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Rowasa vs Hydrocort enemas

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/24/2011 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hey y'all...

I have a question regarding the Rowasa enemas.  I was on the hydrocortisone enemas for a month,  my stool was firm and I would go only 1-2 times a day.    I tapered off and my GI put me on Rowasa nightly..... I have been on them 3 days and my stools have gone from firm to big puddles of mush.   Is this normal for Rowasa?  

Posted 1/24/2011 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
I would consider that a setback.

Your adrenal system could have gotten suppressed a bit with the steroids. How quick did you taper off the steroid enemas? The other thing is perhaps the rowasa enemas are just not as effective for you or perhaps they will take some time to "kick in". What does your Doc say?
Posted 1/24/2011 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Sadly, I think it is normal for this to happen. It is not ideal and not what you want to happen but it is what seems to happen for many. Maybe you could try using the steriod enema every other day and rowasa on the off days to get your sysem used to not having the steroids. usually it is easier if you taper off a steriod, even if it's rectal.
Posted 1/25/2011 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
I did taper the enema. I was on twice a day for 2 weeks... then 1 at night for 2 weeks.. then every other night for 2 weeks. I was hoping the Rowasa would have the same wonderful results for me I read about here. I dont have anymore hydrocort enemas guess I will call my GI... sigh.
Posted 1/25/2011 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe you need to do a longer taper :( Rowasa is not magic for me either...
Posted 1/25/2011 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
When I taper off the steroid enemas... if I've been doing twice a day, I then go to every night and every other morning for a week, then just every night for a week...
then every other night for a week, then every third night for a week, then every fourth night for a week.....at that point, if everything is still great, I stop. Otherwise I keep tapering down until I'm doing it only once week.

I have used Rowasa or Canasa on the non-steroid nights.
Posted 1/25/2011 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
So you can rotate the Rowasa and Hydrocort enema? I know I felt great then today I started feeling crampy and nauseous and I don't have any appetite. No blood or mucus. Guess I better get back on the steroid enema.
Posted 1/25/2011 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Sometimes I've done one type in the morning and the other at bedtime - Rowasa in morning, steroid at night, for instance.

And I often do steroid at night and Canasa in the day, especially if I'm dealing with some stubborn inflammation that seems to be at the very bottom.
Posted 1/25/2011 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everybody..... it's somewhat depressing to think that we almost always have to depend on some sort of steroid. sigh....
Posted 1/25/2011 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
I posted a large study re the effectiveness of mesalamine vs cortisone enemas and the findings were about equal...I was on cortifoam for about a year and wish I'd just stuck with mesalamine rectal products as they have less potential for side effects ie skin thinning.

Maybe one day the FDA will finally approve mesalamine foams
Posted 1/25/2011 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
So I am down today because it seems I am still in a flare. I tapered off the Hydrocort enemas to the Rowasa and 4 days later, loose stools (no blood), stomach cramps, nausea and no appetite whatsoever. Tonight I am going to take Quincys advice and start rotating between the 2 enemas. Does anyone else suffer with nausea and loss of appetite when flaring? I have no desire to eat at all!
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