Unable to retain & problems with Salofalk enema

After you shake the bottle try to squeeze the air out of it. That helps a lot. Are you laying down on your left side when you do the enema? You should try to be still for about a half hour after inserting it. Usually after the first minute or so the awful feeling passes. I think if I paced around I would feel worse because its having to battle gravity. If you have trouble retaining the whole enema you could try just a half for a few days until your a little less inflamed and able to retain them better. If that doesn't work you could also ask the doctor to prescribe suppositories which may be retained better.

D'oh beaten to it by sherbear!

Thank you Nathan, your advice means a lot. It's all been a bit overwhelming since I found out. But these tips are great. I'm also wondering because my problem is so low down is the foam going directly on the ulcer & causing the initial pain. I definitely feel more prepared to tackle tomorrow night now.

How long does it normally take to see improvement? Or does it differ from person to person?

Thanks so much again!

It's the aerosol one, so that could be the problem too....

And you are so right about the drs, I've had a complete nightmare. First visit to my GP he sent me packing with a pack of laxatives, then I got admitted to hospital only to have my obs checked then sent home, they passed my referal through as a routine (which was a 22 week waiting list), my symptoms got much worse, so I went to the ER who fast tracked my scope, 8 weeks later when I got the scope - severe inflammation & ulceration. Unbelievable.

I'm just hoping I'll get the nack of this soon so life can get back to some sort of 'normal'. I've not been out with friends/ drank alchol in weeks - does this come back with time?

Hi,
Welcome to the forum. You are feeling like most of us do at diagnosis. The enema thing is tricky at first, but there have been some really good tips about how to use them. I thought I was finishing a flare, but yesterday I took a turn for the worse. I have always been able to retain a cortenema, but I could not last night. So, I know how you feel. I just inserted a canasa after I voided the enema and went to bed.

At 5am this morning my dog was crying. He needed to go out. (he had left me a smelly present on the kitchen floor) As he was doing his business outside, I was too inside. He refused to come in..poor thing was so sick. So, I put him in the garage b/c it was too cold to leave him outside. I went back to bed, tried the enema again..this time with success. Huge cramping this morning with a lot of semi formed waste...but NO BLOOD! So,that was good...my poor collie, though...there were 8 messes in the garage..I think my dog has "sympathy colitis"...jk!

Anyway, just stick with it. Probiotics are good too...I personally find this forum to be more helpful than my GI. Best of luck...UC is a roller coaster of an illness.....try to enjoy the good days and do your best!!!

cita...get your dog's stool checked by the vet.

Get him on probiotics.

It could be his food ...there's been a huge recall on jerky treats.

q

You'll have much better access to help once you've seen the gastro people. Most hospitals run an advice line - depending on where you are treated. So I can phone an IBD nurse at any time and get same-day advice - which is pretty good. They can sort out prescriptions and and if you need to they'll bring you in for an appointment quickly. So once you're in the system there should be no more waiting around if you really need to see someone.

Hopefully you'll feel more supported then.

If you still struggle with the enemas over the next few days I would definitely go and see your GP and get a different sort to try. I would recommend the 2g Salofalk non-aerosol ones. Easier to control IMO.

Post Edited (Nathan) : 10/7/2012 12:16:35 PM (GMT-6)

Quincy..I don't give him jerky, but thanks for the tip... Last night my friend gave him a small piece of chocolate cake (even after I told her not to as chocolate was toxic to dogs)....my daughter saw her do it on the sly anyway. I think that's what it is...I am pretty mad at her. If he isn't better soon, I'll take a stool sample to the vet.

LC.....Regarding the probiotics..I use the one in my signature. I tried VSL#3 but it was just too expensive. I find yogurt helps too...but other UC'ers have problems with dairy. UC is such a personal journey...there are things that work for some and not others. It's truly trial and error.

LC...I'm also glad you have a kitty to comfort you. Our pets are truly a blessing. Gipper (my collie) often sits outside the bathroom door when I'm sick! He's also sensed my son's low blood sugars too. Keep checking this forum! We all help each other in a special way. :)

Cita-I had a golden retriever that ate almost a whole pan of brownies and didn't have any problem. Not to mention chocolate chips cookies, chocolate candy that he stole from my kids. He LOVED chocolate. The only time he got sick from it is if he hate the plastic wrapper from candy. I hope that is all that it is with your dog.

LC2012-Did you actually have stool come out with the enema or just the enema? Pre-menstrual can also mess with things. Oh the joy of being female.

Hi all,

Yeah the stool comes out after the enema (unable to keep in). My cramps seem to be much worse today & the blood/mucus seems worse. I've only been taking 4 days but haven't seen any improvement. I know it differs from person to person - but when have you guys normally seen an improvement?

Hi there,
Sorry for the delay in responding but I usually sneak back when I have a flare. I also have UP. I take Pentasa 1 mg suppositories nightly and have since I was diagnosed; once an initial gassy feeling has passed I sleep all night and can retain it so hopefully it can do a bit of good right at the tail end. When flaring I take 2 Asacol foam enemas - one after lunch and one after dinner. I use them in the bathroom ( shake the bottle for 5 seconds, pop on tube, apply jelly to nossle and insert upside down , press and release and the foam jet flies!) I count to 15 slowly and distract myself by drumming my leg). Then after removing I go and lie on my left side as long as possible. My flare started last Friday ( I had diarrohea off and on for a month but dismissed it and didn't start taking the asacol foam until last Saturday (Thursday now) when the bleeding kicked in. Since then I have only been able to retain the foam for between 1 and 2 hours. If I have the gassy feeling I try to breathe it out and relax but generally have to sprint off to the loo at which point I expell foam and bloody diarrohea. As the medicine works I will expel foam and diarrohea with less blood or just the foam and a bit of blood with pink when I wipe. When I have had no blood for a few days I will try tapering to 1 Asacol foam daily plus the maintenance dose of 1 mg Pentasa daily. I may have to go up to 2 foams a day if the bleeding comes back and try tapering to 1 foam a day and then eventually tapering to just the suppository. This can take 4-6 weeks. If it does not go according to plan steroid foam or enemas may be an option but these made me very mucuosy. If not, then the big guns- oral steroids would be the next step at a dosage decided by your GI. They may try 20 mg initially and taper ( while continuing the foam/ supps) or hit it with 40mg and taper if you are in a mega flare). But I've had UP for 6 years and havent been on 40mg for 5 years as the Asacol foam and supps have always saved the day.
I know it may seem like a nightmare when a flare starts, a few days ago I felt so hopeless and bewildered but am already seeing a bit of improvement.
Hope you are feeling better and sorry if TMI but I know how confusing this condition can be do hopefully my input will be of help to you.

Yes, they're enteric coated probiotics....but I found a good answer for you Lodi.

http://www.renewlife.com/blog/forum/probiotics/optimum-time-to-take-probiotics-before-during-or-after-eating/

q