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Steroids and Colitis

Forums General Melanoma Community Steroids and Colitis

  • Post
    Squash
    Participant

    I am having a bad reaction to yervoy and radiation combined that i am doing at the moment.

    I was up all and down from around midnight seven or eight times for bathroom visits and that is despite taking 12mg of steroid at onset of symptoms.

    What would be the usual dose for a bad case ?

    And is dose given a couple of times a day?

    I will probablyhave to go to hospital anyway i think.

     

Viewing 17 reply threads
  • Replies
      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      My dad is on Yervoy and radiation combo as well. Had his second infusion about 10 days ago and ended up with a high fever for 5 days. He had a couple of bouts of diarrhea as well. But nothing like you are describing. His doctor put him on 40 milligrams of steroids orally. Two days ago they called and said his Monday blood work had elevated liver enzymes. Not by a lot but still, they upped his steroids to 100 milligrams a day. So the dose you are taking does not sound very high at all. With that many incidents of diarrhea I would probably go have it checked out ASAP.

      They told him to take the full dose in the morning with breakfast. Make sure you call your own oncologist since emergency rooms might not know what to do with someone on this type of drug. This is the advice we got from our doctor. They can be in contact with the emergency room doctors.

      Annie

      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      My dad is on Yervoy and radiation combo as well. Had his second infusion about 10 days ago and ended up with a high fever for 5 days. He had a couple of bouts of diarrhea as well. But nothing like you are describing. His doctor put him on 40 milligrams of steroids orally. Two days ago they called and said his Monday blood work had elevated liver enzymes. Not by a lot but still, they upped his steroids to 100 milligrams a day. So the dose you are taking does not sound very high at all. With that many incidents of diarrhea I would probably go have it checked out ASAP.

      They told him to take the full dose in the morning with breakfast. Make sure you call your own oncologist since emergency rooms might not know what to do with someone on this type of drug. This is the advice we got from our doctor. They can be in contact with the emergency room doctors.

      Annie

      keepthefaith11
      Participant
      My dad is on Yervoy and radiation combo as well. Had his second infusion about 10 days ago and ended up with a high fever for 5 days. He had a couple of bouts of diarrhea as well. But nothing like you are describing. His doctor put him on 40 milligrams of steroids orally. Two days ago they called and said his Monday blood work had elevated liver enzymes. Not by a lot but still, they upped his steroids to 100 milligrams a day. So the dose you are taking does not sound very high at all. With that many incidents of diarrhea I would probably go have it checked out ASAP.

      They told him to take the full dose in the morning with breakfast. Make sure you call your own oncologist since emergency rooms might not know what to do with someone on this type of drug. This is the advice we got from our doctor. They can be in contact with the emergency room doctors.

      Annie

      Maria C
      Participant

      Hi there – I second Annie's suggestion to call your oncologist right away to report a worsening condition despite being on steroid treatment. Also, maybe inquire about taking Imodium to also get this under control; worked for me under doc's advice…

      Good luck!

      Maria C
      Participant

      Hi there – I second Annie's suggestion to call your oncologist right away to report a worsening condition despite being on steroid treatment. Also, maybe inquire about taking Imodium to also get this under control; worked for me under doc's advice…

      Good luck!

      Maria C
      Participant

      Hi there – I second Annie's suggestion to call your oncologist right away to report a worsening condition despite being on steroid treatment. Also, maybe inquire about taking Imodium to also get this under control; worked for me under doc's advice…

      Good luck!

      Squash
      Participant

      I am in hospital and just got an infusion of 1gram of some steroid.

      Will be here a few days at least.

      Did xray of abdomen and blood test and urine and stool …all very quick and professional.

      Thanks for the tips and advice and yeah they said leaving it could be disastrous as it can escalate alarmingly in a short period of time.

       

       

       

      Squash
      Participant

      I am in hospital and just got an infusion of 1gram of some steroid.

      Will be here a few days at least.

      Did xray of abdomen and blood test and urine and stool …all very quick and professional.

      Thanks for the tips and advice and yeah they said leaving it could be disastrous as it can escalate alarmingly in a short period of time.

       

       

       

      Squash
      Participant

      I am in hospital and just got an infusion of 1gram of some steroid.

      Will be here a few days at least.

      Did xray of abdomen and blood test and urine and stool …all very quick and professional.

      Thanks for the tips and advice and yeah they said leaving it could be disastrous as it can escalate alarmingly in a short period of time.

