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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/21/2008 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
hi, i'm 23 and was diagnosed with uc in 2005. at the beginning i was very bad as it was left for a long time so had alot of treatment and went into remission for a year. i was given mesalazine and asacol, i then started a new job and within a few months i had another relapse and was treated with the foam enemas but left me with severe stomach pains and loads of bleeding so was put back on mesalazine, i've been in remission for about 4 months and lost my job due to my health but have a new one and am now having problems again, i've had no bleeding but dioarigha for a couple of weeks and that queezy feeling in the mornings and feeling run down and unsteady. i think i need some kind of maintenence routine but the docs won't seem to help me with this, i'm really down about it and don't want to lose another job over this. i take 6 asacol a day but thats all. any advice please i'm really stuck. xxx
Posted 8/21/2008 5:13 PM (GMT 0)

Hi! Welcome to HW! A lot of us have had to go on a lot of different meds before finding one that may work (for at least a little while). It sounds to me like you're on a maintenance dose of Asacol, but that might not be the right dose or prescription for you. Luckily, your bleeding hasn't come back, yet. If your doc doesn't want to help you with this, please go to a different one who will help. This could be your UC coming back; it could be IBS (some of us have both), but it should definately be taken seriously before it gets any worse!

Good luck and hang in there!

Posted 8/21/2008 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Check out the book Listen to Your Gut by Jini Patel Thompson for numerous ideas on supportive healing therapies, dietary changes and lifestyle modifications that could help you improve digestion, feel better and may help your meds work better.
Posted 8/21/2008 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
You should be taking daily mesalamine enemas along with your daily Asacols. Same medicine, but taken from both ends. It's much more effective for maintenance.
Posted 8/21/2008 6:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...where in the colon is your UC...throughout or limited?

Daily enemas aren't maintenace, that would be considered a treatment dosage...but they should be tapered to find a maintenance.

You're flaring at this time, get back on the dosage you were on when flaring and once you're feeling perfectly better, consider to taper the enemas to maintenance.

Welcome to the forum,
quincy
Posted 8/23/2008 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
i had a sigmoidoscopy back in november 2005 and that showed left sided colitis but i panicked and had a slight attack so they had to stop but told me it was further round but they couldn't carry on to see how far....silly me hey! rolleyes so it's kind of unknown, i've been put back on prednisolone 6 daily for a few days then have to see my GI again in about a week, so we'll see how it pans out then. i still think i need enemas to maintain it though. also i hear fish oils are good and has anybody tried a product called mitamins?? i found it online on a health site, you put in your illness or problems you have and medication and doses and they put together a bottle of vitamins that are beneficial to you and tailor put together then they keep it on file and keep a 3 month dose for you, sound interesting or just silly?? idea thanks for the comments guys!! xxxxxx
Posted 8/23/2008 5:48 PM (GMT 0)

Sounds to me like time for a complete colonoscopy and other tests (blood, stool, etc.) to be sure what the doctor is treating.  Hard to know exactly what might work if the doctor does not have all the pictures and tests.

ElaineNY

Posted 8/23/2008 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
i know i probably should, are they bad? cause the reason i put it off was cause they said i'm not in urgent need for one just yet so i said i'd wait cause i was really worried. x
Posted 8/23/2008 6:02 PM (GMT 0)

No one ever said a colonoscopy was fun!  However, the prep - drinking laxative stuff, etc. day before and being hungry are the worst. 

I am 68 and only had my first colonoscopy last year - now had two.  Both times they were better than the signoidoscopy because they gave me Demerol for pain and versed so I would not remember anything - and I didn't.  Everyone is different but if you search up at the top here and put in "colonoscopy" you will see that most of us really don't mind the test at all and it helps to find the right medication to feel better and get rid of the symptoms so we can live a more "normal" life.  I also have IBS so was told for a year that was my problem - then came the bleeding and pain - and after the colonoscopy the doctor knows how to treat you best and get on with life faster then "guessing".  Good luck - be proative - tell the doc you want to find out EXACTLY what is going on in there and just DO IT!

ElaineNY

Posted 8/23/2008 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
thankyou, they said if i'm really that worried i can be fully sedated but have to be put on thee waiting list, they also said my flare ups haven't been that often or worrying enough to recommend one just yet, it's a good thing there's places like this for people to help lend support and advice to eachother, it's not easy. i'll look on here for people experiences, it's just one day and is to help me improve so i know your right! xxx smilewinkgrin
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