Tapering Asacol - Fooilsh or what?

Hey

Not posted for a while, but here goes

By some strange idea of the mind, wanting to get as 'drug' free as possible I decided to start tapering my meds a few weeks ago.  I wsa taking Asacol 2tbs x 3 daily.  Decided to cut it by one tablet each two week.

Consequently - I'm starting to flare. I'm notcing blood, the noises, and severe C .  I'm not scheduled to see my consultant for another 5 months, but I kinda guess he's gonna say 'Pred, Pred, Pred'   I really don't wanna go down that road after all the symptoms both during, and more so, after getting of the Pred. acne like you wouldn't believe etc etc blah blah.

Am I really gonna have to go back on the Pred folks?

I've been hammering my Prednisolone Rectal Foam (20mg), and using it about 6 times a day, but it just doesnt seem to be making any difference, and for Proctitis, surely I should have noticed a slight improvement?

I'm really getting freaked now about haveing to go on that horrible stuf again - anyone have any sugestions to try and nip it in the bud, or anything to avoid the dreaded pred?

thanks

---

Diagnosed with UC March 2007

Currently Taking:

Asacol 2 Tabs (400) x 3 Daily

Prednisolone 40mg 35mg 30mg 25mg 20mg 15mg 10mg 5mg 2.5mg Daily

Iron Supplement 200mg 6 Daily

Omeprazole 20mg (Acid)

Awaiting Start of Azathioprine Trial

Various Asthma Medications (List too long)

Calcium supplements 400mg twice daily

Multivitamins + Minerals once daily

Hey Quincy

I know - In hindsight, if it isn't broken, don't fix it, ir. Leave the ASACOL alone!

I'm currently on No pred at all.

I'm having BM's but passing generally mucus/blood and very very little stool.

Urges I have are 9/10 times passing gas.

Never uses 5ASA ectal meds, / I was always let to believe that they're no good when dealing with a flare, only keeping it in remission once dealt with?

would increasing my daily ASACOL help?

thanks again

---

Diagnosed with UC March 2007

Currently Taking:

Asacol 2 Tabs (400) x 3 Daily

Prednisolone 40mg 35mg 30mg 25mg 20mg 15mg 10mg 5mg 2.5mg Daily

Iron Supplement 200mg 6 Daily

Omeprazole 20mg (Acid)

Awaiting Start of Azathioprine Trial

Various Asthma Medications (List too long)

Calcium supplements 400mg twice daily

Multivitamins + Minerals once daily

I might be missing something, but why don't you bump up your dose of Asacol? If it got you into remission or kept you in remission, why are you going off of it?

I wish doctors would do a better job of stressing the fact that this is a LIFELONG condition that waxes and wanes. It's unlikely you will stay in remission if you go off your meds -- at least not for the long haul. If your body is responding by going into a flare as you're reducing your meds, why not go back on them to at least try to stop the flare from getting worse?

This is another reason to not quit your meds: Asacol has few side effects. Prednisone has lots of them. If you quit your Asacol and flare, you might have to go on meds that cause side effects to get the flare back under control again.

It seems elemental that for all of these reasons, it just doesn't make much sense to go off your meds -- unless, of course, you're having side effects from them or your doctor tells you to or you want to have a flare. It's asking for trouble.

Mitz

---

Sporadic proctitis since about 1985. Mother had UC, then J-pouch surgery 1983.
DX'd with clostridium difficile in 2000. Prednisone, two courses of Flagyl, then Vancomycin finally got rid of it. Symptomatic with UC after that.
Colonoscopy in 2001 dx'd left-sided UC. Was pretty darn ill at that time. Treated with prednisone, Rowasa, Asacol. Asacol not working so switched to Imuran. Three small flares since in 2002, 2005, and 2007.
Gall bladder attack 6/13; ultrasound showed stones; surgery before end of 2007.
100 mg Azathioprine and 225 mg Effexor XR (for chronic, longstanding depression) daily.

Hey Schmoner,

I tapered my Asacol (by forgetting to take my pills half the time) and I got a flare. It took me ten weeks of taking 4800 mg of Asacol a day (my maint dose) to go from a mild flare to 1 to 3 bm's a day w/little or no blood and stools were pretty well formed. I flared b/c I wasn't taking my full dose and the asacol helped me to get mostly out of it. I then had to stop the asacol b/c of other reasons. I'd give almost anything to be able to take it again. I responded better to that than I am the prednisone........go figure!

I have mild/moderate colitis near the rectum.

