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Can enemas irritate and "cause" flare like symptoms?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/17/2014 1:00 PM (GMT 0)
I've been using pentasa enemas....tried salofolk but it just drained my energy.....my first 2 poops in the morning following the enema are mush and filled with blood. Then I don't seem to go again all day. (So far anyway.)
Prior to taking the enemas I had formed stool and no blood. What gives? I think I'll stop for a couple of days and see what happens, but just wanted an opinion.
Posted 3/17/2014 1:05 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you are intolerant to them if they have worsened your symptoms.
Posted 3/17/2014 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
I'm like that too, but then a couple days later I seem to be better. I still haven't figured out if enemas help or make things worse. If you figure it out let me know!
Posted 3/17/2014 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
laughingduck....so far only the 2 bm's with blood/mush in the morning. then nothing else, even when eating which is highly, highly unusual. Is it better to go twice with bleeding then 5 times with formed stool and no blood?

I'm not going to use it tonight and see how I do.
Posted 3/17/2014 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes it is hard to tell whether your uc flareup is just getting worse. Have you had any prior signs of meslamine-intollerance? Generally, the enemas lead to fewer cases of intolerance than the oral pills do.
Posted 3/17/2014 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
ipoop...no other signs. I'm on pentasa pills, 4 day as well.
Posted 3/17/2014 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Could be the sulfate preservative used in most retention enemas. There is a sulfate-free Rowasa.
Posted 3/17/2014 2:31 PM (GMT 0)

fruitgirl said...
Could be the sulfate preservative used in most retention enemas. There is a sulfate-free Rowasa.

I did not know this until you pointed it out. It could be my answer to the gut rumbling and massive gas that the generic mesalamine enema is causing me. Gotta see if I can give it a try. Thanks!
Posted 3/17/2014 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
I found the sfRowasa more pleasant - but very expensive.
Posted 3/17/2014 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
no sulphate free in Canada that I know of.

Are you the same with steroid enemas?

How long on the 5ASA enemas (Salofalk and then the Pentasa)...and what were the dosages of both?

q
Posted 3/17/2014 8:47 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
no sulphate free in Canada that I know of.

Are you the same with steroid enemas?

How long on the 5ASA enemas (Salofalk and then the Pentasa)...and what were the dosages of both?

q

Darn, I just posted about a rowasa replacement in Canada too. My pharmacy cant get rowasa. Id like to try it though, see it it makes a difference. Im really starting to get annoyed with my nationality these days!
Posted 3/18/2014 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the responses.

Update: I didn't use the enema last night. This morning 2 formed bm's no blood etc. I did find benefit to using the enema as I didn't poop all day even after eating. (Even in "remission" I usually go after eating lunch...snacks.) The other thing I noticed after the 2 nights of the enema is that I didn't have gas. I've come out of the latest flare over the last month, but I have obnoxious gas in the morning. I was invited to go on a ski trip but refused because I would have shared a hotel room....out of the question when passing large amounts of loud farts!

The IVIG has once again proved to be working but I decided on Sat night to use the enema to help maintain remission. The last flare really scared me... lots of panic etc/ But then I found I was passing blood so wondered if it was irritating me. It may be the preservative.... No Rowasa here in Canada! If I ever won the lotto I'd find a GI in the US....perhaps check myself into the MAYO.

Quincy...I've used cortifoam before. It didn't work during this last flare which is why my GI suggested Salofolk and now Pentasa.

So my question remains....

Formed stool, no blood, but 4-5 bm's a day and morning gas WITHOUT the enema?

OR

2 loose bm's in the morning with blood, eat and socialize during the day, no gas WITH the enema? (And possibly extending remission? Although who knows if/why IVIG stopped working for a period of time but has now kicked in? May mean another year of remission or another day?)
Posted 3/18/2014 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
I think the hydrocort (steroid) enemas irritate my symptoms.
Posted 3/18/2014 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
How long were you on the Salofalk enema? and what dosage?

How long on the Pentasa enema...and what dosage?


Remember that limited inflammation can cause more formed stool, and if you're going less, there might be less bleeding.

I'm wondering if you did a half Pentasa enema (less liquid)...Pentasa has 100ml compared to Salofalk which has 60 ml.

q
Posted 3/20/2014 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Quincy,

I don't remember the dosage of the salofolk but I only used half the container per night. Tried it for about a week. It worked but I couldn't stand the side effects.

I'm continuing to use the pentasa. Half bottle per night. 100ml/4gs.
There's a bit of mucus, no blood. But I'm finding that I'm purging in the morning. 1-2 very large stools...almost like emptying for a procedure. Not formed. Some minor cramping. I haven't kept up with the fiber this week so I'll reintroduce it.

Still not sure if it's working... or if it's the IVIG but I'll keep going since I'm not going 15 x anymore!!
Posted 3/20/2014 2:02 PM (GMT 0)
I do a Pentasa enema nightly (just started back on the Pentasa routine) + 3 Mesevant daily & I take my 4th injection of Simponi Friday. Just made my 14th trip to the bathroom and I am at work (notice I said at work; not working lol). I just took an immodium because I cant stand it!!! You mentioned introducing fibre into your diet. I find if I eat grain bread or salad of any kind; I may as well take my blanket & pillow into the bathroom and camp out. I would love nothing better than to eat a salad; but am too afraid of the consequences.
Posted 3/20/2014 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
MrsSDot: I would love a big Greek salad!! There's no way. I can't digest lettuce. However, interestingly enough I can have a spinach salad depending on how stable I am. There were some posts a while back about spinach healing the mucosal lining I believe. As far as fibre I take 6 Metamucil per day to firm me up. I find that if I'm heading toward a flare taking 1 Imodium with 6-12 caps/day sometimes buys me some time.


I have no idea how you managed to get into work? Does yr employer know? I was fired from my job in July because of my illness...although they said otherwise. Now I'm on disability.
Posted 3/20/2014 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
rbartolo:
Yes, my employer knows and I am extremely lucky that he is so understanding. However, although I work in the office, I work with about 15 other employees and only one bathroom. If I worked any where else, like if I had to have someone take over for me for a bathroom break; I would have to be on short term dis or LTD. I only have to drive about 5-8 minutes to get to work; and some days I do not make it. It just sneaks up on me.
I am going to invest in the metimucil caps and give it a try. Thanks
Posted 3/20/2014 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
MrsSDot...yes yr lucky. I had a very hard time with my employer. And my drive to work was an hr. I don't know what I'm going to do.

Start easy with the Metamucil. Quincy should be able to guide you with the dosage. I also eat 1-2 bananas with it. If I was just passing b or m I couldn't use the Metamucil. But if there's some stool I can.

How's the simponi? I don't think it's available in Canada yet.
Posted 3/20/2014 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
rbartolo:
Yes, Simponi is available in Canada because that is where I live. I had two loading injections of 100 mg each on Feb 7, then one more on Feb 21, now I will do my fourth one tomorrow. I have not noticed a great improvement; but other posters have said I may have to give it more time to kick in.

Thanks, I will post quincy for metemucil info.
Posted 3/20/2014 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
MrsSDot...I'm surprised. My doc never mentioned simponi. I've used ivig for 3 yrs with very good success...until December....struggling a bit now.
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