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VSL#3 or cortenema?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/30/2009 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have had chronic liquid D for almost 2 years. I have been on 2 packs/day of VSL#3 for a month and am having great success within the past week or so. At the same time I have been on cortenema for 2 weeks (a small flare of blood after a dosage of antibiotics). My D is really really gone and I feel quite normal gut-wise. Is it the VSL#3 helping, or the cortenema?
Posted 4/30/2009 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
There's no way to know, really, unless you quit one of them for a while and see if your symptoms come back.
Posted 5/1/2009 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
As was said who knows? My guess is both, if its working its a blessing to control the D, stay with what works. I would wait until things settle and then slowly taper the enemas as you cant and shouldn't stay on them forever. When tapering, if you can tolerate, adding an ASA drug would be a good idea. I use 1 to 2 packets VSL a day with sulfazalazine as my maintenance regime.
Posted 5/1/2009 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks to both of you. I guess the next few weeks will tell which was the success, I have to taper cortenema and will keep up the VSL#3. I have resolved not to use mesalamine (stomach problems and worse D, plus urinary retention) or sulphasalazine (sulpha allergy) ever again if I can help it.
Posted 5/1/2009 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
Often it is a combination of things that can bring on improvements so good chance it's both the VSL and cortenema.

:)
Posted 5/1/2009 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
If your D was chronic, chances are you lost most of your good gut bacteria, so I would think the VSL#3 is helping (it helped me for a bit and I have taken it when presribed antibiotics).  The cortenema likely brought down the inflammmation in a big hurry.  I would keep up the VSL#3 for now (I know its expensive) given that you had D for so long.  Hope your recovery continues.

Posted 5/1/2009 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Saskia, that was my plan. Still on both and start tapering the cortenema Sunday. Today was not as good a day as others, but...

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