HTH!

---

Beth, 31

UC Diagnosed March 2000

Hydrocortisone enemas 1xday

Lialda 2.4mg 1xday since 8/24/07 ;prev. Asacol 4800mg day,Calcium and Vit D 500mg 3xday.

Minimal Change Disease (Kidney Disorder) Diagnosed Sept 2007

Prednisone 60mg 1xday, Simvastatin 20mg 1xday, Diovan 80mg 1xday. Fosomax 70mg 1xweek. MCD may be from hypersensitivty to 5ASA drugs.

Hi Schmoner,

Asacol isn't just for maintaining remission. It can also help you get out of a flare. Asacol and Rowasa have helped me get so much better than I was back in March when I was severely flaring (and first diagnosed). I currently still have a little rectal inflammation, but that may be because I stopped taking the Rowasa for a while. My GI doctors have never suggested pred for me. They have just upped my dose of Asacol from 6 at first, to 8, then to the max...12 pills/day. It's interesting how different GIs suggest things differently. Good luck with getting out of your flare.

---

23 years old
Diagnosed with UC March 2007
Current inflamation in the rectum
Asacol 4 tablets 3x/day

Rowasa (generic) - nightly

Nature's Way Primadophilus Reuteri 1/day; Chewable multivitamin

You're reading some interesting info....all 5ASA meds are for treatment and tapered to maintenance if the treatment dosage is high. I've been on it as I mentioned for over 18 years...a while for the info to "be out there". You've been misinformed and it's affecting your perspective and possibly expectations.

I personally wouldn't up the asacol, but you could do it to 8 daily...taking it in two divided dosages instead of 3.

Are you eating enough?? You should still be producing stool if you're not having diarrhea.

I didn't ask about the asthma meds regarding a connection to UC..just curious. Are you on a preventer, rescue and maybe something like Theophylline and/or Singulair? Sharing...

Are you interested in requesting a 5ASA med (I would suggest retention enema such as Rowasa or if you're not..Salofalk)....if so..call your doc tomorrow and ask for it and start it...you won't know how much it could help until you try.

q

---

*Heather*Status:mini flare June 23* 6asacol daily+ Salofalk (tapered every 3rd night)

~diagnosed January 1989 UC (proctosigmoiditis)

~5ASA: Asacol + Salofalk enemas (increase for flares tapered to maintenance)

~Bentylol (dicyclomine) 20mg as needed

~vitamins/minerals 

~Probiotic 2 (Natural Factors Protec) + 1 (Primadophilus Reuteri) at bedtime

~Natural Factors Multi Digestive Enzymes with supper

~Ranitidine,Pariet (reflux) Effexor XR 75mg;  Pulmicort/Airomir (asthma)

~URSO for PSC (or PBC) 500mg X 2 daily (LFTs back to NORMAL!!)

My doc's logic.. "TREAT (FROM)BOTH ENDS"  worth it !!!

Schmoner said...
Hey

Not posted for a while, but here goes

By some strange idea of the mind, wanting to get as 'drug' free as possible I decided to start tapering my meds a few weeks ago.  I wsa taking Asacol 2tbs x 3 daily.  Decided to cut it by one tablet each two week.

Consequently - I'm starting to flare. I'm notcing blood, the noises, and severe C .  I'm not scheduled to see my consultant for another 5 months, but I kinda guess he's gonna say 'Pred, Pred, Pred'   I really don't wanna go down that road after all the symptoms both during, and more so, after getting of the Pred. acne like you wouldn't believe etc etc blah blah.

Am I really gonna have to go back on the Pred folks?

I've been hammering my Prednisolone Rectal Foam (20mg), and using it about 6 times a day, but it just doesnt seem to be making any difference, and for Proctitis, surely I should have noticed a slight improvement?

I'm really getting freaked now about haveing to go on that horrible stuf again - anyone have any sugestions to try and nip it in the bud, or anything to avoid the dreaded pred?

thanks

I messed up too.  I quit taking my asacol because I didn't have time to go to the pharmacy and then decided I would try to do without it for awhile since I wasn't having any problems.  Well,  I made it about a month with no problems and then each day last week I started having mild diarrhea and some abdominal pain.  And this past saturday I got hot and the joints in my legs started to ache. I learned my lesson and hope I don't go into a bad flare.

Sorry, I have no suggestions, just wanted to let you know other people mess up too.

---

Diagnosed with UC January 2007 @28 years of age

Asacol 400mg 6 pills a day