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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/12/2011 12:10 PM (GMT 0)

I am now using Rowasa as a maintenance med every 3rd or 4th night.  Doing wonderfully thank goodness.  I do have a question to see if this is just me or maybe its a normal thing-for anyone also using it as a maintenance med, do you notice the next morning that you spend more time in the bathroom than you might on one of the other days? 

Posted 8/12/2011 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Not really, but I can see how that's "normal" for you. I usually use my enemas on Thursday and Sunday nights. If I'm going to have to get up and go somewhere in a hurry in the morning, especially if I have a long car ride ahead of me, I'll adjust my schedule to avoid that. I generally just have one BM in the morning after I have my coffee, enema or not, but sometimes, the enema will cause the BM to be a little bit urgent, and sometimes I'll have an extra BM later in the morning.
Posted 8/12/2011 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same experience as Sherry. When I am in remission, I usually just have normal BMs after the enemas. I've had days where I don't even have a BM the morning after the enema. It sounds to me like you may still have a bit of inflammation. You may want to try going to ever other day for a while and see if that helps.

Post Edited (notsosicklygirl) : 8/12/2011 12:00:43 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/12/2011 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
Well whats funny is any other day I go once or not at all. Believe me this is fine compared to a flare when I go 20 times or more a day. This has happened a few times after the enema...I have had a time where I didn't go at all too. Maybe I'm just weird. LOL
Posted 8/12/2011 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
Did you taper to the twice a week?

If you're constipated between continually, I'd say you have a bit of rectal inflammation and maybe you should up the enemas and do a fast taper to the twice a week.

I wouldn't call it weird, but I think you haven't listened closely enough to your symptoms or experienced a variety enough to understand what's going on.    I think you should increase the enemas at the very first moment of anything different, especially with increased mucous, excess gas not related to food and stomach discomfort/burping.


No, I don't have any worse symptoms on the day I use the enemas...except sometimes more concentrated gas. And I'm sometimes more hot during the night when I use the enema...but that could be from the gas.  The gas can get in the way of holding my bm too long, for the enema is a bit more slippery than a bm.

I'm at every third night...sometimes I skip and do a fourth.

All going nicely at this point.
q

Posted 8/12/2011 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
Quincy,

Yes I'm doing every third or 4th night. Seems to be going well-no blood, mucous, normal stool. I think in my last reply I wrote it a little misleading...I don't go 20 or more times sometimes after an enema. I just meant thats what I'm like if flaring. When I use an enema it just seems that I go more...maybe 2 or 3 times instead of just once. No biggie as the stool is normal. I just wondered if anyone else did it too. I try to be proactive and do an extra enema if I feel I had a stressful day etc to ward off any unpleasantness. So far its worked-I made it through the stress of buying and selling a house without any flareups. I have felt "well" for two and a half months now and I hope to stay that way. The first sign of anything weird and I will go back to nightly until I feel well again and then taper back down. No more pred for me ever again. Thanks for you help :)
Posted 8/13/2011 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I think it wise to avoid the pred...although, it is a commitment to use the enemas, it's a much safer one if you are well tolerant of salicylates and the 5ASA.

Make sure you get tested for kidney and liver enzymes at least once or twice a year. Get a copy of the test results for your records.


q
Posted 8/13/2011 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
Yep it is but so worth it in the end (no pun intended). They have me go for bloodwork every 3 months right now but I'm hoping to get it changed to at least every 6 months if I'm feeling well. They have such a hard time getting blood from me.
Posted 8/13/2011 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, me too about the blood. I ask for a smaller needle...sometimes they've done the kids' butterfly.
What happens is that my vein collapses as soon as the vial is pushed into the "suction" canister thingie.

Maybe that's an option for you. Ask what and why...

Don't you just love when they move the needle around to find an area that will draw blood???? I just say.."Please stop and try the other arm". I have a bruise there for 2 weeks.

sheesh.

lol

q
Posted 8/13/2011 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
My veins seem to do the same thing. And the moving the needle around makes me want to punch them. LOL I usually come out of there having been poked at 4 or 5 times with as many blown veins and huge bruising. Gotta love it...not!
Posted 8/13/2011 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
it's because the needle diameter is too big...the smaller one or the baby one..no problems.

Ask whomever to use a smaller needle next time.

q
Posted 8/14/2011 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
I know when I go to the dentist and get knocked out they use the kid one. They still can't get a vein. I think the other people have done so also depending on who they are but I will ask them to from now on. I try not to watch cuz then it makes me woozy. lol
Posted 8/14/2011 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting....at the dentist, do they put it in your hand or in your arm?

When they look at my veins, they salivate...but still screw it up. sheesh. the collapsing makes sense (as explained to me), but I thing they move as well once they stick the needle in. Not like I have thick skin, I'm a model for where veins are in the body..lol..yuck.

q
Posted 8/14/2011 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
At the dentist they always try the arm but can only get it in the hand which really hurts so does the wrist.
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