be a candidate for remicaid it is a very effective drug for chron's. Depending on how sever your own personal case is.

Everyone is diffferent and it may take awhile to get the right combination of diet and meds, Whatever you do you stay up, It can be a very depressing disease. Don't let it get you down, took me years to get that through my head.

Sorry this is so long but there is alot of info available on the net

search the chron's and colitis foundation they can be of help also.

Answer 3

You have what we call the moonface.. There is not anything I know of that you can do to reduce it until you are taken off the meds.
I am putting a couple links in here where they are great support for crohnies.. if you ever need to chat i am also here
http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17
http://crohns-sanity.org/forum/index.php

Answer 4

hey man...i know exactly how u feel..same thing happend to me when i was taking steroids...i am 22 and i was diagnosed a year ago...i talked to my doctor about the side effects that was caused my the steroids and he switched me to different steroids that does less side effects...the name of the steroid ENTOCORT, ask ur doctor about it
god bless u

Answer 5

iD LIKE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT MY PHARMACIST HAS SENT TO ME - THERE IS HOPE