Stopping Meds or Stopping "Herbs".. What to do first?

I would like to stop my asacol (6 x800) completely just to see what happens as I am taking a fair bit of "magic" medicine -- boswellia, probiotics, tumeric, etc...

Then again, I suppose I could stop all the herbs and see if anything changes, if not, I will stop wasting my money and vice versa with the Asacol... not sure what to do first.

I usually have blood during my BM's but to me that's no big deal, it is usually at the end and bright red, sometimes it is intertwined within but not usually (I believe the little blood loss lowers my chances of heart disease -- using the female blood loss theory)

To me I can live with this, no urgency and I go 2 to 3 times a day at most. If I can get off Asacol or the Herbs i would do it. Asacal is free for me basically (Canada, costs $25.00 for 4 months worth) whereas the Herbs et al are quite costly.

Thoughts?

My GI said NO to my request for my Salofalk enema's... Seriously, said they were no good (I am getting a new GI in May....).. Only reason I am leaning towards dropping Asacol first is that I gave up Prednisone and Imuran and went heavy on herbs and went into remission.... Could be a coincidence but who knows, I had major flare issues last year while on Asacol (hence the Pred and Imuran) so could it be doing anything? I have been on Asacol for over 15 years.

You still have blood and go 2-3 times a day. You are playing with fire. That was me 11 years ago and this disease can turn very quickly. Over time you can lose your iron stores as well. I'm certain that if I was more dilligent taking care of this disease and not thinking it was no big deal that I would still have my colon. Personally, I would go on rectal meds as well as oral.

Personally I would not stop Rx meds if they are not causing worse results (side effects IOW). i have stopped harsh meds (6mp) because it wasn't helping and had bad effects (dizziness, skin cancer, bruising).

I am another person who doesn't tolerate supplements very well. I really want them to work and I think they might be beneficial but when I stop them I feel better. This should not surprise me because there are a lot of foods I can't tolerate either.

Probiotics however are one thing I find good for me and even though VSL#3 is expensive it's on my short list of "good" extras.

I took turmeric pills for several months but started feeling yucky and began bruising. I read that turmeric could cause blood thinning so I stopped taking it. No bruising anymore and I feel better. I am an easy bruiser so others shouldn't take my results as standard, I think turmeric has real possibilities as an anti-inflammatory, just not for me right now.

I think you should try and get your bleeding stopped. Mesalamine (salofalk) enemas can help.
You are lucky to get your Asacol so cheap. It's very expensive in the US.
If you don't think it's helping try switching to a different version: Colazal (Balsalazide) or Lialda. Just an idea.

well, if you're planning on dropping 1 or the other, I'd opt for the more costly choice to quit first. So it'd be the herbs. But I guess it depends on your reasoning- if you'd like to get off meds & use supplements to control UC, then I'd say drop the Asacol. If you're looking for the cheapest way to control it, drop the herbs. I'm not a proponent of the "no meds" rule- I quit Asacol cold turkey in 2007, & am still experiencing the ramifications of that stupid decision daily. And back on the Asacol, along with many other meds!

baconeggsyum,

I have been feeling great for a while, no urgency, no blood, no mucus.  I was taking probiotics, herbs and vitamins but my 4 months supply of Salofalk lasted me over a year.  I thought I was doing great by cutting back on my salofalk - my colitis was always limited to the rectum and lower end for the last 16 years.

Well after my last scope in September I saw a totally different colon, the inflammation was throughtout the whole colon which I never had before.   I was in shock because I just finished telling the Doc, and Nurses that I was in remission.  I guess my scope showed different to the way I felt, I've had major flares but I surely wasn't having one now.

Well my GI starting talking Imuran and I flipped and had to admitt that I was not taking my meds as perscribed.  So since that day I  take what I am suppose to because I don't want to go to Imuran or Remicade.   I will go back in a few months for another look to see if things have improved in my colon and I pray that things have.

 If it was me I would not be stopping the Asacol, maybe reduce the amount and see how things go.

I'd stop the Pantothenic Acid if Centrum has more than 100% B complex or change the multivitamin with something higher in Bs.