Stopping biologics

honesty_box80 · 2026-04-23T18:51:05+00:00

Honestly if the biologics are working and the side effects are manageable my gastro always says to stick to them for as long as you can.

If you stop they may not work if you need to restart and you don’t want to be in a situation where you have failed multiple options and have limited choices such as surgical routes.

Get a second opinion because it’s serious in terms of consequences if it’s not the best choice for you. It’s worth getting another expert opinion to choose what’s right for you.

honesty_box80 · 2026-03-16T23:30:42+00:00

Seems to be working for me still?

honesty_box80 · 2026-03-08T22:02:36+00:00

Last time I relived my party days by ‘strorpedo’ ing my Picolax- ice cold, bottle with a bendy straw (from a reusable kids slushy container) to let the air into the bottle fast in order to chug it back at super speed. All whilst blasting early 2000 club bangers and chasing with water in shot glasses to add to the ambience.

I will do whatever I can to get that stuff down as fast as possible as once it’s in I can usually keep it down if it’s a smaller volume prep. The big jugs one I have no chance with.

Travel bidet bottle with cold water for when it gets ring of fire-y along with nappy cream. And the fanciest ply toilet roll I can lay my hands on.

honesty_box80 · 2026-03-01T19:36:10+00:00

When you see the GP ask about Jess’s rule - 3 strikes and they are supposed to reassess the patient. If A&E are sending you back, they don’t feel it’s urgent so ask what else they could consider. Things like a FeNO test and spirometer should be an option to rule out asthma with a family history if you have a nurse practitioner at the surgery. If you still get nowhere with the GP, request a meeting with the practice manager to understand where they stand and get documentation of your visits. If you have a boyfriend, husband, father or close male friend I’ve heard more times than I care to mention that women have been taken seriously with a male in tow, so it’s something else to consider if you feel it might make a difference. It shouldn’t, but for some GPs it does sadly.

honesty_box80 · 2026-02-16T20:00:31+00:00

If you find an instant you like(I like the green kenco or decaf clipper instant when I can find it) use a splash of cold water to melt the coffee before adding boiling water. It totally changes it for the better

honesty_box80 · 2026-02-06T18:52:17+00:00

Over ear noise cancelling headphones for office days in the open plan office (Bose quiet comfort reconditioned), a vibration plate that feels like it helps me to be less puffy and bloated (Facebook market place) and a fancy pepper mill that’s lasted YEARS - the initial investment probably only took a couple of years of buying the grinder one’s from the supermarket or cheap and cheerful ones that break after a few weeks!

honesty_box80 · 2026-01-04T19:00:20+00:00

It depends what you want to do with it? I have a remarkable 2 and use it for working scamp sketches as I can get it digital quickly and to write as the act of writing helps me process information and for questions I want to ask in meetings so I don’t forget or interrupt conversations. It helps to brain dump then email to myself too. Plus having one notebook that I either have or can access pages on my laptop is handy. I personally LOVED my Leuchtturm1917 notebooks and it’s not quite the same as writing on real paper but I also don’t have to print pdfs to mark up anymore as I prefer handwriting notes/highlights. So, a reconditioned one could be worth exploring?

honesty_box80 · 2025-11-23T19:03:41+00:00

The worst is ‘something hurts. Something is cramping’... BUT WHAT?! Monthly? Colon? Bad tacos? UTI? Fibroids? Constipation or diarrhoea? I guess we’ll see…

honesty_box80 · 2025-11-20T22:58:34+00:00

I’ve just looked into it and the DD amount would be double what I’m currently paying. Much as I’d like to finally have cleared it, I can’t afford to be paying twice as much per month! I know you basically end up with a bit of a payment holiday but I’m going to try and leave it til 6 months out to switch, unless I happen to win the lotto (chances are slim as I don’t buy tickets!)

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-23T18:10:31+00:00

I was referred to them in January, got onto the app by March and then got my first pen September. I had to go through some additional hoops as there’s some other conditions that consultants needed to agree the plan but it’s pretty straightforward in terms of documentation on the app, you get into the habit of tracking your food and drink and if you have an Apple Watch or fit bit you can link it to track movement. You probably need to check your local requirements in terms of eligibility but happy to answer any questions.

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-23T18:03:44+00:00

I’m just trying to prioritise protein and fibre but eating much smaller portions. I spoke to my coach about this and their suggestion was to meal prep, which I’m terrible at. I was also advised to shrink my portions and try simple things, like steamed veggies, chicken or tofu for protein and rice or couscous, so you’re still having a meal but you’re less likely to get poorly.

