I've been on and off Flagyl and/or Cipro for a few months for what I believe is Cuffitis based on clinical self-assessment. Consultation is scheduled in a month. No doubt pouchoscopy will follow. In the meantime, I started Mesalamine suppositories - today is day 5. Questions for those who have used it for either Cuffitis or Pouchitis: how long before you know if it is effective? I feel much the same now as I did when I went off antibiotics previously: wishing I could be back on. Full doses of Flagyl and Cipro allowed me to sleep through the night and go to the bathroom no more than 3-4x day. How patient should I be with the Mesalamine? Does it take a while to work? If it does work, will it work as well as the antibiotic cocktail? Any insight on this would be appreciated.
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It can take a couple of weeks or more for mesalamine to do its job. If I were trying to transition from antibiotics to mesalamine I’d continue both for the first couple of weeks. Then the mesalamine’s “job” is to maintain a reasonably healthy rectal cuff instead of trying to heal an inflamed cuff. I have no idea how well it will work for you, or if your cuffitis diagnosis is correct.
Thanks so much Scott. It's encouraging to hear that Mesalamine may take a few weeks as opposed to a few days to work. I will ask for more antibiotics. And we'll see if it's cuff or pouch or something else when the pouchoscopy is eventually scheduled. I'm trusting Dr. Shen will figure it out.