Posted 1/31/2013 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Proctitis is more common in UC than CD but I was destined to have it along w my Crohn's. I still don't have clear manifestations of Crohn's and my diagnosis varies from active ileocolitis to indeterminate colitis as revealed by the scopes I have undergone in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012, respectively. I started my symptoms in 2007. Then, my GI told me that I don't have IBS only but something else that it is not confirmed yet. I have to wait for 10 years until it emerges. In 2011, the biopsies showed I had chronic proctitis. Since then, my rectum has been giving me real hard time. But the peak was in July 2012 after the GP had given me a strong antibiotic and I didn't consult my GI then. As a result, I kept flaring and the proctitis was very stubborn to the extent that my GI and surgeon decided to put their heads together and give me a very intensive course of rectal meds since they both had the conviction that I had a stricture. More than a month ago, I started to get my d back which pleased my GI and for him it meant that the inflammation was starting to shrink. So, he told me to alternate the steroid and the pentasa enemas every other day and said that he was not sure of the consequences. IMO, it was a mistake on his part as a week ago, I started to flare up again. My rectum is swollen like a stiff ball and I have this nasty stabbing pain. I saw my GI and he prescribed me three enemas/day: two pentasa enemas and one steroid enema, which I can't follow to the letter as it is not feasible.
I don't want to be repetitive as I sent earlier asking about colifoam but I was just wondering if there is anyone who can relate?
I'm trying to decipher this part (rectum) and how to deal w it. Almost two years ago, I found that not eating high fibers does not cause me the severe intestinal pain I used to have. So, I stopped eating them and things have become better intestinal wise esp after taking Entocort. Still, I can't understand proctitis. Is it just a matter of taking the rectal meds regularly; I mean nonstop like pentasa sachets and Entocort. When my GI decided to taper them off, my rectum flared up. I'm very cautious foodwise and even things that I could tolerate before, I'm skipping them now for the sake of my rectum. My surgeon said that any traces of tomato sauce or a tiny piece of chocolate irritate my rectum. This turned out to be true. In the past, my GI allowed me to eat food that was cooked in tomato sauce provided that I do not eat the sauce; now I can't.
Sorry for the long post and thank you very much for listening. Any advice will be highly appreciated.