When I was younger, I dreaded going to the pharmacy to pick up four large boxes (a month supply) of Mesalamine Suspension Enemas. At the time, the pharmacy (a major chain) used flimsy plastic bags that were essentially transparent, fully allowing other customers to read “Rectal” and “Enema’ conveniently printed in block letters on all sides of each box. Because of the way the boxes were printed, you couldn’t just say, adjust the way you carried the bag to conceal it. I think I took to bringing my own bags or a large backpack and putting the boxes into that as soon as I could at the counter. Now, the same chain uses paper bags, but I’m not particularly fond of leaving a drug store with grocery sized bads of meds either.
The truth is, at this point, I don’t care. Yes, it’s a little annoying when I “call in” a refill of Mesalamine Suppositories and the pharm tech accidentally fills the enemas. What’s changed for me, is now I get it that no one cares. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.
Setting aside that aspect, I also never had any aversion to using UC rectal meds in the first place. I was first prescribed them in my twenties, and found they helped (I’ve also used hydrocortisone enemas, suppositories, and most recently foam). In fact, mesalamine rectal products (susp. enemas and suppositories) have been a mainstay of my regimen for years. I have a study somewhere (that I can confirm in vivo with myself) that – for me- using a Mesalamine Enema once a week has provided really good results for what gastros refer to as “maintenance”.
Apparently, not all patients are open to using rectal meds. I get it. It’s gross. And if you’re younger and dating, I could see that it could be a source of stress or embarrassment. It need not be and the truth is, for me, my flaring colitis was inhibiting my dating and sex life, not the use of rectal meds. And in any case, the administration of the med does not take that long, particularly once you get used it.
And rectal meds for UC seem like common sense. They treat the problem area topically – at least the parts of the colon they’re able to reach.
So dear readers, if you’re shy or wary about trying these products , and if your doctor thinks they could help you, they’re worth trying. For me, apart from that they work, I vastly prefer them to some other options since they have pretty minimal side effects.
And now days, I no longer have to fantasize about paying a stranger to retrieve my Mesalmine enemas for me from the pharmacy. I just go in with my backpack, politely pay the pharm tech., and leave.
The Colitist 