HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Difficulty with Hydrocortisone

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/26/2009 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
Tonight was my first time attempting to give myself a Hydrocortisone enema. Obviously, I wasn't thrilled about having to do it, but after having active Ulcerative Colitis for over a year, and being unable to comfortably leave the house, I was ready to try anything.

Anyway, I tried to slowly squeeze the liquid in to myself, and when I thought I was about done, I took it out and looked at it. The bottle still had about 2/3 of the medicine in it. I was shocked that I had only used such a small amount, and moments later, I felt the powerful urge to "go."

So the first attempt was pretty much completely wasted, but I tried again. Once again, I only managed to get about 1/3 of the medicine out. I was able to stay in position and let it distribute throughout my colon, but I decided to stop there for the night.

I'm throwing tonight away as a practice night, but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on getting through the treatment easily. I'm not even sure if I'm going to be able to do this without being put to sleep and letting a nurse do it or something
Posted 8/26/2009 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
no fun for sure.  doctor told me 1/3 was good for first few times.  Also, lay on your left side, grin and bear it - the urge will pass and you can retain it longer each time. Don't give up!  I have been luck with the foam but it wll not go up as far.   Elaine

Posted 8/26/2009 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Breathing through your mouth when the urge hits can sometimes help get you through it.
Posted 8/26/2009 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
Was it foam that you used? It's not uncommon for some of the foam to be left behind...I only use foam and have had no issues getting pretty much all of it in and I administer it upright (while I'm sitting on the toilet)...I also use at my very least active time, right before bed.

:)
Posted 8/26/2009 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
It was the liquid form. At least, I'm pretty sure it's liquid. It's very thick
Posted 8/26/2009 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Then that too will likely leave some residue behind, but if you're concerned then you could ask your doc about switching you to a foam based med like cortifoam (it's the only rectal med I'll use).

:)
Posted 8/26/2009 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
     I have the same problem.  There is always about 1/4 of the bottle left in.  I don't discard the leftover amount.  Instead, I save the amount that remains and pour it into the bottle that has 1/4 left.  Therefore, I feel I don't waste it.

     The best postition for me is to kneel with my butt in the air...not a pretty sight, but I make sure I am by myself in the bedroom while doing this....and stick it in.  Try remaining in that position for a few minutes.  Then I lie on my side.  Sometimes it stays in and sometimes I can only hold it for a short while.  I take Canasa suppositories in the mornings.  I have better luck retaining them than the cort enemas.

Posted 8/26/2009 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
I lay on my left side. Before I do the enema I squeeze the enema so the liquid is at the tip of the enema. Then I make sure to stick the end of the enema as far up as possible, squeeze the enema really hard and pretty fast and end up scrunching it up. I have found that when I am flaring pretty badly I can't hold the enemas in and I have the urge to go. Best of luck.
Posted 8/26/2009 6:19 AM (GMT 0)
I'm currently doing the hydrocort enemas. I realy try to have a good BM prior to injection. I've had diffculty retaining a few times so sometimes I'll take an Imodium AD about an hour before and this really seems to help. Good luck! They help me alot....geez are they expensive though.
Posted 8/26/2009 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
I feel as if I could write a book on how to do retention enemas. (I don't think it would be a best-seller....)
It's enormously easier to do if I've had a BM just prior.
I put a little lube of some sort on my butt to help the thing slide in, then I lie on my left side, squish the air out of the bottle, insert the tip and I squeeze it slowly, folding up the bottle as it empties - I get most of it out that way. I breathe slowly and calmly, and I don't talk or move for at least 5 minutes (then usually I've fallen asleep - I do it right at "lights out" time.)
If it's cold weather so the enema bottles are cold, I warm them first, usually by just holding them in my armpit for some minutes while I'm reading. (Actually my wonderful hubby usually warms them for me!)
I find that horrible spasming "urge to go" feeling will usually pass if I can lie still, breathe, and not move at all.
Good luck to you!
Posted 8/26/2009 2:57 PM (GMT 0)
When I had to use Pred enema, my wife would help me administering it. But before that, I would make a quick trip to the loo and lie in doggy style (sorry, no better word) for about 10 mins, to get as much gas out. Once, I am almost certain that I am ready, she would administer it. You are lucky that the contents are thick, the one I used was exactly watery and my wife never managed to administer the complete bottle.
My GI told me, administer as much as you can and don't worry about what you can't. Did you ask them about foam (that feeling is no pleasant either)
Posted 8/26/2009 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
1/3 is a good amount. People focus so much on getting the whole thing in and then expel it so it is wasteful anyway. I would rather get 1/3 than a whole bottle in and just expel it back out.

I stay in the bathroom while doing this. I don't do it in the bedroom, and stopped attempting that several years ago. (After I lay 15 minutes with the cortenema in you can get up and move to the bed anyway) I only use 1/3 at a time usually, maybe a half if I am feeling lucky. I never discard the unused part. Some people get hung up on the hygienics of that, but being a doctor and doing it for as long as I have I can say its completely safe for myself. It is your own rear end. Pour unused portions together and make full bottles.

Warming them up in sink first is great advice. Something that makes it even easier is taking one of your empty bottles, fill it with distilled water, warm that up, and use that 60ml of warm water first to see whats gonna happen. Usually that will provoke you to evacuate anything down there thats going to come out anyway when you try the regular enema. You can do this a few times if you need to. This makes it extremely easy to get the enemas to stay in. Lying on left side right knee up is usually pretty good position. On knees with rear end up in the air sometimes works, then just slowly move down onto left side once it goes in. Sometimes if I really want the stuff to migrate up through my colon, or if I am using a thinner enema I will prop my back up against a wall and stick my legs up in the air braced up with the wall.

Plenty of A&D ointment on the tip works best for me too. Tried several other lubes and they just didn't cut it. I think its the tevia brand that has the horrible made tips. They can cut the rectum and make things worse so if it is sharp going in don't even use it. Find a tip that is smooth and stick with it.
Posted 8/26/2009 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the empty bottle tip. That was pretty much my main concern; how to know if I was really ready or not. I do plan on getting more in when I try it tonight, but now I'm curious, would the treatment still work well if I only used 1/3 every time? Not that I plan on taking the easy route, because if I'm going to go through this, I'll do it right, but I'm just wondering if it will be worth worrying about if by next week I'm not getting more than 2/3 of the medicine
Posted 8/26/2009 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
The more you get in the better of course, but my focus was always on retaining the smaller amount all night. Using water first you will be able to get alot more in and retain it easier. It's trial and error. See what helps... if you don't notice a differnce with just 1/3 overnight, use more.

Yeah, it always helps to have a bottle you are putting the leftover stuff into. No matter how much you squeeze you never get it all out, lol. Initially I was just throwing unused parts away and maybe going through three bottles before one got in and stayed.... Well, after running out of meds a few times during the months and having to pay out of pocket I learned my lesson. They are around $10 for on 60ml bottle.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply