Fleets for UC pain relief???

Hi all, I'm new to this forum, but have suffered with UC for about 12 yrs. I'm currently in the middle of my 2nd flare which started about 3 weeks ago (slowly, with gut rumblings that progressed to painful gas, now bloody diarrhea), otherwise I've been in remission with the help of Lialda, Canasa and Rowasa. I was on Remicade for a year (2007-2008), which put my first flare into remission almost immediately after starting it, but developed bad joint pain after 1 yr. so stopped it. My original diagnosis was ulcerative proctitis, but with each flare it affects the entire left side of my colon.

So much for my history! Here's my question: Yesterday I had a Sig Flex procedure and had to prep with 2 Fleets enemas. Since this flare has started, yesterday was the best I have ever felt! Clearing out the left side of the colon really relieved all my pain! I was able to walk my dogs when I got back from the appt. and had loads of energy. I ate regularly (well, regular for a UC sufferer) and then this morning it all hit me again. The cramping, urgency and bleeding.

I know for some people a Fleets enema is excruciating, but for some reason it really seemed to help me. Would 1 enema in the morning after my first bm be such a bad thing? Or is this question so far out there that I should be termed as 'crazy'???

I wanted to mention too, I have this question out to my GI and am awaiting his response. I'm in the process of being approved for Humira, so this would be a very short-term remedy (maybe 1 week).

Post Edited (debb180) : 10/24/2013 2:57:22 PM (GMT-6)

I also feel better after procedures but I attribute that to not eating since all I never get more than 10% of the enema into me.

Could that be why you felt better? Maybe you felt worse the next day because you ate again?

OH, Lordy. Fleets is loaded with minerals, some like sodium, burn like hell. Before I was diagnosed I was given a prep that included Fleets. I was writhing on the floor feeling as though my insides were being ripped out by a sadist. The next day I was diagnosed with moderately severe UC. I was told surgery was, most likely, in my future.

I will never do a fleets again!

But, you do what makes you feel better.

I just heard back from my GI. He said Fleets was safe to do every day. Since yesterday wasn't terrible, I'll probably do one every other morning. I'm on track for Humira... got the lab orders for Hep C and TB tests today. I also just started taking Uceris. I had a terrible reaction to Prednisone during my last flare where, about day 5, I totally lost my short term memory. Very scary! ER docs called it a form of 'steroid psychosis'. My GI tells me Uceris won't get into my bloodstream because its a topical treatment for the colon, but its my 'gut' feeling that isn't entirely true. Keeping my fingers crossed I won't have a reaction!

Sibby, for the number 1 reason it made the pain go away for almost an entire day and half. For me, the pain is crippling and completely does me in. I'm useless to my family and my animals who depend on me. I actually won't be using a Fleets every day, but every other day.

Why do you say it's like playing with fire? If I'm getting relief from the pain, cramping and urgency with a simple saline solution it seems to me that's a helluva lot safer than Prednisone or biologics. I'm actually suspecting giving my gut a much needed vacation with rest and calm is helping to heal it. I shudder to think what I'm in for if I have no choice but to go on Humira. Right now I'm feeling good and my colon feels at peace. No fire here.
Also, fyi, I take Canasa, Rosasa and Lialda daily, and only just started Uceris today.

This is very interesting for me I have severe left- sided colitis and when it in I'm in a bad flare I get completely back up on the left side of the colon which causes me the most intolerable pain sometimes it's so bad I actually think I'm going to pass out and I get tachycardia and fever as well,cause I actually saw it on an x-Ray of my colon once when I was in hospital you could see all the stool backed up like a funnel and then the colon completely narrow like pencil wide where all the inflamation was.
When I've been like this since I have to take a lot of laxatives even if I have Bad D already and she'd loads of soluable fibre just to keep it all moving through and not let the colon go Toxic.
So with this in mind I can totally see how a fleet enema would work in the short term for pain relieve although not sustainable as obviously you will be rushing out a load of important minerals and electrolytes as well
Try take kids diarolite as well when your doing this to replace body minerals and so you don't de-hydrated you can still get de-hydrated even if your drinking loads of water hence IV fluids etc.