First post, diagnosed in October

Hello all. This is my first post. First, thank-you! Since diagnosed in Oct '10, the information I've read here has helped me through the difficult times of UC dx (Moderate Pancolitis) and what I can expect from now on. Also what is as "normal" as can be with UC... I was lucky that the bloody D stopped quickly in response to meds and low fiber diet. It did take a few tests of different of meds, I kept getting rashes. Now the GI has said I can get fiber back into my diet, which I'm very happy to try and get back to my old diet (fingers crossed). For the past few weeks I might go once a day, the stools are formed sm. nuggets covered in white, compared to what's going in, very little coming out. No blood since mid. Oct. and the mucus has decreased a lot int he last few weeks. I'm down to 15mg of Pred. (hopefully down to 10mg in the next few days).
Here's my questions. As I've decreased the pred and slowly added fiber a handfull of salad here and bowl of cheerios there, etc. I'm experiencing the urgency again and many trips to the bathroom, once barely making it. Any advice on how to start reintroducing veggies, etc. Second question. I use canasa supp every night. By the afternoon I feel so uncomfortable, not pain, but full and like a water balloon hanging in my rectum. Sitting just makes it the feeling worse. I've looked (felt, too) for H and don't believe I have them. I'm thinking the canasa may not be working as well as it could/should. Maybe an enema now?
Taking 15 mg pred, 125 mg imuran, nightly canasa, calcium & vit. D supps

Hi and welcome,

I would say that if you are having more frequent BM's and that type of urgency when tappering pred (also the feeling you are describing in the rectal area) that you are still in a flare. I would guess it is not the fiber but the flare that is giving you th troubles with urgency and frequency. It sounds like at least the lower portion of your colon/rectum is pretty inflammed. You may not be ready to tapper the pred. Yes, it does sound like an enema might be the next step. Canasa usually did not help me much and my sysmptoms when flaring sound just like yours. For me - Rowasa helps sometimes and Procto-foam also helps sometimes...

Welcome to HealingWell!

I agree with everything that has been said. I think you should talk to your GI and see what steps are next. Maybe adding a cort enema or increasing your Imuran would help? Have you had your blood checked to see whether it is in the theraputic range for Imuran? That could be helpful in seeing whether you're getting the maximum benefits from the medication. Like songlady said, you may be intolerant of mesalamine and Canasa may not be the best thing for you. I am not sure what your taper schedule is like for prednisone but you may need to slow it down if you're experiencing symptoms. Just some ideas.

Some people are sensitive to sulfasalazine because of the sulfa component, which Apriso, Asacol and the others don't have. So - interesting that you were sensitive to the Apriso as well.

What about the canasa - do you think it's helping? If you're good with that, Rowasa coul be even better; but if you have some 5 ASA sensitivity (um, not just a sensitivity to the oral meds) then.... maybe a steroid-based enema, supp,. or foam.

Keep us posted!

I'm also new to UC. I am at the point where my GI wants me to start tapering the pred. He said he wanted me to stay on the low-fiber diet until I was completely off the pred. He felt that one change at a time would make determining the cause of any problems easier. So 2 more months of bland pasta and rice!