Friday, January 25, 2013

Small Update

Just checking in to add some semi-new information about Jack.
This past Summer, he had some blood work run by his Arthritis doctor (Rheumatologist) to see if he'd be a candidate for a different type of medication to try (Methotrexate injections).  Well, the results showed that he was likely bleeding internally somewhere, so they sent him for a full upper and lower scope series (Endoscopy and Colonoscopy) and discovered several very large ulcers in his GI tract.  They decided to go ahead with the MTX but also were trying to treat the ulcers.  Jack lost 13 pounds between July and early December, and then early this month (January) his blood work showed that his liver was having problems.  The doctors took him off the MTX (thinking it was a likely cause for the issues as anything), and he started gaining back the lost weight again.  HOORAY!  However, his follow-up scopes showed that his ulcers were not all the way healed and likely to get worse again.

Jack currently has very few foods and very few safe (we think) spices.

His foods currently are:
Rice, white potato, sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, pears, peeled apples, tomato, chicken, pork, and beef.

His GI doctor was talking about starting him on a new steroid to see if it helps with the allergic gastritis better than the ones he is already on.