       

       

       

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        Sounds like you are in good hands! Hope it clears real soon.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        Sounds like you are in good hands! Hope it clears real soon.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        Sounds like you are in good hands! Hope it clears real soon.
      MoiraM
      Participant

      Are you taking anything else to control the diarrhoea? You could talk to your doctor about that.

      I was prescribed Imodium (loperamide}.

      For me steroids did not help control the diarrhoea. The steroids are needed to deal with the inflammation of the wall of the gut – the colitis.

      Indeed, in me, steroids made the diarrhoea worse so because they depressed my usual gut bacteria. I know take probiotics to keep my gut bacteria 'topped up' so no nasty visitors can move in.

      MoiraM
      Participant

      Are you taking anything else to control the diarrhoea? You could talk to your doctor about that.

      I was prescribed Imodium (loperamide}.

      For me steroids did not help control the diarrhoea. The steroids are needed to deal with the inflammation of the wall of the gut – the colitis.

      Indeed, in me, steroids made the diarrhoea worse so because they depressed my usual gut bacteria. I know take probiotics to keep my gut bacteria 'topped up' so no nasty visitors can move in.

      MoiraM
      Participant

      Are you taking anything else to control the diarrhoea? You could talk to your doctor about that.

      I was prescribed Imodium (loperamide}.

      For me steroids did not help control the diarrhoea. The steroids are needed to deal with the inflammation of the wall of the gut – the colitis.

      Indeed, in me, steroids made the diarrhoea worse so because they depressed my usual gut bacteria. I know take probiotics to keep my gut bacteria 'topped up' so no nasty visitors can move in.

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        I am glad you went! Not doing anything ASAP can escalate the problem severely. If you get to it early it seems it can usually be manageable fairly easily. I have heard that if you are indeed developing colitis, Imodium is not a good idea. Someone might be able to confirm this though.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        I am glad you went! Not doing anything ASAP can escalate the problem severely. If you get to it early it seems it can usually be manageable fairly easily. I have heard that if you are indeed developing colitis, Imodium is not a good idea. Someone might be able to confirm this though.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        I am glad you went! Not doing anything ASAP can escalate the problem severely. If you get to it early it seems it can usually be manageable fairly easily. I have heard that if you are indeed developing colitis, Imodium is not a good idea. Someone might be able to confirm this though.
        Squash
        Participant

        Doctors recommend taking 2 immodium after every bowel movement,

        Not sure what the logic is but that is my experience.

        Steroid worked to an extent but still have had a few false starts but not much to speak of and no real bowel movement per se,

        I will probably get constipated now,

        .

        .

        Squash
        Participant

        Doctors recommend taking 2 immodium after every bowel movement,

        Not sure what the logic is but that is my experience.

        Steroid worked to an extent but still have had a few false starts but not much to speak of and no real bowel movement per se,

        I will probably get constipated now,

        .

        .

        Squash
        Participant

        Doctors recommend taking 2 immodium after every bowel movement,

        Not sure what the logic is but that is my experience.

        Steroid worked to an extent but still have had a few false starts but not much to speak of and no real bowel movement per se,

        I will probably get constipated now,

        .

        .

        MoiraM
        Participant

        You joke, but that was what happened to me. When the diarrhoea switched off and the constipation switched on it was because my pituitary gland had stopped telling my thyroid what to do!

        MoiraM
        Participant

        You joke, but that was what happened to me. When the diarrhoea switched off and the constipation switched on it was because my pituitary gland had stopped telling my thyroid what to do!

        MoiraM
        Participant

        You joke, but that was what happened to me. When the diarrhoea switched off and the constipation switched on it was because my pituitary gland had stopped telling my thyroid what to do!

      Mat
      Participant

      Anon, as you know, you did the right thing!  As you've learned, 12mg of a prednisone-like steroid is not nearly enough to deal with ipi-induced colitis or even diarrhea.  Anyone who sees you post should know to immediately contact their onc if they are on ipi and their diarrhea cannot be controlled by Immodium, Lomotil, etc. within a few hours.  At a minimum, your onc should see you the next day for a bag of IV fluids (if not IV steroids).  As someone who had ipi-induced colitis, I can tell you that the grass is greener once you get past the taper.  

