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Starting An Enema For The First Time

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/12/2013 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with mild to moderate UC in Nov. 2012. I am on 750mg of Balsalazide a day since then (three pills three times a day) and have had five flare ups including the one I'm in now. The first was very bad, the next three were pretty mild and this one is just as bad as the first. My doctor is starting me on Rowasa on Friday for home use and I have never done an enema and I know it may sound stupid but honestly I'm really scared to use it.

What have been your experiences with it and enemas in general? Should I be this scared or scared at all?
Posted 6/12/2013 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
Don't be scared. It's important that you breathe and relax as much as possible, because our sensitive butts often don't like the nozzle of the enemas and not relaxing into it will just make that worse. But remember that what comes out of your butt (when your colon is acting normal) is WAY wider than the nozzle of an enema. That little nozzle can't hurt you, so don't let it scare you.

The enemas come with a little lube on the nozzle, but you can get more if you feel the need (like KY Jelly. You won't need much). Lie on your left side and slowly guide the nozzle into your butt. If it hurts, back off a little. When the nozzle is inserted, slowly squeeze the bottle so that the enema enters your rectum.

These are intended to be retained. It's an odd feeling to begin with but not particularly unpleasant. Lie still for a little while to let the fluid kind of settle down.

Then breathe a nice sigh of relief. The longer you can retain it, the more good it does you and you're likely to see immediate benefits.

:-)
Posted 6/12/2013 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
The good news is that before long you'll be as comfortable with putting stuff up your bum as you are nervous about it today! Hang around here long enough and you might even start making your own enemas!!
Posted 6/12/2013 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Most importantly, don't get frustrated and give up if you have difficulty the first few times you try it. You might need a couple weeks until you get good at it. Make sure to squeeze all of the air out of the enema bottle before administering (as any air bubbles you inject will make the rest of the enema much harder to retain). I recommend doing only the first half of the enema, wait 5 minutes, and then inject the rest. Squeeze the bottle slowly, but steadily (squirt too fast and it is going to be uncomfortable). And make sure to be close to a toilet when you take the enema, as especially at first, you may not be able to retain it all, and not for long. Just try to ignore the feeling to expel the enemas contents, you might feel discomfort for a minute or two but it should settle down as long as you lay on your side still.

Good luck!
Posted 6/12/2013 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
ya, and make sure it's warm - i usually just hold it in my hand for about 5 minutes - no microwave or coleman stove - just body temp -

if you don't, it will feel like you're shoving a popsicle up there - YEE HAH !

oh yeah, and if you really enjoy it, that's ok. just don't let it get around ;-)

Posted 6/13/2013 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
ipoop pretty much covered all the basics so I'll just add a warning that Rowasa stains if it leaks or spurts onto one's clothes or bedding. Be sure to put something protective under your butt while you're learning to insert/instill the enema so as not to ruin any nearby item you care about! Try not to worry, though, because you'll master it before long. / Old Hat (32 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 6/13/2013 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
The first time my doctor prescribed rectal meds, I thought she was joking. Alas.

I actually just restarted hydrocortisone enemas last night, after a long hiatus with no rectal meds. Often, rectal meds are the last push to remission, and they help people retain remission. I've had relatively good results with rectal meds.

I recommend going to bed a little early when you take the enemas because the initial discomfort (which does wear off after several minutes) can make it hard to sleep at first. Don't be discouraged if you can't retain an enema all night; even just 30 minutes is better than not taking it at all. Rowasa also can take a couple of weeks to have a noticeable effect, so don't be discouraged if you aren't seeing results right away.

Depending on how sick you are, it might be much harder to retain the enemas when you first start using them. The first time I used a hydrocortisone enema, I couldn't keep it in for more than 5 minutes. As my colon healed, it got easier to retain them the whole night.

And honestly ... it's been several years of on-again-off-again enema use, and I still feel a lot of emotional distress using them. I mean, here's this system that delivers effective medication right where I need it, it's super easy to use, and the results are amazing ... and every time I use them, I get upset! But it is absolutely worth it.
Posted 6/13/2013 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all your help and advice! I do feel better about it now. I start tomorrow night.

