new to the forum: need help

Hi All,

I am a 53 yr old female who was diagnosed with very mild proctitis (per biopsy) this past year. My symptoms started a year ago but I got C diff in November of 2015 which through off my UC diagnosis. I recovered from C diff by end of December '15 but when blood returned in March I had a colonoscopy. My colo biopsies read as normal, but the symptoms continued so a trial of Canasa once nightly was trialed with success. I tried to stop the Canasa for a few weeks early in the summer only to have the blood return. My symptoms were mainly abdominal pain/bloating and small amounts of blood in my once daily BM. I know this sounds mild but the bloating and pain made it unbearable. I had a sigmoidoscopy in early August that confirmed very mild proctitis and I have been on Canasa 1gm nightly since. Recently for the last month the pain and bloating and blood have returned. My GI doc said that I could either use 2 Canasa per day or add 2 lialda with one Canasa at night. I am afraid of the pill side effects but my butt has been burning from the Canasa. I also have fatigue but have recently had a parathyroid removed so I'm a mess. I have 2 questions.. 1. would you use the 2 canasa instead of adding lialda? The disease is only in the rectum at this time. 2. can you recommend an easier calcium supplement/brand/formula to digest ? I have to take calcium due to the parathyroid surgery. Caltrate caused cramping. I feel so confused and need help. It's only been a year but this proctitis has been a big pain!!

countess18 said...
Hi All,

I have 2 questions.. 1. would you use the 2 canasa instead of adding lialda? The disease is only in the rectum at this time. 2. can you recommend an easier calcium supplement/brand/formula to digest ? I have to take calcium due to the parathyroid surgery. Caltrate caused cramping. I feel so confused and need help. It's only been a year but this proctitis has been a big pain!!

I second the recommendation to try a rowasa enema, but Lialda is well tolerated by most people and works well for a lot of people. Re the calcium supplement, this is the one I take without any problems;

www.lifeextension.com/vitamins-supplements/item01726/bone-restore

It has three different types of calcium and all of the cofactors you need for good absorption. You don't have to buy it directly from the maker, lots of places sell it online, including amazon.com. The fact that it comes in a capsule means that it releases all at once at the top of the GI tract. The hard capsules can travel a long way before they completely dissolve.

Welcome to the forum and good luck.

Post Edited (Richard in NY) : 11/13/2016 4:11:06 PM (GMT-7)

countess18 said...
Should I ask to combine the treatment? i.e. maybe enemas a few nights and canasa on the other nights? Also the calcium supplement has a lot of magnesium. Is that tolerated well with UC? I have no experience or backround with this disease. I was afraid of too much magnesium but if you recommend it then it must be ok.

thanks

You're welcome. The 300 mg per day of magnesium the supplement provides is the recommended daily allowance and is as necessary for bone health as calcium. It's never caused a problem for my UC.

crazy is a strong word

what if it was guaranteed that the Lialda the work - would you still be reluctant to take it ?

if it were me, i'd get on the oral and rectal mesalamine - you can adjust doses as symptoms warrant -