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        For my dad it was the combination of 5 days of fever and 2 bouts of diarrhea that made his doctor put him on Predisone. Add elevated liver enzymes to that and I think it was the right call for sure. Luke you said, after the diarrhea episodes he did 3 days of IV fluid, and felt ao much better.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        For my dad it was the combination of 5 days of fever and 2 bouts of diarrhea that made his doctor put him on Predisone. Add elevated liver enzymes to that and I think it was the right call for sure. Luke you said, after the diarrhea episodes he did 3 days of IV fluid, and felt ao much better.
        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        For my dad it was the combination of 5 days of fever and 2 bouts of diarrhea that made his doctor put him on Predisone. Add elevated liver enzymes to that and I think it was the right call for sure. Luke you said, after the diarrhea episodes he did 3 days of IV fluid, and felt ao much better.
        Squash
        Participant

        Yep i was on an intravenous drip all day yesterday.

        Things have improved but i am really hyped on the steroids.

        Hopefully i dont get stuck in hospital for too long and i can get off the steroids and back to another round of infusions.

        Luckily i didnt wait another day so anybody who gets in the same situation you need to act asap otherwise it could be a major problem.

        Finally thanks for all the great here that has really helped me.

         

         

         

         

         

        Squash
        Participant

        Yep i was on an intravenous drip all day yesterday.

        Things have improved but i am really hyped on the steroids.

        Hopefully i dont get stuck in hospital for too long and i can get off the steroids and back to another round of infusions.

        Luckily i didnt wait another day so anybody who gets in the same situation you need to act asap otherwise it could be a major problem.

        Finally thanks for all the great here that has really helped me.

         

         

         

         

         

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        So glad you went in immidiately. Hope things stabilize quickly and you can go on with tteatment.

        Annie

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        So glad you went in immidiately. Hope things stabilize quickly and you can go on with tteatment.

        Annie

        keepthefaith11
        Participant
        So glad you went in immidiately. Hope things stabilize quickly and you can go on with tteatment.

        Annie

        Squash
        Participant

        Yep i was on an intravenous drip all day yesterday.

        Things have improved but i am really hyped on the steroids.

        Hopefully i dont get stuck in hospital for too long and i can get off the steroids and back to another round of infusions.

        Luckily i didnt wait another day so anybody who gets in the same situation you need to act asap otherwise it could be a major problem.

        Finally thanks for all the great here that has really helped me.

         

         

         

         

         

      Mat
      Participant

      Anon, as you know, you did the right thing!  As you've learned, 12mg of a prednisone-like steroid is not nearly enough to deal with ipi-induced colitis or even diarrhea.  Anyone who sees you post should know to immediately contact their onc if they are on ipi and their diarrhea cannot be controlled by Immodium, Lomotil, etc. within a few hours.  At a minimum, your onc should see you the next day for a bag of IV fluids (if not IV steroids).  As someone who had ipi-induced colitis, I can tell you that the grass is greener once you get past the taper.  

      Mat
      Participant

      Anon, as you know, you did the right thing!  As you've learned, 12mg of a prednisone-like steroid is not nearly enough to deal with ipi-induced colitis or even diarrhea.  Anyone who sees you post should know to immediately contact their onc if they are on ipi and their diarrhea cannot be controlled by Immodium, Lomotil, etc. within a few hours.  At a minimum, your onc should see you the next day for a bag of IV fluids (if not IV steroids).  As someone who had ipi-induced colitis, I can tell you that the grass is greener once you get past the taper.  

      Squash
      Participant

      As it turns out i really didnt have diarhea but i had the runs with blockage up the top of the intestines so ended up having to take laxative formulas to move it all and it still isnt really resolved although i have full proper bowel movements but still am blocked.

      Probably because i am on hydro morphine for nearly two months now it had blocked me up. So a bit complicated but i am out of hospital today having resolved that but generally feelling much worse than what i came in.

      Not sure if i will do any more treatments now anyway as i am getting too weak i think.

       

       

      Squash
      Participant

      As it turns out i really didnt have diarhea but i had the runs with blockage up the top of the intestines so ended up having to take laxative formulas to move it all and it still isnt really resolved although i have full proper bowel movements but still am blocked.

      Probably because i am on hydro morphine for nearly two months now it had blocked me up. So a bit complicated but i am out of hospital today having resolved that but generally feelling much worse than what i came in.

      Not sure if i will do any more treatments now anyway as i am getting too weak i think.

       

       

      Squash
      Participant

      As it turns out i really didnt have diarhea but i had the runs with blockage up the top of the intestines so ended up having to take laxative formulas to move it all and it still isnt really resolved although i have full proper bowel movements but still am blocked.

      Probably because i am on hydro morphine for nearly two months now it had blocked me up. So a bit complicated but i am out of hospital today having resolved that but generally feelling much worse than what i came in.

      Not sure if i will do any more treatments now anyway as i am getting too weak i think.

       

       

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