Enemas in hand, GI skeptical

No worries!
Ok, so I was diagnosed with pancolitis too. I started on Asacol, 12 pills a day the day I was diagnosed. A week (or maybe it was two...???) later, I saw my GI again and started enemas. He said he hadn't prescribed them before b/c I was so bad off he didn't think I'd be able to hold them at all. I'd shown some improvement on the Asacol, so he said since I was willing to do them, I should. Two days later, I was much, much, much better. Yes, it could have been the Asacol really starting to kick in, but I also think the enemas had a lot to do with it.

Biggest thing to keeping an enema in is to RELAX as much as you can. Getting all worked up about putting something up your butt just makes it harder! Also, if you want, you can warm the bottle up a bit in warm water. Definitely squeeze the air out of the top of the bottle, too. I keep a heating pad beside the bed, and if I start to cramp after I use it (it's never bad, just a little bit), I turn the heating pad on a put it on my tummy. It helps ease the cramping. And, it's so soothing it puts me right to sleep!

Poor thing. My doctor feels the same way about me using enemas, she said it probably won't help at this point because I am already on oral meds and using Canasa. I like to try everything but I haven't pushed for enemas because I am feeling a bit discouraged. It seems like nothing helps aside from prednisone. I hope you have luck with the enemas. I bought some VSL3 a week or 2 ago and have been using it quite a bit, I haven't seen any difference in my condition.

Sadly, it is probably colitis blood. I am so used to having blood, any little change in condition and I have blood.  I do think stress makes this condition a lot worse but I don't think there is much we can do to keep our stress level down, it is stressful being ill. It is stressful when you don't feel 100% ever. I don't remember the last time I felt really "good". I don't think it would be possible for me to feel as good as a normal person.

Pancolitis patients do have localised flares if the part above the rectum/sigmoid is being taken care of with oral meds.

Your doc is spewing crapola about the pancolitis and rectal meds not helping.

I just don't get why that's even become an issue with some docs....sigh.

But, I'm happy you have them Ellen. Maybe your husband can do the first enema for you.

Hang tough....you're going through much more than just UC....are you able to get to your GP hand have blood testing done to see if anything else is out of whack?

Let us know how the enemas work out. You do, indeed have to relax when you use them. Do you have refills for the enemas?


quincy

Definitely the enemas help! I have pancolitis and the enemas help so much! IF the bottom of the system is quieter, it helps my symptoms throughout..... and it makes me much more comfortable.
As Quincy said, the oral meds will hopefully reach the top part of the colon..... and then we can approach the inflammation from the bottom with the enemas.

To keep them in better, it helps me if I've pooped before bed - which, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't - and if I've made a point of expelling any gas before doing it.

But last night - whew,I don't know if it was the chicken sausages or the mashed pots (my son put a bit too much garlic in them - ) I was SOOOOOO gassy all night.... but kep the Rowasa all night, no prob.

The finer points of sphincter control, again to quote Q !!

I still use the hydrocortisone enemas. Usually 1 x week. Hit it from the top with sulfasalazine, from the bottom with enemas and from the inside with remi. I always had alot of rectal inflammation with pancolitis.

I always laid on my left side for at least 1/2 hour - listening to the radio (whatever you like) - relaxing and if a cramp came just squeezed butt together until gone.  Soon I could go to sleep!  But, if you could only keep it in 45 minutes that is better than nothing for sure - lots of the medicine stayed where it belongs.  I never used more than 2/3 the bottle and that stayed in all night.

ElaineNY

Considering that for most people UC inflammation starts at the bottom and moves upward and then heals the opposite direction, I think your doctor is being silly by being skeptical of rectal meds. It seems to me that means the most intense inflammation for many or most folks would be at the bottom, right? Anyhoo, I hope you can get this thing squashed!