GI doesn't believe me?

If you want it temporarily until you get over a bad flare I would agree with you. If you intend to rely on it continually for your UC I favor your GI.
One GI would never prescribe me addictive pain killers or anti-anxiety meds. His answer was always, "we don't like to use those because they are too addictive." He's right, the more you take the more you need to get the same effect. I've tried anti-spasmodics and find they actually either make no difference for me or make me have more urgency. This current flare was the first time I ever tried narcotics. I'm not sure I would use them at work though. They do kill the urgency and pain but they slow your thought process greatly. I would be a zombie at work using these.
My current doctor has no problem trusting me with narcotics at this time but knows I don't enjoy being on them unless absolutely necessary. I currently use oxycodone and xanax for pain and anxiety but try to push not using them as long as I can so my body doesn't build up a tolerance to them.
When I got out of the hospital last Tuesday I was requiring one IV injection of Delaudid every 3 hours. After being discharged that day I got a prescription for oxycodone to take every 4-6 hours. My first dose lasted about 3 1/2 hours so I took the second dose before it was due. If I kept doing that I would eventually require higher strength medicine to get the same effect so, with my wife's help, I forced myself to hold out longer and longer. As I'm writing this I'm actually distracting myself from the current urgency and throbbing pain you describe (in my rectum, pain in lower back, left sided spasm pain) so I can hold out longer from taking my next dose of pain medicine. In doing this I have the reward that it's effect will be even more dramatic the longer I hold out...I'm going for 7 hours and am at 5 1/2 now.
A doctor told me that narcotic pain relievers lose their effectiveness over time because your body will tolerate the same amount of pain to a lesser degree knowing that you have that pain medicine coming that's going to make it go away. So the same pain will actually feel more intense to you than it would to someone else who just uses a heating pad for relief. That’s why so many celebrities get addicted to pain killers. They’re not in any more pain than the rest of us it’s just they’ve found doctor’s that will give them as much as they want.

So what kind of doctor do you want? I’m sure you can shop around for one that will give you the medicine you want but be careful.

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43, male, UC diagnosed in 1985

March 2009 colonoscopy showed no signs of UC; azathioprine reduce from 100mg to 50mg

Started current flare August 2009, bleeding by October 2009, hospital 12/9-12/15

Current Meds: 150 mg azathioprine, 60 mg prednisone, 750 mg Colazal 6/day, 400 mg Asacol 6/day, Rowasa enema nightly, VSL#3 DS,  Lialda, started Remicade on 12/17/09

80 mg solumedrol; demoral, Dilaudid, oxycodone for pain, Zolfran for nausea

Xanax anxiety

Tegretol XR and valium for epilespy

Post Edited (Burli) : 12/20/2009 10:04:11 AM (GMT-7)

I was also just reminded by my wife that the doctor did also say (as I'm moaning a little here) that your body has a more difficult time healing itself if it has to "fight" the pain so I really shouldn't hold out longer on these pain medicines than I have to. I should take what I need and your doctor should prescribe you what you need.

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43, male, UC diagnosed in 1985

March 2009 colonoscopy showed no signs of UC; azathioprine reduce from 100mg to 50mg

Started current flare August 2009, bleeding by October 2009, hospital 12/9-12/15

Current Meds: 150 mg azathioprine, 60 mg prednisone, 750 mg Colazal 6/day, 400 mg Asacol 6/day, Rowasa enema nightly, VSL#3 DS,  Lialda, started Remicade on 12/17/09

80 mg solumedrol; demoral, Dilaudid, oxycodone for pain, Zolfran for nausea

Xanax anxiety

Tegretol XR and valium for epilespy

I don't know why he seemed so surprised when you complained of horrid lower back pain after BM's, during severe flares my lower back pain during BM's put me into tears.

Maybe find another doc that will be compassionate about the pain you're in?

:)

Thank you everyone for your replies!! You have no idea how much I appreciate hearing thoughts from people who know what I'm going through. I certainly don't want to become a drug addict, but, to some capacity I feel like many of us already are. I do understand that drugs like hydrocodone don't work as effectively at the same dose if taken for a while. I don't want to get into a dangerous situation with those. I just want something to ease the ache and discomfort during flares. I understand that diet and exercise play a major role, and I am trying to learn more about that. But for those moments when you just want some internal peace and the bathroom has become your anchor, it would be nice to know I have something handy to ease it all (especially on a plane!!). I am also thrilled (funny to say it that way) that other people understand what I mean by that deep internal lower back ache before and during and after a BM. It's a relief to know I'm not alone. Heating pads do absolutely nothing for those kind of aches.

Red_34 - i am no longer taking Bentyl because I felt like it was making the urgency worse, not better

sore_guts - his dismissal is why I feel like he might not believe that I am in a flare. I'm not a fan of going through a colonoscopy just to prove it. I believe he is afraid I just want the pain meds. I do want them, but I wish he gave me more credit

Burli - You are me and I am you! Oh goodness I feel your pain and I too have been in the position where waiting just an extra 2 hours to take the meds was important. Thank you for the support! I am glad you are feeling better. Hopefully within the next few days I will too.

pb4 - yes the "huh" response was pretty disheartening. I am going home to nyc for the holidays and have a GI there as well. I am planning to make an appointment if possible.

Judy2 - I have tried Rowasa enemas and have found them pretty ineffective. At one point I was taking the Rowasa with a pain med, ambien, and IV steroids...and I would still wake up less than 2 hours later to have a BM. My body is not cooperating

seconder - thanks for the article!

mumbles - I do agree with you about the GI sensitivity to prescribing meds. I do plan to get a 2nd opinion in nyc. It was just that his "huh" response made me feel like it was less of hi trying to steer me clear of the pain meds, and more of him not believing I was in discomfort. Nobody wants to be accused of crying wolf. I do not believe that people who know what UC is like would cry wolf.

Will keep you all posted, thanks!