Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

What to do?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/2/2020 6:53 AM (GMT -8)
Happy New Year Everybody, thank you all for the support.

So I saw my (not so happy with) GI Dr. A month ago who said I was only constipated and took me off Pentassa enemas and told me to use Metamucil. I started the Metamucil and became bloated and had bad gas. I still continued to pass bloody mucus and some mushy poop. So I stopped the Metamucil after a week. I had been eating a little more holiday goodies which haven't helped.
However I stayed away from raw Vegetables and fruit.

I have had maybe a weeks worth of "normal" feeling days without the urge to go or passing gas or diarrhea in the last month. I have a colonoscopy on the 14. This week I have had at least 4 to 6 mushy mucus poops with urgency. Even in the middle of the night. I started Metamucil again last night, just for the sake of doing something. However, would it be ok using the enemas again? I have 14 left.

At the same time, the eczema is flaring in my ears and I have sinus issues. Also my pinky finger is swollen, sore and numb. Are theses just manifestations of UC?

Any thoughts would be appreciated....Sassy
profile picture
DBwithUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 1/2/2020 8:03 AM (GMT -8)
If there was bloody mucus - the issue was never "only constipation".

It seems worth a try to see if the enemas help. Mesalamine is a low-risk drug - especially as an enema. And, you have used it before.

I think you may also need to use a smaller dose of metamucil, or find another form of fiber that does not cause so much gas. You may have to drink much more liquid when taking fiber supplements.

good luck
profile picture
tiredofallthispoop
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2017
Posts : 245
Posted 1/2/2020 8:08 AM (GMT -8)
I really like psyllium, both seed and husk. I do not take a lot, start small and see what works for you.
profile picture
iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16404
Posted 1/2/2020 8:13 AM (GMT -8)
I would resume taking the enemas and see if it helps you. Inflammation is a whole body process (signaling for an immune attack is body wide, WBCs travel throughout all of our circulatory system to get to target, and our immune system is high-alert and can false-target other things too), and often when our UC inflammation builds up, extra-intestinal-manifestations also flare up too.
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/2/2020 9:19 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks,
I tend to over Dx myself, so am afraid to listen to my body. I only used a 1/2 teaspoon with a full glass of water to chase before bed. So do I need more water? I drink at least a litre a day, maybe that's not enough.

And judging by the sore achy butt I have now, after the 7th trip to the can, I will resume the enemas tonight.
profile picture
quincy
Elite Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 33482
Posted 1/2/2020 9:43 AM (GMT -8)
Constipation is a symptom of flaring....meaning very low in rectum or very mild throughout the rectum. If yiu were flaring and on nightly enemas treatment, it will be a symptom of inflammation regression. Your GI should KNOW that and should have had you continue to use the enemas nightly, plus add the metamucil or stool softener, etc.

Regarding the metamucil...start slowly. Are you using capsules or powder?

q
profile picture
Sara14
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 7543
Posted 1/2/2020 9:53 AM (GMT -8)
You're getting scoped on my birthday. smile

I don't know why your doctor said it was only constipation. Sure doesn't sound like it.
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/3/2020 5:09 AM (GMT -8)
Q...i take the powder Metamucil.

I started the enemas again last night. But I am so inflamed I guess, I couldn't hold it in for more than 20 minutes. The urge to go has been getting more frequent, up to 8 times a day and once in the night. I wonder if Cortifoam would be better?

I don't see blood anymore, just mucus and loose poop. Would it be of any benefit to get a fecal Calprotectin test? Or is that only recommended for C-diff suspicions?
profile picture
iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16404
Posted 1/3/2020 6:29 AM (GMT -8)
If you're having 8 bms a day, then your rectum is likely too inflamed to retain mesalamine enemas successfully for 7+ hours. You're going to need steroids to calm things down and heal before you'll be able to retain mesalamine enemas for any length of time. Your choice of steroids: Pred, Uceris/Entocort EC, or steroid rectal foams like Cortifoam.
I would not take Metamucil with that kind of frequency, as the last thing you need is to bulk up your stool and make it abrasive (as fiber tends to do).

8-bms is pretty severe though, you are most likely needing prednisone which is great for severe inflammation. Hoping you are in regular contact with your gasteroenteroligist throughout this. You can get an inflammation test to see where you are at, like Calproctectin, probably a good idea at this point. No harm in it at all.

Post Edited (iPoop) : 1/3/2020 7:32:18 AM (GMT-7)

profile picture
Rosiedays
Regular Member
Joined : Jul 2017
Posts : 319
Posted 1/3/2020 7:10 AM (GMT -8)
I’m so sorry you are going through this sassy! sad

You need to feel confident and well before your trip. It’s really good that you are having the colonoscopy soon at least.

I learned to phone the office (I think Tara is the person who gets the messages? ) and leave a detailed message ie “Hi, this is Sassy, I just wanted to leave a message to ask a question about my symptoms. I’m getting eight or more bloody stools with mucus and feeling really ill at this time. I have to stay home to cope. I’m making sure to drink extra water so I don’t have dehydration but I would like to know what else the doctor thinks I can do about this. I started using the enemas again with the hopes that this will help.”

I usually get a phone call back from Tara letting me know that she got my message and I should hear back soon. At first I would just phone and ask questions about prednisone without going into detail and she was actually quite dismissive and rude to me, but when I started to leave the detailed alarming messages she took it seriously.
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/3/2020 9:24 AM (GMT -8)
I emailed My GI's office with a detailed message. But they only take appointments booked already on Fridays, so I may not hear from them. I did what you said Rosiedays lol hopefully I will hear back. I definitely want this better before our trip!
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/4/2020 7:33 AM (GMT -8)
I got a reply from the office and she has ccd it to the Dr. to read on Monday. Meanwhile, my symptoms have slowed, so I did not do the enema last night. So far I've had only two soft bms this morning. Hopefully it will continue to get better. 🚾
profile picture
EvanHimself
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2017
Posts : 42
Posted 1/6/2020 5:35 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Sassy, glad to hear about your improvement. If it was me I’d stay on the enemas. A few good days isn’t necessarily remission in my experience and the fact that you are going less means better retention for the enemas.
profile picture
Sassysback
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 151
Posted 1/6/2020 9:03 AM (GMT -8)
Update:
My GI Dr. Returned my email with a message to up my Asacol to 2.4 gm. He should know...i'm already taking that amount! But he said to try to take the enemas again. I now have permission, omg. I am so frustrated with this.

I had only 2 mushy episodes yesterday, but woke in the night extremely bloated with pain on the right. Maybe I should try more fibre? I did eat a half of an apple with the skin on last night. Something I haven't done in a while. Wonder if my colon is pissed with that?
profile picture
iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16404
Posted 1/6/2020 9:54 AM (GMT -8)
Unfortunately, there's a lot of guesswork and frustration (at our incompetent dr at times lol) in all of this. Try not to change a whole lot of variables simultaneously as then you cannot ascertain what caused what to happen.

I'd try and stay calm and look for trends more than one-day erratic changes.
profile picture
quincy
Elite Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 33482
Posted 1/6/2020 9:57 AM (GMT -8)
Use the enemas nightly for at least a month or two...
q
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply


More On Ulcerative Colitis

Prebiotics And Probiotics: A Simple Guide

Prebiotics And Probiotics: A Simple Guide

CBD And Pain Management: Is This Supplement Right For You?

CBD And Pain Management: Is This Supplement Right For You?


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2023 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.