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Best way to come off Rowasa enema?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/7/2010 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
I am using Rowasa enema for a month and am to stop using it unless still flaring. I have been in it for a week and haven't seen any blood or mucous in a couple of days, so I believe in 3 more weeks, i will be able to stop it and continue only with the oral meds. So, does it matter how you stop it? Cold turkey or wean off it and if you wean how do you do it? Every other night or every few nights and for how long? Thanks for your help.
Posted 7/7/2010 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Wellll... it's not like pred where you can go into shock stopping cold turkey or even like steroid enemas where you can have "rebound symptoms", but I would taper off, every other night for a week or so first, then every third night, etc, because you might find that continuing them every third night or fourth night helps keep you in remission.
I am continuing it twice a week indefinitely because research has shown that doing so helps to maintain longer remissions and reduces the chances of colon cancer. Are you against continuing them on a twice-a-week basis, or is this your new doc's suggestion?
And what oral meds are you on at this point...?

I read your other post, too, and I'm glad you got yourself a GI! Hooray! I hope this is someone you can work well with; I find that makes this whole process a lot easier.
Posted 7/7/2010 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Go to every second night for at least 2 weeks....if all is good then go to every 3 nights for 2 weeks....you won't be off them in 3 weeks.

If you stop them now, you will probably reflare. It's not that you'll have rebound symptoms, it'll be because they're controlling and treating the flare.

Your choice to be in a hurry, your choice to use them wisely. But, we all experiment...you'll find what will work for you.

And.....you won't be able to control your early rectal symptoms with the oral 5ASA meds....so I urge you to at least taper to once a week if you're not wanting to do the twice a week suggestion as per songlady.

quincy
Posted 7/7/2010 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
I was always able to just stop completely.
Posted 7/8/2010 1:02 PM (GMT 0)
Im with Quincy..I have been on them for 4 months nightly..yup every night...
I am just starting to taper them as of today,,,so tonight I wont do one..but tommorow night I will and will continue every 2nd night for at least 2 weeks to a month..then I will go to 3 nights a week on chosen days of sundays, tuesday, and thursdays for another couple of weeks before I am just doing them twice a week indefinitely. I am a little anxious to get off them but I do not want a reflare and they dont bother me that much other than the cost...they have definitely done something for my uc so I will continue to use them wisely...
When that taper is done..which will probably be at the end of the summer..I will then start to taper my orals ..fingers crossed that I dont flare in te meantime!!!!
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