HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

How long does Sulfasalazine take to start working

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/25/2009 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

Just had first relapse in 20 years.
I know that everyone is going to have different answer but please tell me how long it took for Sulfasalazine to start working?

THANKS
Posted 12/25/2009 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
I am just starting it myself, so I don't really know from experience, but through the research i have been doing, it says about 3 months.
Posted 12/25/2009 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
Oh my! I hope it starts showing good effects sooner than that!!
Posted 12/25/2009 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Your success may depend upon the severity of your relapse. If your symptoms are fairly mild, and you are responsive to the sulfasalazine, then I would think you can expect positive results sooner, rather than later.

For me, when first taking the drug, I began seeing improvement after no more than two or three weeks.
Posted 12/25/2009 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
You'd have far more effective results if you use the sulfasalazine as well as a rectal 5ASA med such as Rowasa (Salofalk/Pentasa/Asacol retention enemas...depending on where you live).

I would say you should notice "some" improvement within a week.

What is the extent of your UC...throughout or limited?

Welcome to the forum ednort!
quincy
Posted 12/25/2009 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
To be honest, not sure how extensive it is now. I saw RN at my Dr's office and told her about History and told her that I was on sulfasalazine way back about 20yrs ago. Maybe when I see my Dr next month he will want to do a Colonoscopy although I had one 6months ago and report was negative.
Posted 12/25/2009 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...you had a c-scope 6 months ago? I hope the doc did lots of biopsies. You should get a copy of the report.

I cannot see that the doc would need another c-scope within the 6 months...maybe a quick look-see with a rectal scope to see if it goes higher than the scope itself and to what the intensity of the now flare is.

What are the symptoms you're having at this time?

quincy
Posted 12/25/2009 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
The first time I used sulfazalazine it  began to work very quickly a day or two.  If you are in any kind of significant flare you should go with rectal meds also. Much easier to damp a flare quickly then try to get an out of control flare quieted.  20 years ago all we had for an ASA-5 med was sulfazalazine, it is actually much cheaper today then it was then.
Posted 12/27/2009 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
its cheap, probably less than $20 a month at Walmart for generic. It shouldn't take more than a few weeks to help I would imagine.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply