HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Rowasa v. Lialda

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/7/2012 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
I've been on Lialda since April (4 pills a day). I'm trying to taper without much success. I also take a canasa every night and cortenema as needed.

I've seen that so many of you are on Rowasa. I know they are the same class of drugs. What, if any, are the benefits of Rowasa v. Lialda? Thanks.

~Cita
Posted 10/7/2012 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Rowasa is very beneficial in treating the rectum and higher up. (someone may chime in with how high up it can go). It really helps me address bleeding, mucous and especially urgency. I am on both Lialda and Rowasa. The minute I start to see any symptoms I will increase the frequency of the enemas. I was told to stay on the max dose of Lialda for a year when I was first started on it and then I dropped down to 2. I have increased it a few times when I have flared but for the most part I stay at 2 and do the enemas 2-3 times a week.
Posted 10/8/2012 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
Cita, how long have you been in remission? I was not able to taper my oral mesalamine until I started 6mp but many people are successful lowering the dose slowly. One of the tough things with Lialda is that a single pill is 1200mg so it's difficult to drop the dose slowly and see where you're able to sustain. With Asacol, you can go 400mg at a time. YOu may be able to taper down to 3600mg using Rowasa but as sherbear said, Rowasa is more of a topical that treats the rectum and part of the left side while oral mesalamine treats further up in the colon. You could give it a try though. I was using rowasa PM and Canasa AM for quite a while with success - I was also on Asacol.
Posted 10/8/2012 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, gals...I have proctitis, so I'm a little confused why my doc put me on Lialda to begin with. I know canasa is a mesalamine suppository and Lialda is an oral mesalamine. What then is Rowasa...suppository or pill? You both imply that rowasa is more topical, but I thought it was a pill like lialda. Do you think it's better for the rectum? My last scope showed only the first 6" involved.

Notsosicklygirl, I had been in remission for about a year when my flare happened last April. It was getting better until I caught the intestinal but my whole family got..that leveled me in June. I went on pred in July..tapered in August. I've been slowly improving, but I would not call it remission. Then, about 3 weeks ago I got a sinus infection and went on antibiotics...I blame them for my state now. I am off the antibiotics and just had a really bad 2 days. I was in bed til 3pm today!

I keep seeing Rowasa mentioned as well as asacol and am wondering why my doc didn't put me on them. My doc wants me on Imuran, but I will not do it. I have kidney problems in my family. I guess I will have to get sicker before I consider it. Now, I have urgency only in the morning. I go 2x a morning. Sometimes blood, sometimes not...tend not to have blood if I've done a cortenema the night before.
Posted 10/8/2012 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
Rowasa is an enema so it's a high dose of mesalamine. Canasa is 1000mg, Rowasa is 4000mg so it can be much more effective. Also, since it is liquid, it can reach further into the rectum and even reach the left side. It sounds like it may be a good option for you. A lot of people with proctitis take Lialda or Asacol. Lialda is almost the same as Asacol but it's more appealing to most people because it's a high dose which means less pills. I switched to Lialda for convenience. Antibiotics can definitely get things flared up. Hopefully it levels out and you feel better quickly. I'd definitely try Rowasa (or generic mesalamine enemas)
Posted 10/8/2012 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
Notsosickly,
Thanks so much for the explanation! I am determined to get a 2nd opinion about my treatment plan. I don't feel that my doctor really listens to me. It's as if she has a protocol to which she subscribes, and that's that.

Does one usually do a cortenema with rowasa too? Maybe alternate? I think the cortenemas work pretty well, but I have more of an appetite with them...not good as I need to lose weight. I'm getting pretty frustrated with my lack of progress. I'll ask the new doc about rowasa. Thanks for all the help! cool
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply