I had my surgery and all went well. (Except for the fact that I think I was given a bit too much Sandman Special. It took about 3 days for me to get the anesthetic out of my system. Oy vey.) Several biopsies were taken and sent off pathology. The Friday after surgery I went to see Dr. Evil for my post-op appointment and to discuss treatment plans. He let me know all the biopsies came back and were “…consistent with the previous Crohn’s diagnosis”. The findings are as follows:
- The Crohn’s is fully out of remission; positioned as close to my colon as it can be without actually involving the colon.
- Multiple deep ulcers were visualized in the small intestine- in and around the affected area.
I have 3 treatment options available to me:
- Remicade: I was shaking my head with an emphatic ‘no’ as soon as the word came out of his mouth. I did, however, take this opportunity to pick Dr, Evil’s brain re: Remicade. Remicade is made from Rat Proteins and in most cases, patients must be medicated to prevent anaphylactic shock before the treatment can begin. The body sees this protein and as an invader, rightfully so, and goes off on it. There is also a small percentage of people who form a type of lymphatic cancer that is 100% fatal. Thanks for the 411, but I have enough problems.
- Humira: Pretty much the same as Remicade with the exception of being derived from human proteins as opposed to rat proteins. The chances of an allergenic reaction are greatly decreased. As with Remicade, there is a chance of a lymphatic cancer that is 100% fatal.
- Mercaptopurine (6-MP): Has many side effects including kidney stones and liver issues, which are among some of the most serious.
I chose the lesser of 3 evils by staying with the 6-MP for now. The dosage has been raised and I am back on my friend Prednisone until the Crohn’s stabilizes.
When it comes to Remicade and Humira, I consider those last ditch treatments even last to more surgery.
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