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Diagnosed with UC about 4 weeks ago. I have been taking mesalamine (2 pills in the morning, 2 pills at night), and a rowasa enema nightly for the last 18 days. Had blood work done at days 14, and body is tolerating meds well, but just a little on the anemic side.

I am holding enema for about 5 hours a night. I still have frequent urges to go to the bathroom, sometimes it is just a little, and other times diarreah. Bleeding has become less, but there is still blood.

I have also been diagnosed with Tenesmus, which is due tot he swelling in the rectum that makes me feel like I have to go, even giving me recal spams. It also caused rectal pain.

Here is my question...After 18 days, should I still be having these issues? I was told Mesalamine and Rowasa can take 3-5 weeks to start working. Is that true? Also, If I am seeing a little progress, is that a positive sign? I think about this darn UC from the time Iwake in the morning, until I start stressing about taking the enema at night.

ANY and ALL insight and thoughts are so welcome. I feel so alone, so trapped, and honestly very scared. Am I doing the right thing by staying on these medicines, or do I need to do something else. I think my doctor heard my frustration today in my voice, and suggested I may want to think about Remicade or some other med that I cant remember, that is done through infusion.

Lastly, I suffer from severe anxiety and stress. I feel that is causing the UC to be worse.

Please give me some feedback. Thanks for listening

Reply posted for Buckster0531.

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Reply posted for Buckster0531.

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Reply posted for Buckster0531.

Hi Buckster,

Your post brings back memories for me. I left the hospital still anemic , the bleeding was just stopping, I was at 7 BM's a day and loose stools were still the norm. I was sent home to follow the Stanford diet and get ready to accept Remicade as a way of life.

I was scared , desperate for answers and searching for answers. I remember passing a bag of dog food in the garage thinking "hey I wonder if that would work?" After all at this point food is just fuel.

That was my 1st self discovery = Think of food as just fuel, what type of fuel does my body need? So I hired a dieticin that understood UC and inflamation. She immedeitly took me off most of what I was told was okay in the stanford diet because I was actually eating foods that cause inflamation. A dietician will tell you what foods are gut freindly and also act as an anti-inflamitory. Learn those foods and start making them habits of your diet. 

My second aha moment came after a very scary allergic reaction to Remicade causing crazy nerve pain in my leg. I opted to injest my 1st cannibus dose into my body to hopefully cut the pain, as a 55 year old male with no history of marijuana use I was peasantly suprised that indeed the nerve pain subsided but hmnnn something happened arounfd my sphincter , it's like it fell asleep...

So... I quit Remicade ( ofcourse I had to because of the allergy) and started eating only foods and drinks that are known freindlies / helpfuls. I quit alchohol, replaced in with non alcoholic gigner beer, quit coffee replaced it with ginger and peppermint teas, stopped eating anything processed with preservatives, no dairy, added salmon 5 to 7 times a week, added brussel sprouts weekly and , sweet potatoes three times a week minumum. 


But.. I eat well just a diet that predicts well for me, I really could open up my diet now but dont feel the need to change the fuel. 

I gained the weight back I needed to, it took three months for my hemoglobin levels to rise to the point I had energy. Here's what I did and still do that has kept me in remmission for 2+ years and I hope it works for you. 

I follw the diet I describe above, along with vaping cannabis an hour or so before bedtime, you'll get the best sleep you've had in months and I'm guessing your bm frquency will be cut in half in the 1st two weeks.. I also enjoy three to four freshly baked toll house cookies as a nightly treat (munchies are for real ;) ) 

I don't take my health for granted, I've been to Mayo and the concur with my strategy and asked me to add Balsasadize to the equation which I did, so far so very good, I can feel inflamation throughout the week but it never gets to the point of a flare. I've probobly only had loose stools 2 or three times in the last two years. Hope this helps my friend.   Peace 

Reply posted for Buckster0531.

Hi Buckster,

Your post brings back memories for me. I left the hospital still anemic , the bleeding was just stopping, I was at 7 BM's a day and loose stools were still the norm. I was sent home to follow the Stanford diet and get ready to accept Remicade as a way of life.

I was scared , desperate for answers and searching for answers. I remember passing a bag of dog food in the garage thinking "hey I wonder if that would work?" After all at this point food is just fuel.

That was my 1st self discovery = Think of food as just fuel, what type of fuel does my body need? So I hired a dieticin that understood UC and inflamation. She immedeitly took me off most of what I was told was okay in the stanford diet because I was actually eating foods that cause inflamation. A dietician will tell you what foods are gut freindly and also act as an anti-inflamitory. Learn those foods and start making them habits of your diet. 

My second aha moment came after a very scary allergic reaction to Remicade causing crazy nerve pain in my leg. I opted to injest my 1st cannibus dose into my body to hopefully cut the pain, as a 55 year old male with no history of marijuana use I was peasantly suprised that indeed the nerve pain subsided but hmnnn something happened arounfd my sphincter , it's like it fell asleep...

So... I quit Remicade ( ofcourse I had to because of the allergy) and started eating only foods and drinks that are known freindlies / helpfuls. I quit alchohol, replaced in with non alcoholic gigner beer, quit coffee replaced it with ginger and peppermint teas, stopped eating anything processed with preservatives, no dairy, added salmon 5 to 7 times a week, added brussel sprouts weekly and , sweet potatoes three times a week minumum. 


But.. I eat well just a diet that predicts well for me, I really could open up my diet now but dont feel the need to change the fuel. 

I gained the weight back I needed to, it took three months for my hemoglobin levels to rise to the point I had energy. Here's what I did and still do that has kept me in remmission for 2+ years and I hope it works for you. 

I follw the diet I describe above, along with vaping cannabis an hour or so before bedtime, you'll get the best sleep you've had in months and I'm guessing your bm frquency will be cut in half in the 1st two weeks.. I also enjoy three to four freshly baked toll house cookies as a nightly treat (munchies are for real ;) ) 

I don't take my health for granted, I've been to Mayo and the concur with my strategy and asked me to add Balsasadize to the equation which I did, so far so very good, I can feel inflamation throughout the week but it never gets to the point of a flare. I've probobly only had loose stools 2 or three times in the last two years. Hope this helps my friend.   Peace 

Reply posted for charbs.

Thank you for the response. We are going togive it 3-5 weeks, then see the dr, re-evaluate, and hopefully have a solid plan. I think it is working, but I expected to feel better.

Anyone know what happens if you miss a dose of Rowasa 1 time? Does it setyou back a lot?

Reply posted for Buckster0531.

Some of  these meds take a while to kick in.  I was on several of the meds you are on and none of them worked for me.  Also kudos for holding in an enema for four hours.  I was lucky if I could keep one in for five minutes.  The only thing that worked for me was prednisone but you can’t stay on that forever. I ended up having the j pouch surgery.  Good luck to you.