HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Delzicol

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/18/2013 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys! Since they stopped making Asacol, my GI switched me to Delzicol capsules. I sometimes have a hard time swallowing them and I noticed that if you open them up it's a pill that looks exactly like Asacol. Anyone know if it'd be ok to just take the pill part out and take it without the plastic casing thing? Thanks for the help!
Posted 4/18/2013 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know specifically about Delzicol, but generally the coating is on the pill to delay the release of the medication until it gets past your stomach and into the spot in your intestines that you are trying to reach, so you should not take the medication out of the capsule. I take Pentasa and it releases in my small intestine where my Crohn's disease is located. Also, don't worry if you see beads, or part of the capsule in your poop...that is normal.
Posted 4/18/2013 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
Yep, gumby has got it. It wouldn't be okay because the pill would probably dissolve before it reached the affected part of your intestines, which, with Crohn's, is most likely to be the end of the small bowel and the beginning of the colon.
Posted 4/20/2013 5:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hi canadachick, do the tablets inside the delzicol capsules have the red coating that asacol did?
Posted 4/20/2013 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Obscure One- Yes, they do have the red coating. They honestly look exactly like Asacol except they're blank instead of having print on them. That's why I thought I might be able to just take them out of the capsule.

Everyone else- Thanks so much for the input! I appreciate you getting back with me so quickly :-)
Posted 4/20/2013 2:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi canadachick, i gotta say that is bizarre. My understanding has always been that the red coating is the special coating that allows asacol to get to the colon before working. That would be some scam on the part of the company to avoid patnat expiration if true, but good for us if it is really the exact same thing as asacol.
Posted 5/30/2013 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi regarding delzicol capsules I called the manufacturer and the capsule releases way before intestines so i am removing capsule the tablet is coated just like asacol was so it wont release too early!
Posted 5/31/2013 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing! I think I'll do that too.
Posted 8/16/2013 4:22 PM (GMT 0)

 Delzicol is nothing more than the exact same Asacol tablet you have been taking for years placed inside a gel cap.  The outside gel capsule breaks down in your stomach, leaving the Asacol tablet to travel to the intestine and do its work.  Very deceptive of the Delzicol/Asacol pharmaceutical company (I won't name it but you can google it).  They "discontinued" Asacol so they can charge your insurance company more money for their "new" medication.  Shameful display of pharmaceutical company abuse of the healthcare system at the expense of patients. 

Posted 8/16/2013 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Pentasa can be removed from the capsule and sprinkled on your food if you have trouble swallowing. It's not the capsule delaying release it is the medicine inside. The capsule is disolved even before it gets in your stomach typically although reason you may see it in your poop is due to crohns sometimes everything goes through you so fast it doesn't dissolve completely
Posted 8/17/2013 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
pharmaceutical companies have come to a real low at this point.
My GI said not to take the outer cap Off.
I just don't understand the need to make the consumer pay more money for a product that has been working for us for years. GREED I GUESS :(
Posted 2/12/2016 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
person CD may have the true answer (the capsule just is an enclosure for
the delayed release tablet. Perhaps the FDA who had to OK Delsicol might
be helpful with an answer of why this product was OKd for a new trade name
if indeed it is basically an Asacol delayed tab with a new trade name.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply