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This is where it all begins....just picked up my asacol & pred foam!

Posted , 5 users are following.

Mummajojo1978
Mummajojo1978

After being diagnosed on Friday with distal (left sided) ulcerative colitis, my consultant told me to see my gp to start taking some meds. 

Just met with a lovely doctor who was so empathetic & offered lots of support but unfortunately said that it was rare for them to see cases of this in the surgery as it's dealt with by specialists in hospitals. I'm on asacol 800mg x 3 times a day along with pred foam x 2 a day. She has suggested I come off my anti imflamatory drug naproxen as wouldn't work with asacol but just noticed on the box of asacol it says not to take with indigestion remedies. I take omeprazole for indigestion so a bit confused now :-/ 

I guess the specialist will be able to go thru all of my meds & discuss things further with me as still feel as though I've been diagnosed with something that I still don't seem to know too much about.

I've got anappointment on the 9th to see my consultant so just have to wait I guess.

All seems a bit more real now I've started taking the meds :-(

Anyone had any side effects on asacol 800mg that I need to look out for? How long will it take for this flare to go away now I've started on them? 

I had so many questions to ask but it was obvious that she was pretty clueless when it came to UC.

Thanks in advance all.

Xx

1 like, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • gabe99
    gabe99 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    You might want to go to your local pharmacist with some of your medication interaction questions.  They're often quite knowledgable.
  • jill18833
    jill18833 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    Hi,I was on Omeprazole for a while,prescribed by my GP, and when I mentioned it to my consultant he said he was happy for me to take it IF it was necessary (I was on Asacol too).My advice would be to take the Omeprazole at a different time of day to your Asacol and make a note to ask your consultants advice when you see him. They do advise you not to take any NSAIDS when you are diagnosed with uc,so no anti immflamatories like Ibuprofen,Aspirin,Voltarol etc (probably why doc said no Naproxin) The recommended painkiller is paracetamol,although my GI allows occasional use of co. codamol,not too many as they can cause constipation. 
  • jill18833
    jill18833 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    Personally speaking,my flares seem to be pretty much under control in about 3 to 4 weeks with the meds. Best of luck,and something I do is jot down all my questions when I think of them and take it with me!!! There is a website called NACC that has some good information take care xx
    • Mummajojo1978
      Mummajojo1978 jill18833

      Posted

      Hey again Jill or should I call you my saviour!!

      If it wasn't for you or the other guys on this forum, I think I'd feel totally lost right now. Thanks so much for the info again.

      Doc printed me off some info from this 'patient' website which has just made interesting reading. Can't believe it only affects 2 in 1000 people, crap luck eh? 

      I swear it was the naproxen that's caused this but 3 docs said no way but my consultant seems determined that it was them. I had my last one today so now have to deal with daily spd pain from childbirth now but have other meds to take for that but they were good, so good they effed up my bloody body!! :-((

      A bit gutted to read that I've got to go thru another 4 weeks of this before the meds do anything. Thought it'd take a week - totally clueless!! At least the foam helps & I'm now on the right track.

      I think all this is certainly gonna take a bit of time to get used to!

      Got a huge list of questions that I took to ask the doc today but she couldn't answer them so I'll be sure to keep adding to it!

      Thanks again hun, so appreciate your help right now, you're a star! X

  • jill18833
    jill18833 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    Hi Jo,you will feel much better within two weeks I think,but it can take longer to get into what they call remission. As you say,the GP s are not fully experienced in uc,that's why I take my trusty list of questions to my consultant visit(poor man!) I usually see him every six months but I can get a message to him through his secretary if I am concerned,hugely reassuring! I too took Voltarol for several years for a bad back,makes you wonder eh?? 
  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    i have just been told i have left sided colits.been feeling terrible for the last 3.month.si started taking 4 big pills 4 days ago.Still loads of diareah. all day really .worse in a morning.hope you all get better from this awful disease. Babz.

     

    • Mummajojo1978
      Mummajojo1978 barbara80658

      Posted

      Hi babz

      Looks like we're in the same boat then! I was diagnosed with left sided colitis on the 22nd August & started asacol on 26th August which is just starting to do something I think but the doc gave me pred foam which instantly dried up my diarreah & I use this once every day. It's not long term but helps reduce the inflamed bowel. Have you asked about this as it sounds like you need some help? I had it for nearly 2 months & couldn't cope anymore so do feel so sorry for you. You must feel exhausted you poor thing. My advice is call the doc and see if they'll give you some prednisolone rectal foam or something similar to help stop your diarreah. Let us know how you go. Xxx

  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    hi . Thanks for replying. How do you give yourself an ennama? i'll never do it. been struggling all weekend. Babz xx

     

    • Mummajojo1978
      Mummajojo1978 barbara80658

      Posted

      Hi again

      Not sure if the pred foam is classed as an enama?! Still very new to all this so please excuse my naivety. The pred foam comes with a canister of steroid foam which you attach a rubber tube to. You just push the button down once & you'll feel a rather odd sensation, like wind being pushed into you. It's not overly pleasant but I'd rather do that any day over having awful diarreah again & it was pretty much instant for me, no blood, diarreah or mucus for weeks now. Still get cramps but early days. I decided today not to use it anymore as I'm not sure if I still need it so decided to go without it & so far so good! Hope this helps xxx

  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    Thanks for replying. It is classed as an ennama. i asked my doctor. I am sorted now . Nurses are coming to give me mine. id never do it its  called Mesalazine. ffeel a bit better all ready.xx

  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    I have got leftsided colitus. and i have to give myself an enama every night and lie on my left side for  half an hour . Do you have to do this.?

     

    • Mummajojo1978
      Mummajojo1978 barbara80658

      Posted

      I have distal or left sided colitis too and haven't used my pred foam for weeks now as was told to come off it as my bowel movements had calmed down. I've been told I'm not flaring so no need at the mo! It's on standby tho! X
  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    I came off it 2 weeks ago. Suddenly started bleeding from behind with bad pain in my tummy. Rang for ambulance 2 o clock in the morning, and was in bolton royal for 11 days.Been out now 1 week.and they blamed it on mezaline granuals. that I had just been put on.They said must be on enama for life now .

     

    • Mummajojo1978
      Mummajojo1978 barbara80658

      Posted

      Hi Barbara

      So sorry to hear that you've been poorly and in hospital.

      How u feeling now? Hope things are settling down for u now.

      xxx

  • barbara80658
    barbara80658 Mummajojo1978

    Posted

    Hi Things are going well for me now. Iwent to see the consultant yesterday  and he is just keeping me on the pred foam (enama) and I can have 2 nights off a week. thats fine . be on it for life now though.Have you gone back on yours as I would not risk coming off it as it will always be there.xx

     

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