Advice for newly diagnosed - dealing with medication and symptoms

Hello all! I was diagnosed with uc a few months ago. It's all pretty mild right now (crossing my fingers it stays that way) but I feel like I can't tell if it's getting worse. I have been take Canasa nightly. I took it for two months, felt fine, and went off (at my doctor's suggestion). The blood came back a week or two later, so I went back on.

The blood is still gone, but I have been feeling more crampy and have more issues with urgency. I can't tell if my cramps are a side effect of the medicine, or if it's the disease. I also have been seeing white spots when I go to the bathroom. Is the canasa not being absorbed or something? Should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance for your help. It's been a struggle to stay positive, so it helps to have an outlet. Can't think of anywhere else I can ask these questions and have it be normal!

Ditto to what DMC2011 said.

mnij12: what is your diet like?

Ulcerative colitis requires a maintenance medication for life. Uc is caused by your immune system attacking the lining of your large intestine (specifically the rectum in your case) which causes inflammation that produces symptoms like blood, diarrhea, etc. Your medication, canasa, is an anti-inflammatory medication that treats a symptom, inflammation. Canasa cannot cure you of uc, it just treats a symptom. Stop your medication and those symptoms return. Important lesson learned.

White specs in your poop could be the filler, an inert, inactive ingredient, a snow white powder in your canasa. It also could be mucus, which is a sign of inflammation in your intestine lining and it is stringy and sticky.

Noisy guts are common in patients with digestive issues. Often, it is nothing to worry about. Sometimes, it can indicate trouble-brewing and a flare up of uc is coming.