Any one on Sulfasalazine

I actually just switched myself back to it yesterday. Was first drug I took around 10-11 years ago but didn't stay on it too long. Waiting to see what side affects may come.

Seconder, I have a question about the photosensitive. I am planning on going to the beach this summer. Do you think there is going to be a problem with this, or any suggestions

Well, I've tried to use the quote function to no avail.

Jano:  My eyes are photosensitive, so I wear sunglasses, and I usually lather on the sunscreen and wear a shirt at the beach.  Still, after a trip to the beach last year, when I got back to work, someone remarked, "You look like a yam!"

 

I have been on it for 15 years....I have had no side effects....The drug has worked wonders for me, up until a few years ago, when i started to have mini flares, but it kept me in remission for over 10 years.....The one problem I had with it, was that it wouldn't control my arthritis very well, so i take Humira now with the sulfasalizine, and i have no joint pain ever anymore. Its a good drug though.

Thanks everyone for your advice

Yes, I am on it.  It works better than anything else for me.  Have never really had any problems with it.  It definitely helped with my arthritis.  I was off this medication for several years and really noticed alot more arthritis pain.  Drink a large glass of water with each dose. You have to have blood work done every few months while on this. This is alot cheaper than the expensive stuff I tried (which didn't work for me)  I know alot of people can't take it because of the sulfa.   Good Luck!  Hope it works for you.

I've been using 2 grams daily for almost a year at this point and overall I'm pleased with its efficacy. I experienced mild headaches initially, however those subsided after approximately one month. I'd recommend supplementing with folic acid, as sulfasalazine is known to impair absorption.

I've been taking 4grams of Sulfasalazine since the fall of '07. I had horrible headaches at first that lasted a couple of weeks, but since then I've done just fine. The sulfa tends to rob the body of Folic acid and sunshine will do the same so you're losing it twice as fast then. I take extra folic acid every day I can remember. The sulfa can also bind with it and make the sulfa ineffective(so I'm told) so I have to wait 2hrs before taking the folic acid. All last summer I tanned in the yard and didn't burn at all, but I tanned quite well. My tan seems to be lasting more than I remember before, but with my iron so low it's hard to remember much of anything these days. Overall I'd say that I plan to stay on the Sulfa for as long as I can. For me besides the initial headaches, yellow/orange urine seems to be my only side effect.

I am not sure ednort, i haven't started taking it yet, but some say a few days, and some say a few weeks. I guess everyone is different

I hear a lot of migraines and headache side effects. Does taking tylenol take care of it, or is the headache to strong for it

Thanks for the advice

My daughter with UC (pancolitis) was put on pentasa following her diangnosis this summer. She then relapsed. We sought a second and third opinion from two top pediatric GIs (she's very young and her first GI was happy to let her go straight to Imuran but we were not comfortable with this and suggested sulfasalazine first after reading that it was more effective than other ASAs). The two other GIs we sought opinions from both suggested sulphasalazine as a next step. One of them told us that there was a big conference in Chicago (?) last year where they discussed findings that sulphasalazine with folic acid is more effective than other asas. It has an antimicrobal component as well as an anti inflammatory one. One of these GIs is the top pediatric guy in Italy, the other the top in Canada. Both suggested we start with a high dose and then go down later if possible. We haven't started with the drug yet though. We were told it takes up to four weeks to kick in.