Sulfasalazine

about a month on sulfasalazine and things have steadily improved. Haven't had any side effects for at least ten days now. (Maybe a little loss of appetite. . . . Not complaining.)

Bleeding is on a slight uptick this morning and last night, but I can't seem to shake that symptom. Until last night/ this morning, I really hadn't seen much blood at all for a couple of weeks.

Has anyone gone to the max dose of six grams per day? I see a new GI this week and that will be something to ask.

Prior to the Sulfasalazine in October 2007, I took Asacol 8 pills daily. That seemed to work great for 10 years, but with the loss of insurance and some sudden panic attacks my doctor decided to switch me.

I was put on Sulfasalazine back in October. I was taking 3 in the morning and 3 at night. I had a really hard time adjusting to it at first. I was nauseous and had headaches. After about a week I started doing better. Little by little I got better until I went back into remission. about a month ago I went back into flaring. I realized that because it was generic that there was no quality control between the different makers. I started out with the maker Greenston pharmaceuticals. Then it became Watson Pharm. but I kept taking it anyways because it's supposed to be the same thing right? Wrong. It was completely different. I went back to the doctor and showed the different pills to him. He renewed my prescription and I've made sure the pharmacy orders the Greenston pills. I've been back on those for a couple of weeks now. At first I was doing fine, but now I'm in a major flare up. Everything varies from day to day and hour to hour. The only thing that remains constant is the blood. Sometimes with large black clots.

Now I am taking 12 500mg pills daily. I think that is too much. I don't know what to do and frankly neither does my GI. He tells me to do what I think is necessary, but that I should be taking 8 daily as a maintenance dose, but 12 when I'm flaring. The jury is still out on whether or not the sulfasalazine works for me. I did just fine for 5 months.

I have been on sulfasalazine for about 25 years+. It has helped me a lot. I am prescribed to take 2x500mg three times a day. But I usually only take it twice a day unless I am flaring. I have to take Folic Acid to counter the effects of it (the inability to absorb Folic acid from food). I do find that it has made my stomach more sensitive and so I use Zantac when I know I am eating spicy foods.....and sometimes I get acid reflux if I do not eat food first. I usually do better with it by waiting to take my doses after lunch, after supper and (if I am taking it three times daily) before bed.

I just switched GIs and this new one upped my dose from 1pill x4 a day (2000G) to 2pills x3 a day (3000G). He did it because I was having major joint pain (on July 4, I was just standing at a bbq, and after a few hours, my knees hurt so much I had to lie down for the rest of the party--it was horrible). So I've been on the upped dose now for 3 days. Haven't really noticed any improvements so far in terms of joints, but I *have* noticed I've been going to the bathroom 4-5 times a day when I was down to once a day on the 2000G.

I am going to give it another week and see how it improves. As far as other side effects, still none. No headaches or stomach aches.

(I also finally have a prescription for folic acid).

seconder.........you could see such improvement with rectal meds, seriously. Perhaps you should give it a try, it will be worth it........

Glad you're doing good. Hope it lasts.

Sorry I've been MIA. I went back to 1pill x4 a day (instead of 3p x2 a day). I definitely notice a difference in my joints--the pain in my wrists and knees is somewhat unbearable, esp at night (tylenol doesn't help.) But I had to switch because I was feeling much worse on the higher dose as the week I was on them progressed. I felt like my chest was really heavy and I couldn't breathe and I had nightmarish stomach and headaches. Plus I was going to the bathroom a lot more. I decided to go back to the regular dose and now things are back to normal and I feel SO much better. No stomach or headaches and my chest is not feeling heavy.

I don't exercise enough, I know I need to do this more.