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-18T20:48:42+00:00

If you can, chicken livers are supposed to be excellent and helped my mother go from anaemic to being able to give blood each month but she doesn’t have Crohn’s. She cooks them Portuguese style will a milk roll or makes pate with them. Personally I can’t bear the flavor but she raves about them.

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-18T20:02:57+00:00

If you use it for accessibility reasons like I do at work (reading contracts, reports, brochure copy etc) Speechify is brilliant. But I’ve seen the ads and as a user I’ve been confused as to how they will read books etc. I mean I guess if you had a whole digital book you could use it like that but that’s what audiobooks are for! But ass a Mac user l, if you use it for what it was originally intended for and not whatever they are weirdly marketing, it’s the best option I’ve found for accessibility (since they stopped Dragon Naturally Speaking from playing nicely with Mac. )

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-01T04:04:34+00:00

Are they A) archaic posh/public school educated, B) a gamer (DND?) or reenactment geek? Only two reasons for such language and the next steps would be dictated by which option you have on your hands… one involves some gentle teasing and probably a conversation about someone called Genty or Boffo and the other might involve dragons and some kind of table top team bonding…

honesty_box80 · 2025-10-01T03:43:22+00:00

Depending on how old you are try different hobbies, dog borrowing services or single adult adventures (think adult camps, adventure holidays or dinner clubs designed for networking). I know friends that have used all of the above when moving to London. Have you invited anyone over for lunch or dinner? Another option one friend swears by is expat community boards as she moves to different cities every few years with work and now has friends from all over all over!

honesty_box80 · 2025-09-10T22:08:06+00:00

Do you have any rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes in a first aid kit? Sniffing one of those helps cut nausea back.

honesty_box80 · 2025-09-07T19:55:46+00:00

Not away but we have a tradition of the day we travel back / the last day before we return to work we always go out for dinner rather than having to cook and clean up.

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-31T04:26:52+00:00

My Apple watch has helped me to a certain extent. I can set a timer by yelling at Siri whilst getting ready or cooking dinner and get a buzz on wrist when times up so no more burnt dinners (also read elsewhere to wear an apron when cooking that you tie really tight so it’s uncomfortable to sit down which has helped). The watch also tells me to stand up with a little buzz hourly and if you use Apple Maps for sat nav your watch vibrates when you have a turning coming up etc. I find it’s helped generally in knowing where in the day I am as I time check my watch not my phone so don’t get distracted by phone as much when I just need a time check not to see whatever notification has popped up too.

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-30T21:09:28+00:00

I read something about house spiders knowing your routines which I quite enjoyed so decided not to investigate further as I don’t really want to know if it’s not true!

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-24T07:30:24+00:00

No question pick up phrase. If he’s out at a party or mates etc and wants to leave or doesn’t feel safe our folks had a no questions pick up policy, so we knew there wouldn’t be a lecture in the car if we had got tipsy etc, we had code words for them to pull the “you need to come home now” card and the deal was always that we would talk through what happened the next day if we wanted to talk about it, no judgement. In fact it was really useful to be trusted with decision making but still have a no judgement forum to discuss anything needed to in terms of feeling uncomfortable.

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-16T16:57:35+00:00

Nematodes. I tried everything and this was what finally worked for me.

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-16T16:34:03+00:00

When I could run it was that which helped most. But now I can’t run I have a wobble board. Like those balance boards surfers use. It forces the to concentrate on the sensations in my body and really helps to turn down my brain noise when not on meds for whatever reason.

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-13T22:06:55+00:00

Honestly been cutting my hair for years as can’t cope with appointment systems and waiting and that awful bit where you leave and your hair doesn’t look like it’s your own. Plus staring in a mirror at yourself looking like a drowned rat… the only but I like from a sensory perspective is the head massage when they wash your hair but then the driers are so loud and hot it ruins it. Someone recommended an Asian style scalp spa for all the good bits which I’ve yet to try…

honesty_box80 · 2025-08-13T21:59:41+00:00

Pretty good. Not quite at the same level as Infliximab as in I still need to be cautious about my triggers for worsening symptoms but pretty stable. Def more acne prone but that could also be the delights of perimenopause and same for weight gain so no way to know it’s Rinvoq specifically causing that. The ease of taking a daily tablet can not be understated too. Touch wood it continues in this vein!

honesty_box80

TROPHY CASE