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2 hydrocortisone enemas per day?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/27/2013 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Just wondering how many of you have done this for a short time (one week or so) in order to "hit symptoms hard" to begin with. Then down to once at night until tapering. Have you had side effects? I usually gain water weight and have some mood changes.

My doc has allowed me to do this before - he is pretty laid back about meds. But he is out of town and the PA seems nervous....which has made me a bit nervous - hard to get a sense of who to go with. That said, I knowing my symptoms, once per day in the evening usually doesn't work for me to begin with.

What do you think? Have you done it?

Thanks Jo
Posted 5/27/2013 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I did it when I had severe and unrelenting inflammation in the rectum and sigmoid. For me it wasn't a real solution to the problem though because as soon as I stopped doing the enemas, the symptoms came back.

Do mesalamine enemas help you at all? They are far preferable side effect wise for most people.
Posted 5/27/2013 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
They don't seem to help too much unfortunately
Posted 5/27/2013 1:03 PM (GMT 0)
Joma,

I noticed in your sig, whole foods diet, what does that mean:

gluten and dairy too?

Curious if you'd tried going gluten and dairy free?

Posted 5/27/2013 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
I switched to sulfa free Rowasa (mesalamine enema) when I realized I was bothered by the sulfa preservative. That made a big difference.
Posted 5/27/2013 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
I did three Cortenemas per day at my worst (I was on disability so I didn't have anything better to do with my time wink ), at the advice of my GI. I'm pretty sure it actually kept me out of the hospital as I was practically on my way there when my GI told me to triple up on them. Anyway, two sounds fine, just make sure you have maintenance meds for your "exit strategy." Cortenemas DO have some systemic absorption, depending on how much you actually use and how long you retain it can be the equivalent of a 5 mg oral prednisone tablet.
Posted 5/29/2013 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, equivalent to only 5mg of oral. I would have thought more...especially when we are talking 200mg of hydrocortisone. It feels like more to me based on the side effects. Anyhow, thanks for the reassurance. I am continuing on 2 per day for the time being and flare symptoms are backing off so maybe I can drop to one soon.

Insofla. I have tried many different dietary changes (I was diagnosed in 1999) to no avail. Whole foods meaning as little processed foods as possible.

Thanks Jo
Posted 5/29/2013 12:23 PM (GMT 0)
Whole foods, ok that's good.
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