HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

New to the forum

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/1/2012 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone.
I am a 24 yr old male who was diagnosed with UP almost a year ago. I currently take 8 500mg of Mesasal tablets per day. I have been going through periods of ups and downs and just had a few questions.. I have been having anywhere from 4-10 bm per day for quite a while.. about 2 weeks ago i began having very narrow ones and now they have been completely loose. I will have very small amounts at once but I just get a sudden stomach pain and then I immediately need to go. I've also had quite a bit of gas recently and gurgling in my stomach.. Is this just part of the UP or something I need to be more worried about.. I am a little confused why all this would happen when my problem is supposed to be limited to the last part of my colon.

Thanks in advance.
Posted 6/1/2012 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
People with ulcerative proctitis should be using rectal meds. Mesalamine enemas are very effective. Oral meds are not very good at reducing inflammation in the sigmoid colon or rectum. Proctitis can cause all the issues you're describing, but it's also possible that the inflammation has gotten higher up into the colon.

Call your DR, insist on rectal mesalamine and I hope you feel better soon.
Posted 6/1/2012 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
The dr put me on pentasa enemas for 3 weeks along with the Mesasal but with little relief, he took me back off and told me that if I wasn't responding to the oral meds or the enemas, that the next step was prednisone. I really don't want to take that unless I feel there are no other options.

Thanks for the response. It's nice to have somewhere to talk.
Posted 6/1/2012 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Did you really have no response at all to 3 weeks of nightly enemas at 4g/enema? Prednisone is a reasonable choice to quickly suppress a flare.
Posted 6/1/2012 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Yes. I did 21 nightly 4g pentasa. Very little relief if any at all. I am just worried about the side effects of prednisone. I feel like some of them are worse than what I have now.
Posted 6/1/2012 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
Ask the doc for steroid enemas and give them a fair trial.

q
Posted 6/1/2012 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Steroid enemas such as what?
Posted 6/1/2012 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-hydrocortisone_rectal_foam_enema/article_em.htm

q

Posted 6/1/2012 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Ok I will see if he will let me give that a shot. Seems like there are less side effects than with prednisone.
Thanks a lot!
Posted 6/1/2012 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, there are much less side effects from using rectal steroid based meds compared to oral meds, they don't go into your bloodstream they way oral pred does, therefore chances of any side effects are very, very small if any at all. I like the foam type one (cortifoam) cuz it's usually able to reach a little higher ups as well, especially compared to suppositories (which I hate and never found any benefit from).

Good luck and feel better soon!
Posted 6/1/2012 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much
Posted 6/1/2012 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I agree with Qunicy, hydrocortisone enemas like cortifoam/colifoam for 4 weeks minimum
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply