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I have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis for 5 years now and it is just so hard for me to take my medication. I have been on a couple different things and partly I wonder if it's because I don't take my medication like I should.

Sometimes I just don't think it works anyway so I don't take it and sometimes I forget and then sometimes I just hate it!

Right now I'm taking Asacol (which is what I forget because it's 3 pills 3xday) then also rowasa-the enemas each night (which you could figure out is what I hate doing).

So if any of you have some miraculous advice on how to just get my butt in gear and take it I'd be so grateful. I've been having a pretty much constant flare up for 2 years now and it seems to just be getting better,

if I could just take my medicine...

 Reply posted for anastasia.

I have been diagnosed with UC for a little over a year now.  I have done the Asacol/Prednisone combo at one point and then just Asacol for a while.  I went to see a gastro and he prescribed the Rowasa (enamas) and Canasa (suppositories).  That's right I was taking one every morning and the other at night, double duty!  I hated it.  Finally I was only taking the Rowasa on a nightly basis, but it wasn't working.  I asked my pharmacist if the enemas were supposed to be maintenance therapy and he said no, so he called my nurse who never returned his call.  So I am currently not on any medication because my nurse/doctor hasn't ever called back.  I feel like crap, but don't really know what to do to make it better.  However, I am having major headaches and I am tired all the time.  Is this from not taking the medication?  Does anybody have any hints, because I hate taking the medication, but I hate feeling like crap all the time.  Also, I know by the time I do get in to see my doctor I am going to be severely chastised for neglecting my medicinal duties and I hate being severely chastised.

 Reply posted for Ennocence.

I don't know if you'll see this reply but THANK YOU so much for your reply. I saw it an hour before I went to my Dr. and it was so great.

He wanted to put me on prednisone (which I've never done and am scared of the side effects) but then I cried so he said I could try lialda first but if I'm not better in 3 weeks then I'd have to go on the prednisone.  :(

Anyway, thank you. I start my meds tomorrow. Oh and he said the suppository's aren't half as good so I have to stick with the enema's for now. Oh well.

Anastasia

 Reply posted for anastasia.

I have had UC (was misdiagnosed for years) for about 8 years now and I was pretty much unmedicated throughout my college years and then after graduating (4 years ago) I went to my gastero and he put me on Rowasa enemas which I hated as well, so I used them for awhile but then I just gave up because the bleeding and bathroom trips didn't seem so bad as compared to having to do an enema every night. My gastero refused to listen to me when I told him repeatedly that I would not continue to use the Rowasa so I found a new doctor and he put me on Canasa suppositories (which I still hate but not nearly as much) but still I began to forget and every night turned into every other night which turned into once or twice a week and before I knew it I wasn't taking them.

Now, I take Lialda (4 a day first thing in the morning) and I do the Canasa every other day although somtimes I still do forget, but I haven't forgotten to take my pills yet. I just had to find something that worked into my schedule and the Lialda 4 pills first thing in the morning worked perfectly. I didn't realize how poorly I was feeling unmedicated until I finally found medications that worked for my UC and my lifestyle.

You and your Dr. just have to find something you know you can live with and more importantly stick with it! And if your Dr. doesn't listen to you...find a new one!

 Reply posted for anastasia.

hi uc for 5 yrs here . in currently taking sulfazine 1000 mg 3 x daily

and ive been having problems lately so im on hydrocortisone enemas an let me tell u i am the biggest baby ... i hate it!!! but i have noticed im not passing much blood now . where as before the enemas i had alot of blood .

an i know what u mean about feeling like your asacol doesnt help i was on that 5 yrs ago and i think it gave me oersonally more problems i know i always felt worse taking it . so it might not be working .

good luck to you