I can't believe I am asking this but any experience with cortisone enemas? I am worse now than I was last month so my doctor has called in a prescription and recommended it over prednisone. I've had prednisone before for asthma and would much rather take a pill! Is the enema that much better? If it's going to work how soon will I know if it's working? My GI has horrible office staff so it's very hard to get responses and I'm seeing him next week so I'm wondering if I'll know by then in case I need to talk to him about trying something else. Thanks!
-
Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.
Cortisone enema?
- Thread starter GingerGirl
- Start date
- Location
- Vancouver,
I've used them many times. It'll take a few days and maybe even up to a week to start working (if I remember right). The trick is to keep the enema inside as long as possible after you get the whole thing in.
Cortisone enemas work pretty fast, whereas the 5-ASA enemas (Rowasa) take about a week. I did well with the 5-ASA enemas, but the cortisone enemas caused me to cramp up really bad. They did stop my bleeding and slowed down the diarrhea, however. Most people do really well with them.
Getting over the humiliation of using them was the hardest part for me. Once I got in a nightly routine, it was no big deal. Find a comfortable spot to lay down and use a towel under your butt in case it leaks out, and plan to be in that spot for about 30 minutes. The first week or so you may not be able to hold it in for that long, but that's okay, and it will get easier if you stick with it each day. Buy some panty liners for "just in case" when you are done, as there may be some seepage of medication even after you evacuate it. I had an extremely strong sphincter after 18 years of diarrhea and didn't have much trouble holding in the medication for the 30 minutes when I used enemas, but every now and then had a little bit of residual medication seep out after evacuation.
Getting over the humiliation of using them was the hardest part for me. Once I got in a nightly routine, it was no big deal. Find a comfortable spot to lay down and use a towel under your butt in case it leaks out, and plan to be in that spot for about 30 minutes. The first week or so you may not be able to hold it in for that long, but that's okay, and it will get easier if you stick with it each day. Buy some panty liners for "just in case" when you are done, as there may be some seepage of medication even after you evacuate it. I had an extremely strong sphincter after 18 years of diarrhea and didn't have much trouble holding in the medication for the 30 minutes when I used enemas, but every now and then had a little bit of residual medication seep out after evacuation.
Cortisone enemas are much safer for you then prednisone pills since the medication is only local and very little enters the bloodstream. Prednisone has such a harsh effect on your entire body, but with the enemas, you don't get the weight gain, the jitters, hunger, insomnia, or damage to other organs.
Enemas suck, but they work.
Enemas suck, but they work.
Thank you! I really hate them!! Other than the potential side effects of prednisone does the enema actually work better? Since I've been fine with prednisone in the past I would so much rather do the pill instead. Especially since I don't think it's actually doing anything to make me better. My stomach is still cramping and painful and the liquid diarrhea is not at all improved. I'm just trying to figure out if I should stick with it or if I should ask the GI to switch to prednisone when I go in this week.
- Location
- Vancouver,
I would stick with it. But, I would also mention while you're at your visit how you're doing with this current treatment. I too would wait to hop on the prednisone train. Just see what other ideas they might have first.
Four times so four days and just feeling much worse.
- Location
- Montréal, Canada
enemas over the pills anytime if it can work for you. Give it a couple of days. Even if you didnt experience short term bad symptoms with pred pills, the cummulative effect for the long term is bad especially on bones. I am young and a rhuematologist asked me if I had had many prednisone intake since my diagnosis because my bones appeared too white on the x-rays. Ive never tried the enemas, only the rectal foam (cortifoam). If i remember correct my GI mentionned the foam covers about 20 cm from anus. prolly the enemas is a bit more. It did work for me, but not entirely. I felt 1 shot of cortifoam = about 30mg of prednisone dosage. My colitis responds well to 50 mg, so that was not enough for my colitis. If you disease expends over the spot the enema covers, let say, in your transverse or ascending colon, it wont help those parts. My disease often goes beyond 30 cm so rectal treament is not always enough.
Last edited:
I have found the effectiveness varies on where the inflammation is. When my kids inflammation is in the sigmoid colon or transverse colon she sees better results. The closer to the small bowel she would see almost no change. Within 3-4 days of 2x a day we could tell if it would work. It is my first choice before prednisone. Sometimes the doc would rather not give the enemas a chance and run for pred, but as others have said it wrecks havoc on your body and tapering takes forever so you are on it much longer than you have to be cause you can't stop it cold turkey like an emema..
Hi Gingergirl,
I was wondering how you had got on with your treatment. Did you carry on with the enemas and if so, did they really help?
I have now found myself in the same predicament as you and I have the same attitude - I'd rather risk the pills than the enemas, especially when sharing the bed with someone else!
