Pancreatitis from Lialda. Awesome.

The one drug that all my doctors have been praising as having no side effects and being a completely "safe" maintenance drug for my ulcerative colitis is the same drug they are now saying is the cause of my Pancreatitis.

I started feeling like I was having another flare up a few weeks ago and it got worse and worse. I has a ct scan the revealed my Pancreas was swollen and I had a fluid sac hanging off of it. I did some blood labs that revealed I had Pancreatitis.

I was immediately put back in the hospital and on bowel rest. I got out yesterday after a 3 day stay. I am still in pain and healing.

This is just another reason to do your research and be careful. Just because your doctor tells you something doesnt mean its the truth or safe.

Over the past 3 years I have dealt with post streptococcal glomerulonephritis, severe pan colitis, and now Pacreatitis. I have learned to do my research. I had my doctors pushing remicade on me and surgery to remove my colon, and I opted for a fecal transplant via colonoscopy and was healed of my colitis.

Funny thing is my GI doctor is now trying to talk me into another "maintenance" drug for my colitis. Personally I'm done with drugs. After years of dealing with doctors I realized all they wanna do is keep you on drugs and coming in for checkups. I cannot afford either.

Please do your research people. There are alternatives out there!

BTW I am gonna try a meyers cocktail this week to help my body heal up. I'm excited to see how well it works.

Yes! Same thing for me. I believe I was on the brink of pancreatitis after being on 5ASA's. My GI couldn't believe such a "mild" drug was causing me so many problems. They were pushing me to take 6mp. That's when I went the alternative route and have been good since. Dr's don't know everything, especially when it comes to UC.

It's definitely a serious side effect, and we should be tested regularly. Any symptoms out of the ordinary should also be checked asap.

I've used 5ASA oral/rectal for just about 23 years. So far, so good.

If we heeded every side effect warning, we wouldn't be on meds. Although....some meds I would refuse to take for sure.

5ASA is still a very safe med....but some, alas, cannot take it at all.

Sometimes surgery is the best option...which I'd consider if the 5ASA meds stopped working for me.

q

I am on Lialda ( 3 years +) and Rowasa so thanks for the heads up. I will be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary in my health since I am so reactive to medications. I got Avascular necrosis from Prednisone so the last thing I need is pancreatitis from Mesalamines! I am a big believer in natural medicine so please let us know how the cocktail works for you!

jasherlynch,

What exactly were your symptoms of pancreatitis? I've been feeling down for a couple of weeks or so with mild cramping (on and off for an hour or so at a time), loose stools, and fatigue. I've assumed it is another colitis flare but you have me considering other issues.

jkingfrt- basically I thought i was having another flare up. It started with fatigue, diarrhea, then really bad shooting pains/cramping from my abdomen. I was sure it was my UC. Then the ctscan revealed the pancreatitis.

bananagirl- I was very surprised that my GI doc would say that this came from the Lialda. She is very pro drugs for colitis. My other GI doctor thinks it impossible that this was caused my Lialda cause its a 1% chance. But I also had 4 GI doctors in the hospital say it had to be the Mesalamine.

There are so many alternatives to taking these dangerous drugs. I am happy to say now that I am 100% drug free. And I hope to stay that way