When in your flare did you decide to start prednisone?

     In my personal opinion...you are at the point now.  I usually put off taking prednisone as long as possible too.  Unfortunately, I have become prednisone dependent.  Not happy about it and neither is my doctor.  6MP failed, so did Remicade.  Trying Humira next.  Just the last bit of my rectum is the culprit, rest of colon looks great.  Been this way for over eleven years.  I would consider myself one of the lucky ones if that last bit of inflamation wasn't so darn stubborn and cause me soooo much grief!  Hate the thought of surgery since the rest of my colon is  clear...never had any polyps nor inflamation higher than the last 20 cm.  Wish they could just take that part out but doctor said the inflamation could strike further up into the colon...ugh.   What a crappy disease...no pun intended.

I also had proctosigmoiditis. From my experience, I would suggest firstly using non-sterioid enema. I second Quincy that enema, enema, enema :). Even for those left-sided/pancolitis, enema is also helpful. I did not understand at firstly until I met a doctor. Although enema can only reach the rectum/sigmoid, its elements are 'transfered' to other parts by the colon. I often see improvement using non-steroid enema.

I was sick for a few weeks before I knew what was happening. Tried a combo of Asacol and Hydrocortisone enemas for 4 weeks with a little improvement. Then went downhill again at which point my doctor did a colonoscopy (made things even worse) and I was then put on pred and Imuran. So I've been on pred and imuran for about 2 weeks now. In my case things got worse and worse and worse. So, now I'm on a high dose of pred and tapering isn't even on my radar yet. I think if prednisone had come into the picture a month earlier I would have bounced back sooner. Be cautious about letting things go downhill w/o taking the next step. UC can be a slippery slope. Ulcers can continue to get worse! Take care!

I would love to be able to do the enemas, but after years of trying them, they just riled things up and always seemed to make things worse. Hence the Canasa..which seems to work. I told myself I'd give it a week to get back on Pentasa and up all other things like the Canasas, probiotics, etc. But Im just ready to get on Pred and get on with my life....moon face and all. :(

I think you should add mesalamine enemas in nightly before you start pred. I didn't use pred until a tummy bug threw me back into the depths of a flare (I'd been improving using Asacol and enemas), and I had to get well quickly for an interview. If I hadn't had the interview coming up, I might have stuck it out a bit longer.

I have had times where the enemas made things worse too.  Only once have they helped me with a flare.  I tried them every night for three or four months once and we even tried doing them twice a day for a while with no results.  I really wish they worked for me.  I also have better luck with Canasa but since you have been flaring for so long I think I personally would try a short course of pred.  Of course it is a very individual choice.  I don't have many side effects with pred thus far and I would rather feel better than let a flare go on and on.  Also, for me, the health risks of a prolonger flare with bleeding seem worse than the health risks of pred.  Again, each person is different though.  Have you been on pred before?

onebumgut - good I am glad it is starting to help! It makes me feel so much better usually. I have a feeling that as soon as I deliver my baby I will be on it again for a few months. Oh well...