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salafalk enemas

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted Yesterday 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, I have not been on the forum for a few years as I reached remission for 5 years. This year I have been having some flares and just cannot get back into remission. I achieved remission by listening to Quincy and lots of others regarding treating both ends and that was my saving grace. I have a question for anyone using salafalk enemas, how often do you use them and have they ever lost the effect of healing on the colon after many years of use? Thank you. Oh ya, and can you overuse them?
Posted Yesterday 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi jess....firstly tell me what exactly is going on regarding symptoms, how exactly are you using/scheduling the enemas, what oral 5asa are you using...etc.

q
Posted Yesterday 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Quincy, my symptoms are abit of blood and mucous mixed in with bowel. Cramping which goes away with a bowel movement. I usually do like you say, up the usage of salafalk enema when symptoms appear and taper off slowly until symptoms gone. I do also take 500mg salafalk orally two per day but even if I take more does not help....enemas are what helps. My Dr has prescribed bentasol but I am scared to take it as I swore I would never take another pred. in my life as had horrible time on it. I have bad anxiety and the pred basically made me unbearable. I am very fit, exercise daily, eat well, just wondering if I should stay on the salafalk enema instead of bentasol one.
Posted Today 5:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hi...I'm going to make some suggestions...

1. up the oral salofalk to 2000 mg daily..

2. use the mesalamine enemas nightly till your symptoms have completely ceased. That includes the constipation phase. If all is good, continue another week.

3. taper to every second night for a few weeks.

4. if all continues with no setbacks, go every third night for a few.

5. if no setbacks, figure out a twice a week schedule that would suit you.


I'm assuming the betnasol is a retention enema liquid. It's not the same as taking a systemic prednisone.
You could try them for a week and see if you improve, then do one night the betnasol and the next night mesalamine...and continue that for a few.

q
Posted Today 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for the valuable information Quincy. I live in Sask. so darn cold today!! I believe you live in Man? Cold too? Can I ask you when you are beginning a flare, what are your symptoms and have you always achieved remission with salafalk?
Posted 11/30/2014 7:29 AM (GMT 0)
They've done alright whenever I've used them, they aren't as amazing as steroid enemas but they are very easy to administer and hold in overnight. Like any other drug, they can lose their effect, so it isn't fair to speculate on them in that respect, it's a big maybe, but it isn't commonplace.

May you return to good health and enter a long remission soon.
Posted 11/30/2014 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you The Rock, how long have you been on the betnesol enema? I did my first one last night, so scared as I swore I would never go near pred. again after taking it orally. Do you have any side effects from it?
Posted 11/30/2014 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
jess...please remember that prednisone is a systemic medication, the betnesol enemas are not. While some will be absorbed into the body and possibly cause some side effects, usually that happens from high dosages over long periods of time.


Regarding the oral/rectal 5ASA...I've used it for almost 26 years for treatment and maintenance. The highest I've gone for the oral is 3600mg during a flare (occasionally) and the longest I've used the salofalk enemas is 4 months nightly.

Yes, it puts me in remission, yes I can maintain it with maintenance dosage.
Yes, I still have flared.....

Life gets in the way. I have no expectations for it to continue forever, nor do I expect to maintain a remission, for that's not how my body works it seems.

My flares have never been as bad as the first 3 years, and they are now minimal.

The first symptoms of a flare for me are....continual gas, pain in my stomach that doesn't stop, cramping, rectal throbbing/spasming, extreme nausea continually.

I will see if food could be a culprit in the gas/stomach pain for a day or two, but once the rectal throbbing hits, it's clincher for flaring.
No matter how much inflammation, be it minor...I increase the enemas to nightly.

I've grown intolerant to any symptoms.....deal quickly.

Yes, it's cold in MB, but I sure wish they would stop saying we're getting -40C temps here...we are NOT. WC doesn't equate to actual temps.

It's winter...it is what it is. I'm grateful, however, to not be getting tons of snow at this point. But I'd rather snow and colder than warmer and drizzle....horrors to that!

Hope you have a "normal" winter...subjectively, of course. ;-)

q
Posted 12/1/2014 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you again Quincy for your valuable information. I so agree with dealing with symptoms quickly. It has been strange for me this time though as I started with the symptoms I immediately use the salafalk enemas, but I may taper too soon. You have helped me and so many others on this site....thank you again and I will keep posted as to how things are going.
Posted 12/1/2014 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
How soon do you usually taper? curious.
You're welcome.

q
Posted 12/1/2014 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Well I will keep doing enemas nightly until symptoms go away, usually 4, 5 nights, then I go to every second night, third night, fourth and if symptoms stay clear I then do once a week for maint. After a few weeks, things start up slowly again which usually has not happened, I could achieve remission pretty quickly until some major stressor in my life triggers symptoms.
Posted 12/3/2014 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
4 or 5 nights isn't anywhere long enough.
Rather than go to once a week, try to stay at maybe every 4th night.


q
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