Didn't want to hijack the other enema thread with my questions

I'm still fairly new to UC. Been in denial for a year, but am coming around to acceptance. Sigh. I have a supply of these things, and the last flare my doc told me to get on them, but being new to the enemas as well, well, I balked. I have several questions.

1. What signals you to starting doing the enemas?
2. When do you decide to stop doing the enemas?
3. Do you continue the enemas so long as raw veggies cause cramping or until you stop seeing blood?
4. How much do your flares differ from one time to the next?
5. Have your flares become more frequent over time or more severe or does it seem to be luck of the draw?

My first question may sound kinda dumb, but I only had one day of bloody diarrhea with my latest flare, and after going on a restrictive diet. the gas pains eased, the cramping's gone, and the D is gone. I'm trying to decide if I should go ahead with the enemas or if I've circumvented the necessity of them.

My first flare was severe, but the last two have left me in a quandary. From what I read on the boards here, my latter experiences are very mild compared to some of you. In that regard, I almost feel guilty asking questions, and yet, UC is UC and flares and time can make things worse. I say that, but heck if I know much about UC and whether it tends to worsen over time or not. Enlighten me, please.

Hi, and welcome to HW. I'm really a newbie at this. I have pancolitis, at least that's what I had when dx'd. I don't know if that changes or if once you have pancolitis it's always pancolitis. I will go ahead with the nightly enemas. I see my doc tomorrow. So will ask him a few more questions. I just don't really understand the mechinisms of UC, what causes a flare up. I had a flu shot a few weeks ago. Could that have caused this latest flare up? I have so many questions, and so few answers. And some just can't be answered by articles on the subject. It's good to share with others confronting the same thing though it varies from person to person. Hope you get over your flare soon.

Real quick, justthinkin, I don't think your flu shot caused the flare up. Sometimes they seem to be for no reason.
Anyways:
1. I've only been on them once, but when I start seeing narrow poos and get constipation I would start them. If your symptoms are even worse than that, I would go ahead too.
2. When you're symptom free for a few weeks, I think.
3. Enemas won't fix everything if it's pancolitis, so you might still see blood and stuff. I think you'll need more meds if you aren't on oral ones already.
4. My flares always jumped right to cramping and bloody mucousy diarrhea (except the very first time started out slow with constipation and blood). However this time when I added birth control it started out slow and I've stopped/slowed it further. I plan on stopping that, and I'll be fine.
5. I haven't had a flare since I started Imuran, except for this hormone blip.