Asacol vs Cortisone enemas?

Recently diagnosed with UP. Does anyone have any information on which is better? I have been on Asacol for about 3 weeks but an interested in trying something else because of cost. Apparently you can do the Cortisone nightly for three weeks and then see how long you stay in remission. Does this work. What are some of the common side effects?

Oral Asacol 2 @ 3 times daily. From what i have been told by my doctor i am only at 15 inches up. From what i understand this can spread upward through out the colon. Hopefully that doesn't happen. My GI told me about the Cortisone but wasn't sure they worked. The Asacol works but it sure is spendy. I have been taking Probiotics as well (Lifeway Kefir) every morning. Seems like i have had a little hair loss and also fear that maybe from the Asacol. Pretty confused at this point on what to do.

My bad. I meant cm.

I am in the US. The first thing my doctor put me on was some sort of rectal enema. mesa something not sure what it was but it worked the first time. He had me use them once in the morning and once at night and slowly taper off through out six weeks. I was good to go for about 4 months and then it came back. The pain was much worse the 2nd time and the enemas were not cutting it on there own. Doctor then put me on the Acacol and had me finsh with the rectal enema and that put me into what i believe is remission. Not sure if i feel at a 100% but sure a heck of a lot better. I guess i was hoping that i could just taper off of this stuff and try and stay in remission using probiotics but from what i read that probably isn't a good idea. Thanks for the advice on the cort-enemas. I will ask my doctor about getting somemore of the original once i had to use as maint. Thanks Quincy!!!

Welcome!
There has been research showing that if we stay on Asacol (or whatever - oral 5-ASA meds) we are less likely to have flares and they are less likely to be as severe. There are exceptions to that, of course. But I stay on my oral meds even in remission, and now (since reading about it here) I am staying on rectal mesalamine, the enemas, twice a week even in remission in hopes of prolonging the remission.
There has been some evidence that twice a week rectal mesalamine will cut down the long-term cancer risk, as well - good enough reasons for me to continue!