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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/7/2018 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hello

I am a 49 year old male, diagnosed with left sided [mild/moderate] UC back in 2004. Started taking 1.5g daily Salofalk granules and that greatly reduced flares. I generally live with a level of discomfort of 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-10. Used to be around 6/7.

about 5 years ago I noticed that it felt as if I generally couldn't completely empty my bowels, when going to the loo. However, I found that [grits teeth] inserting a finger and using a shower hose to wash the outside, meant that I could remove anything 'left behind', in my anus. It actually helped with keeping flares down and left me feeling empty and clean! This is the method I now use every day; at least once per day and generally twice.

The thing I am wondering is: does this method itself cause any problems, i.e. irritation that may lead to inflammation and hence longer term problems? The reason I am asking is that increasingly, after using this method to clean myself up, I am left with some residual feeling of tenesmus or similar.

Any ideas/advice?
Posted 5/7/2018 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Use retention enemas instead to deal with rectal inflammation.

q
Posted 5/7/2018 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hello

Thanks for that? What is the advantage?
Posted 5/7/2018 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
I cannot imagine it is good to flush out your rectum with water, multiple times a day. I understand why you do this, to avoid repeat bathroom visits.

Why is it bad?
1.) It could flush out good bacteria.

2.) Flushing with water does not solve the problem at all: does not treat the rectal-inflammation.


What I would do instead:
I would ask about using a nightly mesalamine, an anti-inflammatory, retention-enema (get a prescription for a Rowasa/pentasa/salofalk retention enema). The enema heals the inflammation and you retain that enema for 7-hours. Advantage: it treats rather than flushes.

Your problem is known by the medical jargon "tenesmus", which is caused by inflammation of the rectum. It makes us frequently feel like we have to poop, and nothing or only small amounts of stool or mucus are passed each time. Tenesmus is very annoying and one of the very worst symptoms of UC.
Posted 5/7/2018 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I have tried the foam enemas before, but they have a similar effect to using Pentasa suppositories, rather than Salofalk. When I for some reason was given Pentasa rather than Salofalk, I swear they were more irritating and left me feeling worse, whereas after using Salofalk, I generally got some immediate relief.
Posted 5/8/2018 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
have you tried a bit of fibre in your diet ?

sorry, i've read a lot of funky home remedies over the years, but i gotta say that your finger-flush is pretty weird shocked

but what ever works -

cheers !
Posted 5/11/2018 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Doesn't sound healthy to me.
Posted 5/11/2018 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks.

Can you elaborate?
Posted 5/12/2018 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds irritating to the colon lining and I would guess it would flush out normal bacteria. Just what others have said. Have you asked your doctor?
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