Discontinuation of Asacol

I just heard about this at a conference for crohn's and colitis today. I was just diagnosed with Crohn's in the past month and haven't even finished half of my first prescription of Asacol. I am truly upset that my doctor or prescription company didn't even notify me of the upcoming change. I am worried as I am just settling into a medication, to change it. I understand that the new medicine is supposed to be the same. Doctors at the conference advised that the new capsule format will allow its ingredients to be emptied into the GI tract to promote ingestion, rather than have it excreted the same way it entered our system. Another professional recommended that she was recommending that her patient's switch to Lialda. Is anyone currently on Lialda? What are your symptoms like?

Great! Thanks so much for your help!

Not 100% positive but I don't think so. I read a thread on the ulcerative colitis forum that explains that Asacol, both regular and HD, contain dibutyl phthalate. According to the FDA, this is apparently somewhat toxic to our bodies. I believe it is only part of the reason Asacol is being discontinued, but i'm not sure why Asacol HD is still being produced with it. Someone recommended Lialda instead, as it works similar to Asacol and doesn't contain the product. The new alternative to Asacol is not supposed to have it either.

It was just released that Asacol would have a generic equivalent in 2013/2014.  I am wondering if the generic is free of this issue.

I just heard about the discontinuation of Asacol today! Not really happy about it...I will be e-mailing my GI doctor tomorrow (he doesn't appreciate e-mails this time of day LOL). I'm thinking about asking for Lialda - I had tried it when it first came out but was having breakthrough issues when taken once a day as recommended. Should work just fine if I take it as I've taken the Asacol, throughout the day. I read that the new drug to replace Asacol had different recommendation of when to take (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). After 8 years on the same medication, I have my routine down and would prefer to keep the same schedule with a different med. When we CD patients find what works for us, we like to stick to it! I guess this will be a topic of conversation with my fellow CD/UC colleagues at work on Monday.
After reading the FDA announcement about the DBP (which I might add was actually posted in 2010), I am more concerned about my 5 year old son who was exposed my whole pregnancy and nursing to Asacol. He appears to be a very healthy, normal boy but I will have this issue stuck in the back of my mind until he is old enough to have children of his own (biggest impact of high-doses of DBP was on fetal skeleton and male reproductive systems).

Per notes on the CCFA website forum administrators, the HD does not have the same additives.