Suppositories for Ulcerative Colitis: getting the most
What is Ulcerative Colitis and Ulcerative Proctitis?
Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a lifelong condition that causes inflammation and ulceration of the
inner lining of the colon (the large bowel) and rectum (the lowest part of the large bowel).
In UC, ulcers develop on the lining of the colon and these may bleed and produce pus.
The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and lower colon, but it may affect the entire
colon. When UC only affects the rectum, this is known as Ulcerative Proctitis.
UC is generally categorised according to how much of the colon is affected:
Proctitis Proctosigmoiditis
Left-sided or distal colitis
Total or pancolitis
What symptoms can I expect to experience?
The main symptoms include:
l Diarrhoea
l Abdominal pain
l Rectal bleeding
Extreme tiredness
Feeling generally unwell
l Loss of appetite and weight
l l
out of your treatment
Why it is important to use your PENTASA suppository?
You have been prescribed PENTASA suppositories
for the treatment of your UC and Ulcerative
Proctitis. PENTASA suppositories contain the
active anti-inflammatory ingredient called
mesalazine, also known as 5-ASA.
The suppository releases the active
anti-inflammatory ingredient slowly into
the rectum, which then acts locally to reduce
the inflammation and helps relieve or stop
the pain where it is needed most.
People with life-long diseases,
such as UC and Ulcerative
Proctitis, may not always take
their medicines as instructed by
their IBD Team. This is possibly
due to embarrassment, concerns
of side effects or of the potential
discomfort of using a suppository.
However, many studies have
proven that using a suppository,
as prescribed by your IBD
Team, plays an important role
in achieving and maintaining
remission and stopping
rectal bleeding. 1