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doc wants me to use canasa suppositories less

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/1/2013 10:19 AM (GMT 0)
I was just at my gastro doc on a routine appointment and I told him that I was using the canasa suppository every day because it seems that when I don't I see a tinge of blood on tp paper and I figure I would use them to stop the bleeding before it gets worse.  He told me that he wants me to try to use them every third day not every day. 

I did not ask him at the time, which I should of, why he thinks I shouldn't use them every day.   Does anyone have any insight as to his reasoning?  

Posted 8/1/2013 11:44 AM (GMT 0)
If it's working I don't understand why he would want you to come off it. Like my doc says "What gets you into remission is what works so why when you feel better would we back off and risk any potential flare (im not on steroids)"? The suppository's are safe and me personally would continue to use them.
Posted 8/1/2013 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
I use Canasa almost every day as well (except when I am doing the enema) and wonder too why he would ask you to use them every third day if you are still seeing a little blood. I have never heard or read where it is unsafe to take every day.

I just checked the Canasa website and they say "it is not known if CANASA is safe and effective for use for longer than 6 weeks"; however, that is something that they have to say only because they did not do any studies longer than that.
Posted 8/1/2013 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
Your GI likely doesn't want you to take more medication than is necessary in order to keep your uc symptoms in-check. That said, you are the best judge of what you need to keep your uc in-check. If your body and symptoms say I need this daily, then by all means take it daily.

My GI asked me to reduce my rowasa enemas and my symptoms got progressively worse as I used less of them per week. I've been back on nightly rowasa ever since and everything is good!
Posted 8/1/2013 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
I've used them nightly for the past ~16 weeks and at least a few times a week for several months prior to that. This is in addition to Lialda which I have taken daily for the past 2+ years. If I stop, things get worse, and my GI told me I should be on Lialda the rest of my life; I don't see why it would be any different with rectal mesalamine.
Posted 8/1/2013 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
Many of us here have taken cansa suppositories or rowasa enemas for years, years, and years without issue. So, yes take them for life.
Posted 8/1/2013 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
ceecee, what other meds are you on?

q
Posted 8/1/2013 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry it seems that my list of meds isn't showing at the bottom of what I write.  Anyway, I am on asacol 400 mg. 2 pills 2 times a day, plus I take vsl #3 packets 1/2 a day.   
Posted 8/2/2013 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
@I Poop. I too don't believe in tapering mesalamines and you and others convinced me of that.. Now that I'm flaring though, I sure am doing a lot of Canasas on top of nightly enemas.

I doubled my Lexapro dose and feel anxiety free for the first time in a long time. I'm not going to taper that because anxiety is the clear trigger on my flares.

The only thing I maintain low at is oral asacol. 2400 mg.

@ceecee600, you can't douse (rowasa) or melt (canasa) your rectum with enough mesalamines as far as I'm concerned. That's the stubborn area.
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