Right now I am having to go to the bathroom 8-12 times a day so we'll see how long I can retain it at first. I am going to line my bed with a plastic drop cloth and I already have adult diapers for when I have to go out during a flare up so I'll wear one. I just want to make it at least 30 mins the first time but we'll see.

Thanks again!
Posted 6/13/2013 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Honestly, enemas are only as big of a deal as you make them -- the more worried you are about it, the harder it will be to do. I was having 15-20 BMs a day when I started them, and I was able to hold it a few hours the first time I used one. My GI advised me to just try half at first, because it is harder to hold an entire enema. I did half of one the first three or four nights, then started using whole ones.

I've been in remission for four years now and I still use them twice a week to maintain remission. My GI said I could probably quit using them and be fine, but I prefer to not rock the boat. It's not that big of a deal to me to use them; I'd rather do it than to flare!
Posted 6/13/2013 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
The anticipation is a killer...actually once you do it, it's anticlimactic.
The fear is more of the reward it seems.

Keep us updated on the event!

q
Posted 6/13/2013 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Truly, if you can let your bad thoughts go about them...they are no biggie. I've been doing them for 2.5 yrs straight and it takes only 2 minutes and than it is over. While it didn't put me in full remission (but close)..it is by far the most effective med for me. Good luck and don't overthink it!
Posted 6/13/2013 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Enemas are really easy. Trust me, I was really nervous about starting them at first, but after only a week I don't even think twice about having to do them at night. I think it might be because the fleet enemas I had to do for my sigmoidoscopies were super hard to retain, but these feel like nothing in comparison.

It'll be easier to hold in than you think, although it might be hard if your inflammation is bad in that area. Make sure you squeeze the air out of the bottle before putting it in.
Posted 6/14/2013 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
I start tomorrow night with Rowasa too for the first time. Once you are done with the enema do you have to stay laying down for hours and hours or can you get up after 20 minutes if you have to? I ask because I have two dogs and a baby and a couple of times a week I have to get up and take them out or soothe the baby in the middle of the night.

Post Edited (Dude35) : 6/13/2013 9:48:11 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/14/2013 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
You MUST stay laying on your left side or they don't work! At least for me. 30 minutes!
Posted 6/14/2013 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
They're most effective if you lie on your left side for the majority of the night (or at least immediately after you take them), and the longer you can retain them, the better they work. Sometimes, I'm able to get up in the middle of the night for whatever reason and I can still retain them. But when I'm really sick, it's hard enough to retain them lying down.

So if you take them and then have to get up, you might feel urgency and need to use the bathroom.

It's better to retain an enema for an hour than to not take it at all, though!
Posted 6/14/2013 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
When I first started taking them the pressure in the rectum was so strong the first few minutes then it gradually goes away! It was hard! Now there is no pressure now because I think it was that I was super inflamed and now that feeling is gone. It was awful at first but only lasts a few minutes
Posted 6/15/2013 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
Well I cheated and started it last night. The only real problem was the air in the bottle...how do you get rid of it without liquid coming out? Because of all the air I was only about to get 2/3 of the solution out of the bottle to its intended target. I retained it all night and even about 1.5 hours after I woke up...so I was happy about that.
Posted 6/15/2013 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
You're off to a good start.

Did you shake the bottle reallllllllly well?

q
Posted 6/15/2013 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
I make my own, 2 cups water, 1tsp organic marshmallow root powder, 1 tsp organic slippery elm bark powder, 1 tsp organic plantain powder, 1 tsp organic calendula powder. Supposed to be great for healing the colon..only done it 3 days now but seems to be helping. And I wrap it in a heating pad to warm it up, perfect temp.
Posted 6/15/2013 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
I'm pleased to report it went very well!

I did not have any discomfort during it or after. I was able to retain it for 1hr 10mins. Now just another 13 nights.

Thanks again all! You've really helped!
Posted 6/15/2013 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
just another 13 nights?........ bwahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa...
Innocence brings a tear to my eye.

q
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