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made stupid decision - re fentanyl patch and Sulfasalazine

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 2/7/2011 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
need input again.. I am sorry..

So the Mayo decided to put me on sulfasalazine and the fentanyl patch in addition to my remicade. After posting here, I spoke to my GI dr at the Mayo and he assured me that I would be fine with the patch and to add the sulfasalazine. After doing research and reading Nanner's warning, I was really scared but I have been in so much pain that I decided to try. The pharmacist said it was such a small amount that the risk of withdrawal symptoms would be small.

Here comes the stupid part... I started them both at the same time, Friday night. By saturday Morning I thought I was going to die. I had a migraine that I have never had before, I was nauseous to the point of wanting to pass out, I was dizzy and slept all day. My stomach was in so much pain. It was crazy. I felt awful. By this morning, I wanted to die... I wanted someone to kill me..my husband called the pharmacy and they said I could stop the medicine.. so stupidly I was so desperate that I stopped both... so dumb.. so now I don't know which one was causing which symptoms. But I feel so much better tonight... pain is better than what happened this weekend.

Does anyone have any experiences with these drugs..I am thinking of picking one and starting again but am terrified of both of them. I really am so let down right now... I just want answers.. want some sort of pain relief..want some semblance of a normal life again..

thank you. =)
christine
Posted 2/7/2011 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
So if you take this from an analytical stand point: Do you have trouble with pain meds in general? Sulfa drugs are such a common allergy that I would bet it was the one causing the problem and nausea and headache are some of the most common manifestations of a reaction, or at least they were for me. If it were me, I would try the patch and see what happened, if all goes well, then you have your answer.

Of course you can always come for answers, but really we all wish you didn't need to, and soon! ((((Hugs))))
Posted 2/7/2011 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I had exactly the same reaction to the Fentanyl patch. I have never been so sick from a medication, and YES I felt like I was dying. It's now on my allergy list. Your symptoms exactly mirror my own from the patch.
Posted 2/7/2011 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
And you haven't said what your dose of sulfasalazine is, but I started with 1 tablet a day and then ramped up to 3/day over 3 weeks. I take one in the morning and two at night, so any headache that I might get will be while I sleep.

Sorry you had such a nasty reaction!
Posted 2/7/2011 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
wow...i still have no idea what to do..it could still be either drug... my dose of the sulfasalzine is one tab twice a day for the first week than two tabs twice a day ..

saladshooter...it was definitely the worst reaction by far I have ever had.
Posted 2/7/2011 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
I'm currently on both...but I agree on the ramping up of the sulfasalazine...we went up slowly, a week or 2 to get to full dosage...and the patch, well I'm on 25mcg, and if you went on higher than that, you might feel it...it took me awhile to adjust to the 25mcg (btw, this dosage hasn't changed for me in a few years)

Many of your issues sounds like the what sulfasalazine can do...the nausea, the stomach pain, which for me leads to dizziness ( and not helped by the patch which can lower your BP) and a huge headache, but the headache also might have been because your BP was low due to the patch and you vessels constricting trying to negate this...which I noticed you are taking the propanol...so you had a "perfect storm" so to speak...

BTW, I take many of the meds (or versions near them) that you do, and your age group too...so if you ever want to talk about it...let me know...
Posted 2/7/2011 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
I sometimes get headaches from the sulfasalazine and got nausea when I first started it. For me ramping up slowly and getting plenty of water. It helped with the side effects and I can't remember where but I read before that you need to make sure you drink plenty of water while taking sulfasalazine. For me once my body adjusted the side effects disappeared, the nausea after a week or two and the headaches were hit or miss. I have been on as many as 8 a day now with no problems.
Posted 2/7/2011 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
I'm currently on 125 mcg fentanyl patch and I've had no bad reactions so far. Good luck in finding out the problem!
Posted 2/7/2011 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think more than likely it was the Sulfazadine. It is a sulfa med and many find they are allergic to it. And one of the biggest side effects is a headache. Thats why I can't take it.
Posted 2/7/2011 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
I have a call into my drs... I never want to feel like that again. I think I have a cold on top of all of this.

the dr just called. wants me to try the sulfazadine again but slower. he thinks it was the patch. He said I am out of luck for pain meds. Wow..so thats that. just deal with the pain. honestly, I could cry.
Posted 2/7/2011 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
I still thinks it the Sulfazadine myself, but I am not a doctor.

As for the pain meds, I hope you know that nothing is going to take it 100% away, just get you a little more comfortable. At least thats how they work for me. Hugs!
Posted 2/7/2011 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
I tend to agree with most of the others. The Sulfasalizine gave me raging headaches when I was on it several years ago. Why don't you just try starting one, see how your feeling, then a week or so later start adding the other one? That would give you a good idea of which one to avoid.
Posted 2/7/2011 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with you Gail. I am really reluctant to try that again.

And yes I know.. but even half way would be a blessing. Having my kids push me around in a wheelchair or slide me down the stairs ...well...I would like to be able to walk a little... even in pain, but the pain has become debilitating. I have gotten so much worse. I kinda thought as I was treated I would move in a positive direction... hugs.
Posted 2/10/2011 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
Sulfasalizine won the award for making me sick. While relating this story to a family member today, she asked why I didn't know that sulfa allergies run in our family. I had no idea. So I am back to not having a combo med for the crohn's. My drs are supposed to call me tomorrow to discuss it. I can't help but wonder why they don't combo the Pentasa with the remicade. I tolerated that.

I am wearing the patch and so far so good. Its been 24 hours. kinda loopy and dizzy but seem to be tolerating it. I only have two more weeks of the prednisone left so I am praying that maybe some of the joint pain will go away once I am off of it. I know that is the drs wish as well.

thank you guys for everything !!
Posted 2/10/2011 12:25 PM (GMT 0)
Is headache due to allergy? Are you willing to try 1 sulfasalazine pill?
Posted 2/10/2011 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
Kaz, I am just not sure. It wasn't a headache, it was the worst migraine I have ever had and it came on with the first dose and didn't leave, I had stomach pains like I had with the pancreatitis. I have had the patch on since tuesday night and really have only felt slightly lightheaded and sleepy.

Truthfully it scares the heck out of me to try the sulfazine again.
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