Need some feedback on what is going on with my UC

Hi All - I have been lurking around here for the past few weeks...I need some feedback on how treatments and what not.

Here is my history:

Dx with UC in 1996

Hospitalized for 3 weeks, steroids, etc, left on Asacol, flare lasted one year evenutally change to Dipentum as maintenance med was told I had pancolitis.

Remission for 10 years

Flare in 2005, New GI, after colonoscopy chaged dx to Crohns, entocort, Rowasa, lasted several months.

Small, mamageable flares every so often, one resulting in change to current maintenance med: Colozal.

Now flaring, again new GI, after colonoscopy changed dx back to Left Sided UC.

Current meds: Colozal, Cortenenema, probiotics, florastor, xanax and ambien when needed.  Sunflower Seed and Spinach every day.

Current symptoms:  pain in rectum, blood on TP, at least 3 almost formed bm's in morning, joint paint.  I am also having eye surgery on October 28, for pigment detachment surgery which could be related to UC.

I have been doing enemas for 3 weeks and seeing remarkable improvements, in urgency,pain and down from like 20 morning bathroom trips to about 3.  Also having almost normal looking stool.

My questions are:

Should I taper the cortenemas at this point?

How can I tell if the pain in my rectum is from flare or a hemmoroid? (I do not see anything there)

GI changes have all been due to moving, when dx was changed to Crohns the reason was it was skiiping around?  Does anyone have UC that skips around the colon?

My GI has said the next step will be Remicade or 6MP?  Is there something I can do before I go there?

Thank you for any feedback that you have.

Stacy, 42, mom of a 4 year old and 2 year old.

My first remission lasted 10 years as well.

also from dx in 1991 to -2006 2 different gi dr's were never sure if I had crohns or colitis, because of the skip pattern in my colon.  I posted about this a couple weeks ago too.  In 2006 I had a blood test by prometheus (sp?) and it was determined to be UC- my new gi suspected it would be, based on all of my symptoms.  Some were posting that the skip pattern may be from where the meds had hit and healed?  Ive had like 5 colonoscopys and each one shows colitis in different part of the colon, skipping around.

I just went for a gi appt,(posted this too if you want to read it!) i am about 95% in remission- I was still having traces of blood.  My gi did a quick flex sig in her office to just get an idea what was going on. rectum-fine, sigmoid-still inflamed, farther up- who knows?  anyway, i did ask her about colazal and she replied that Lialda was the right med for me becasue of where it would treat in the colon.  she also thought that the rowasa would treat farther in the colon-  canasa and foams will not go far enough. I am not familiar with the corteneama you are on.  My sense is that you are almost there.  You say you are having 3 almost formed bms in the am- have you ever tried taking a fiber supplement?  When i started taking metamucil capsules, within 2 days, my bms were formed- it does not make you go more, it clumps things together.

I too have always easily come out of flares within a couple months, right now I am in a lingering (for 2 yrs flare) its frustrating to be almost there but i notice small improvements it just takes longer.  I have made some dietary changes.

I would get a report from your latest colonoscopy and see exactly wher your uc is- talk to your dr about trying a different oral med or rectal med, to see if they think it will make a difference.  i wish there was some chart online that showed each uc med and where it treated in the colon!

It really is very comforting to be able to share with a group of people who can truly relate to you.

Stacy