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What about tapering Asacol and not Rowasa?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/13/2010 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Is there a problem with staying on Rowasa long term? I haven't seen anyone really comment that they have used it nightly for a really long stretch of months. Fuirgirl (I think?) mentioned someone had been on it nightly for a year, but that is the only case. In my case, I would prefer to cut my oral mesalamines more drastically (currently at 1.6g Asacol/day, down from 4.8g/day) as opposed to going to 2-3 times per week of on Rowasa. My reasoning is:


1) Inflammation mostly limited to the rectum (25cm total inflammed, with a cecal patch)

2) The per unit cost of Asacol is 500% more than the per unit cost of Rowasa.
Posted 4/13/2010 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
With a cecal patch, sorry...you need to be on oral 5ASA but at a reasonable treatment/maintenance dosage. I'd say 2.4g which is what I'm at...which will also keep the sigmoid treated.

It was I who mentioned about someone who used the enemas for a year.

How many months nightly? What are your symptoms at this time?

1.6g isn't enough oral med for you...with the cecal patch. You might consider another oral such as Pentasa.

q
Posted 4/13/2010 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
Why not switch to Apriso? It's a lower dose.
Posted 4/13/2010 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Good idea...as long as it starts to disperse in the terminal ileum to cover the cecal patch.

q
Posted 4/13/2010 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Apriso starts dissolving at a lower pH than Asacol does, so it should start higher up than Asacol does (at least, that's my understanding).
Posted 4/13/2010 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still doing the Rowasa every single night for four months. I have practically no symptoms now. Maybe see one small short skinny piece of blood every now and then. Not enough to be an 1/8 ts over a month's time.

Thanks, I never understood how the dissolution at different pH's really affected anything. So lower pH dissolves higher up...interesting.
Posted 4/13/2010 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I agree..I want to cut my orals too but Im scared.
Posted 4/13/2010 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Same as Krissy.  I've been tapering my Rowasa but still take two Lialda daily.  Now that I've been feeling better for a month or so, I forgot to take my Lialda a couple of nights last week.  This morning I passed a decent amount of blood so I'm going back to Rowasa nightly w/ the Lialda. 

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