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Just diagnosed with UC....what should I expect from Lialda?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/17/2015 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
I was just diagnosed on Thursday with UC in lower intestine.  I was prescribed Lialda 4 pills once per day.  Just want to know what to expect and how to eat.  Been battling diverticulitus for 7 years and told to eat more fiber and now with UC I am told to go low fiber.  Now Im confused.
Posted 6/17/2015 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
Diet can be confusing and very contradicting. The bottom line is you have to learn your own body and figure it out for yourself. There is no one size fits all for diet. What works for one person makes another worse. What are the symptoms you were having? As far as the Lialda goes, there's not a whole lot of advice anyone can give you. Either it works or it doesn't, although it is one of the safest meds to take for UC. One thing I can say is that when I was on it I found that it worked better for me to take 2 pills in the morning and 2 at night but it is usually prescribed to take all at once. Lialda is mostly a topical medicine that dissolves in the area of the colon where it is needed so it becomes a question of if you want more coverage only once per day or if you want less coverage two times per day.
Posted 6/17/2015 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
I take Lialda. I experienced no side effects. As far as diet goes, I do my best to eat gluten free/paleo. If I am bad, I suffer the consequences (inflammation) which I have right now.

Keep a food diary.
Posted 6/17/2015 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry you were just diagnosed it can be really confusing but you will figure it out soon enough by
You should always ask your doctor what to expect with each medication
Are you experiencing symptoms now? What type?
If you are having a lot of Diahera than you want to avoid fiber and residue to reduce that
So residue is things like nuts seeds and corn and roughage like parts of veggies or anything that you normally would see in your stool because it doesn't fully digest ( sorry to be so graphic)
Avoid tough or undercooked meat
Cook your veggies before you eat them
Some people can't tolerate dairy
But it's a lot of trial and error and make note of what you eat and how it makes you feel
Posted 6/17/2015 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
I too take two pills in the am and two in the pm when flaring. I would also ask your GI for rectal mesalamine enemas or suppositories.
Posted 6/17/2015 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the club!
It took a while for me to see improvement when I was first diagnosed. I really saw a change once I started rectal meds. Now if I feeling crummy I go up to 4 Lialda from two and it works quickly, but I am more aware of symptoms now than I was before diagnosis. Like everyone else has said, food is tricky and very individual. You will find that some things make you feel terrible now but will be fine later on, too. Keep a journal of your food and symptoms, it really helps.
Posted 6/17/2015 8:33 PM (GMT 0)

No Candles said...
I was just diagnosed on Thursday with UC in lower intestine. I was prescribed Lialda 4 pills once per day. Just want to know what to expect and how to eat. Been battling diverticulitus for 7 years and told to eat more fiber and now with UC I am told to go low fiber. Now Im confused.

Lialda should begin healing you fairly quickly, I'd expect results in 3 or so weeks. (I was given rowasa prescription enemas at the same time that helped greatly). Stay in touch with your gastroenterologist throughout the process and let him/her know about your progress or lack there of.

Unfortunately, a lot of uc treatment is trial-and-error, and it can take a while to find the right medication or medications and dosages that keep you uc symptoms at bay. Some get lucky, and the first prescription is the right one, others take a while to find it. If your not where you want to be symptom-wise, or you start getting worse, then let your gastroenterologist know asap. Be willing to try new treatments, new prescriptions, as it becomes necessary.

I recommend you become a sponge and absorb all the knowledge you can about uc. Uc is a chronic, life-long condition, so knowing your treatment options and disease are important.
Posted 6/17/2015 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the insight. Today is my second day on the meds and I am bloated big time. Been drinking lots of water and eating small meals. Im a little tired and just want to rest but I made myself walk a little bit. My problem is I love all vegetables and fruits and I am overwhelmed just thinking about what not to eat. I am keeping my food diary as well. No pain right now. I was extremely anemic and had bloody stool every time I went, that was the reason for the testing and that is what they found.

Does anyone drink wine after the flare ups? My sister just bought me 2 bottles of red wine last week--should I give them back because I wont be able to drink them? Lol....just curious
Posted 6/17/2015 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Don't drink alcohol
Posted 6/18/2015 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
I gotcha....Thanks
Posted 6/18/2015 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
Some get near remission in weeks, some get slow improvement over 6-18 months. Some are intolerant.

I had to take only 3 and all in am because of leg pain while sleeping.

it is only low fiber and low residue while flare is hot. you should return to fiber as flare subsides.

if sigmoid and rectum is very active, lialda is not so effective there, you might need additional rectal med.
Posted 6/18/2015 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Lialda has worked great for me over the years. I take 4 pills a day. As for the wine, I didn't drink for the first 6 years of UC because I would always bleed or have lots of mucous. Since going grain free I've had a glass of wine every night for the past year with no problems.
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