Unfortunately my IBD nurse feels the oral pred is overkill for my current symptoms. My feeling is that I'd rather stick with what worked for me first time round, as there was inflammation in various parts throughout my colon, even though my symptoms were really just recta (as they are again now)l. However, only a scope had shown it up and I don't want to use rectal therapy and risk missing other parts of the colon if that could be the case again.
I would be willing to try enemas if they are going to get me properly into remission as the tablets had done, but I don't want to keep on faffing about with different topical treatments if they don't work as well as the oral pred.
I'm also interested to know if anyone has had better effects with Salofalk enemas over Salofalk suppositories?
I was wondering how you had got on with your treatment. Did you carry on with the enemas and if so, did they really help?
I have now found myself in the same predicament as you and I have the same attitude - I'd rather risk the pills than the enemas, especially when sharing the bed with someone else!
Unfortunately my IBD nurse feels the oral pred is overkill for my current symptoms. My feeling is that I'd rather stick with what worked for me first time round, as there was inflammation in various parts throughout my colon, even though my symptoms were really just recta (as they are again now)l. However, only a scope had shown it up and I don't want to use rectal therapy and risk missing other parts of the colon if that could be the case again.
I would be willing to try enemas if they are going to get me properly into remission as the tablets had done, but I don't want to keep on faffing about with different topical treatments if they don't work as well as the oral pred.
I'm also interested to know if anyone has had better effects with Salofalk enemas over Salofalk suppositories?
I used Salofalk enemas for a long time. They worked quite well. But I actually hated using them, as found it very hard to hold the liquid in. Ruined a carpet once making a mad dash from the bedroom to the bathroom and spraying everywhere. Yuck. So if you are going to use them, also wear an incontinence diaper to protect your floors. They also stained the inside of my toilet bowl, which no amount of bleach would shift, so also make sure your scrub and flush immediately upon emptying your bowels because baby that stuff stains. Best to use at night before bed so you can lay down and hopefully not need to get up again until morning.
Thanks SmellyMelly,
That's exactly what I don't want to put up with. In fact I would probably make a point of sleeping in the spare rom for as long as I was using them - my husband and I are pretty open about things, but there is a line that I draw and this is pretty much it. It's been bad enough with the effects of suppositories.
I really appreciate that there are many here going through so much worse than I am and I should just get a grip and get on with it, and perhaps if I was convinced it would work then I would, but so many forummers seem to use enemas for symptom relief as required, whereas I feel that I could get back to remission again if I stamp on it hard enough - which has worked before, and it is only because I tried coming off some of my meds that I have relapsed anyway.
That's exactly what I don't want to put up with. In fact I would probably make a point of sleeping in the spare rom for as long as I was using them - my husband and I are pretty open about things, but there is a line that I draw and this is pretty much it. It's been bad enough with the effects of suppositories.
I really appreciate that there are many here going through so much worse than I am and I should just get a grip and get on with it, and perhaps if I was convinced it would work then I would, but so many forummers seem to use enemas for symptom relief as required, whereas I feel that I could get back to remission again if I stamp on it hard enough - which has worked before, and it is only because I tried coming off some of my meds that I have relapsed anyway.
- Location
- Montréal, Canada
im using the salofalk enemas and never did I get an accident either. They mention in one of the leaflets of pentasa or salofalk that there is a few ''crucial minutes'' right after administration for possible expulsion but this feeling shall subside after, which is true in my case.
Its really uncomfortable for a few minutes, but after it is fine. still unpleasant to do.
I have a tendency to think if the rectum is really actively sick, probably retention is more difficult. But I have never used the enemas or suppositaries when my disease was active.
Its really uncomfortable for a few minutes, but after it is fine. still unpleasant to do.
I have a tendency to think if the rectum is really actively sick, probably retention is more difficult. But I have never used the enemas or suppositaries when my disease was active.
My hubby use to help me insert the ruddy things NOW that is maybe crossing a line :ysmile:
If you do use them, then old sheets or an old towel on the bed to lay on are recommended. And maybe a incontinence pad too.
But you may be able to keep the liquid totally in. The more I used them the longer I could retain it.
Unfortunately they didn't work for me and my GI prescribed prednisone. I understand why everyone warned me about prednisone now! I'm on my last week now and looking forward to being done with it but it also didn't work for me so now I'm trying Simponi.
Thanks GingerGirl,
I'm sorry the pred didn't work either. Good luck with the Symponi.
I'm just finding so hard to know what to do when there are phases of good days and bad days. I'm now keeping a detailed record of things so that when I see someone medical we can make a reasoned decision.
I'm sorry the pred didn't work either. Good luck with the Symponi.
I'm just finding so hard to know what to do when there are phases of good days and bad days. I'm now keeping a detailed record of things so that when I see someone medical we can make a reasoned decision.
Wishing you well nitty!