HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Bleeding...

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/21/2011 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone!

This is my first post. I have a question, but first let me tell you... I was diagnosed with pan colitis in February and have been hospitalized 2x since. I am now on Asacol 1600mg 3x/day Imuran 150mg daily and am in the process of tapering off Prednisone at 5mg every other day. My question is...Should I still be having rectal  bleeding at this point? And does it ever stop? I've actually had it since the beginning of this dreaded disease and was hospitalized with anemia and rec'd two bags of blood. Everything else is fine. The number of stools a day are way down to maybe 3 or 4, I have no abdominal cramps, maybe some gas here and there, blush but that's probably from what I ate. I'm just very concerned about this bleeding. I take Integra Plus which is an Iron/folic acid/vitamin supplement capsule which my GI doc gave me. How about you all, do you bleed alot? Or is it supposed to stop completely eventually. I know it's something I need to discuss with my GI doc, but I thought I'd ask you guys first.

Thank you for any input you all might have. wink

Posted 8/21/2011 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Stoolie, welcome to the board.

I am sorry to hear about your pancolitis, many of us are dealing with the same problems and can relate. As far as bleeding goes, when you're in remission, you should not have bleeding. For many UCers, we deal with other problems on top of UC such as hemohrroids (sp) or fissures, it is possible that the blood is from one of those conditions. Fissures are painful - if you're not experiencing pain, it's unlikely that you have one. Hemmies can be internal or external, external ones you can feel with your finger, it feels like a bump but internal ones can't usually be felt. Your GI would have to take a look with a scope to see if that is the issue. Are you having other UC symptoms? Urgency, loose stools? It is possible that the blood is due to a small amount of inflamation in your rectum which would be best treated with a mesalamine enema or suppository. Definitely ask your GI about this when you speak to him. All that said, tapering off of prednisone is difficult. I had so many ups and downs, my condition was unstable once I got under 15mg... take it slow and let your body tell you when it's ready to taper. You may want to taper down to 2.5mg before going to 0.
Posted 8/22/2011 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
notsosicklygirl, thank you for your reply.
Posted 8/22/2011 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Stoolie -
I had trouble getting off Pred when I was on it some 24 years ago... those last few mgs. So, as NSSG suggested, go slowly! Slow but sure is better than impatience and symptoms rebounding.

You should be able to get to a place of no bleeding. I bleed easily - often it's the first true sign of a flare for me. I have found the rectal meds to be a lifesaver. So, again, as NSSG said..... I really think you should ask your GI for mesalamine retention enemas, or even steroid enemas, and/or Canasa (mesalamine) suppositories. They can really help support you through that last bit of taper, and they deliver the medication right to the affected area.
Some GIs seem to be reluctant to prescribed them because of the ick factor, or because some people won't comply......
Some will say that because you have pancolitis and the enemas don't go up through the entire colon they're not useful - but I can say that, if the "bottom" of my system is feeling better, it helps me a lot.

Good luck, and if you have more questions, ... we have "been there"!
Posted 8/22/2011 8:19 AM (GMT 0)
The gas is not likely about what you ate, but if you're flaring it's a sign of inflammation.

Go for the enemas...and good luck!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply