Here we go again...

GI is not calling me back. He once told me don't make a judgment by one day's BMs. Now it's clear my rectum is inflamed. (darn urgency) Can the rectal inflammation be caused by
constipation?

I've upped my asacol. Can this inflammation die down with enemas?

Please advise. Nothing is ever the same with this disease. EVERYTHING is a first for me, so far.

Can it get worse fast -- (like before the GI calls me back.)

No pain right now, maybe it's because I upped the psyllium husk powder to three tbs per day. Formed stools, hemmie blood (but just not absolutely sure. I feel like taking a macro photo and bringing it to the GI)

Ellen

Ah, inflammation can CAUSE constipation... that's making sense rather than the other way around. Heather, whether you are right or wrong, I don't know what I'd do without you. I was heartbroken tonight. Now I'm just bummed out.

And to answer your question, yes, it is possible that enemas will simply take care of it!

As you noted, nothing is the same with this disease, flare to flare, person to person - so I sure wouldn't "guarantee" the enemas would fix it, but they have, for me.

Honestly, I still think you are not constipated, given that you were still having BM's on a daily/every other day basis. (Right?) I mean, constipation, to me, means several days w/o a BM. I get a little bit constipated when I travel...my body doesn't like to let me poop on an unfamiliar potty, I guess. I really think what you are experiencing is tenesmus, which is the feeling of needing to poop, even if nothing is there. It's also a symptom of inflammation.

You're telling me what the symptoms are of an inflamed rectum. But What triggers the inflammation of the rectum?

Fruitgirl, I started an anti-depressant (Wellbutrin) and almost immediately the constipation and other bad side effects of drug started and this Constipation is a major side effect of wellbutrin, but is it possible the introduction of an anti-depressant triggered inflammation? It's hard to believe the timing of the constipation is just a coincidence.

Ellen

Coincidence and I support the overthinking, but it's understandable. I would caution you, however, to not have the knee-jerk reactions, which can set you up for more obsession as to what's happening. You'll totally get lost in the process and make decisions that might not have anything to do what's happening.

Yes, I have ups and downs which might have something to do with my age and having UC for over 21 years. My emotional state will always be an issue, I'll never be free of that. Better, maybe..

Now, I don't have an issue with using my meds, so some may see that as a failure on my part...I see it as a way of functioning and minimising the possibility of flaring badly as well as hopefully keeping the liver disease in check and keeping my colon as long as possible especially from cancer.

I'm just at the tail end of my flu and finishing a 5 day course of zithromax. The stress of the coughing is ticking me off, but I started the enemas last week nightly and will go every second night this week. Just because..lol.
I'll soon find out if it's too soon.

Hang tough Ellen....call your doctor again and leave a message for him to please call in a prescription for Rowasa because you want to try them for a few months.

q

OH MY GOD. He prescribed me Analpram. He didn't call me back!!!

What's with him?

I told him rectal, raectal, rectal pain. I said I wanted rectal enemas.

What more can I do? He's the only GI in the HMO and I really like him.

Did he prescribe me the wrong thing?

I'm not on PRED, Quincy -- thank God, haven't been since 1-15 .... I had been doing excellently.

Isn't it ridiculous? I left a message today that says, I'm comfortable today due to increase, I believe, in psyllium husk. The preceding pain and now, some diarrhea, nicely formed stools and ACCOMPANYING high speed urgency is coming from the rectum. --- rectal tenderness, I-N-F-L-A-M-M-A-T-I-O-N.

I'm not picking up this cream, right now. My anus, aside from some hemmies, feels fine, thank you.

grrrrrrrrrrrr

Six months from now. I just saw him and everything was hunky dory -- six weeks after stopping pred. A week after the appointment this started.

So today, there are many urgent trips to the bathroom, to move the bowels, some of it is gas and just stool covered psyllium husk gel casings (can tell cause it floats). The stool slips out quickly. There's no pain per say, but I know the rectum is tender because of the urgency (true?)

Normal for me is one to two BMS a day.

Not eating much, not much of an appetite.

So I'm delivering another message to him today that this is not an anal issue, but a tender rectum and I want rectal enemas to tamp it down now.

Is this the right message, Heather?

I wouldn't say "rectal enemas." I'd say "mesalamine enemas." It's much more specific.

That would be ok, too, except that a generic mesalamine would suffice, and with the way this GI seems to be, he might write the Rx for Rowasa and NOT allow a generic subsitiution, which could end up costing Ellen a crap-ton of money!

Not that I'm in denial, but during this waiting period, I ask you: Any chance this rectal inflammation might tamp on its own?