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Mezavant reaction

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/31/2012 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have had colitis for 17 years and up until last 8 weeks have gotten by on Sallofalk suppositories. A colonoscopy showed it was spreading a bit and the gastro thought it was time to go on mezavant orally. I filled the prescription but didn't start right away as I was doing fine. I got a bit of a flare up and started taking it. I had a flu at the same time and got extremely ill. The worst gas pains ever from my upper left side, on the toilet bleeding over 30 times a day, chills, light headed. Just awful. Colitis was terribly out of control. I went back to the Gastro and he has put me on prednisone for the first time. He wanted me to go back on the mezavant as well. I went have been on the prednisone 3 weeks now. It took 3 days to even start to feel a bit better. Then 3 days ago I went back on the Mezavant as well. Again, MAJOR FLARE UP. Gas, blood chills etc. Has anyone ever had that reaction?
Thank you
Posted 12/31/2012 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
The last flare that I had was the worst flare that I had experienced since being diagnosed.  I had been taking oral mesalamine (Asacol or balsalazide) and meslamine enemas quite regularly before the flare.  When I was flaring, these mesalmine medications seemed to make things worse.  I got chills and fever and the like.  I am now back on the enemas and Lialda, but it took remicade to get me to a place where I can tolerate the mealsamines again.  You may need time to heal with the prednisone before taking the mesalamines again or you may have developed an intolerance to the mesalamines. 

 

Posted 12/31/2012 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
What's the dosage of the mezavant?

What a bit of a flare up mean compared to the 30 times bloody bms?

By flu, I'm assuming you meant a gastro bug (virus, bacteria..etc)? The Flu is respiratory.
'
Did the doc do stool samples on you to check to see if your setback is related to the gastro bug?

q
Posted 12/31/2012 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
4 pills a day. I spent my 21st new years over the toilet and now my 52nd on the toilet! lol I have come full circle! I tookd the blood tests Quincy but could not do the stool tests at the time as there was no stool just blood. Then My doctor closed over Christmas. I had a sinus infection and was prescribed sulfa which didn't make a difference. For 17 years my colitis did not react this way in flareups until I took the mezavant. The Salofalk supoository has been a godsend until now. Like I said the prednisone started to work and stopped after 2 and a half weeks ....the same time I went on the mezavant with it again. The doctor likes to think it isn't the mezavant. I can't get back to him until after the New Year holidays. I have been in bed just bleeding into the toilet and back to bed with chills. I stopped the Mezavant yesterday morning and went from 7 to 8 pills of prednisone a day. When I tell people UC they think it is just a matter of pooping a lot. It is such a nightmare! Sooo much blood
Posted 12/31/2012 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Just started the probiotic yogurt, take prevacid and he told me to stop the Salofalk suppository until after the prednisone. What is Asacol ? Thanks Howdyho, what is Remicade?
Posted 12/31/2012 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Just started the probiotic yogurt, take prevacid and he told me to stop the Salofalk suppository until after the prednisone. What is Asacol ? Thanks Howdyho, what is Remicade?
Posted 12/31/2012 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
That's exactly what happened to me. Gi said colitis is no longer proc***. Gave me |Mezavant,got so sick from it ,ended up in hospital for dehydration,it took 3 days after I stopped to return back to normal.Gave me Asacol,same medication exact same thing happen,took 3 days again for it to leave my system,gi insisted never heard of it happening,said to try again with enemas ,same thing,ended up losing 9 lbs in 7 days.Now I am just sticking with my suppositories.
Posted 12/31/2012 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
Wow Thanks so much Zdenka. I was kind of feeling like I was imagining it but I am sure I am not. I have to stick with my prednisone now. It has been 24 hours without mezavant. So much blood and gas. I will know if it starts to improve again it must be that. But then I guess, what do I take after the prednisone? Suppostiories worked for so long. I just got the feeling the gastro kind of thought I was wrong about how it affected me and thinks it is the flareup. sore, tired and confused! At least I won't be hungover for New Years!! lol :-)
Posted 1/1/2013 3:25 AM (GMT 0)
I was on salofalk for 17years and then because of my laziness to take all of my pills The GI switched me to mezavant because it was only 4 pills. 

I started feeling unwell, more BM`s, dizziness and extremely itchy skin.  At first I never related it to the mezavant and stayed on it for about 2 years.  Then my  bloodwork started showing extremely elevated liver enzymes which never showed up before on salofalk and I read up on the mezavant.  Well everything was a side effect.  I stopped the mezavant cold turkey and filled my script for salofalk and things feel better again.

According to the GI mezavant and salofalk are broken down differently so one may react differently to each.

 

Posted 1/1/2013 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks puffed rice. 48 hours without Mezavant on just prednisone and still can't leave home from gas and blood BUT it is better than it was 2 days ago. 2nd try just to please the doctor and I will never go on them again. I am sure it is them. So I am guessing I should just stay on the prednisone for it's course and then talk to the gastro or my dr. about another drug. My Salofalk were in suppository form. Is there an oral Salofalk and is does it not contain the same ingredients as the Canadian Mezavant? For 17 years the suppositories also worked on me and in a flare up once a year they would prescribe cortifoam which helped. This is a new gastro who seems big on the MEZ! andPreds.

Thanks for any help and support members. This is my first time on prednisone (not liking the puffy) or Mez etc. I would be lost without your support.
Posted 1/1/2013 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
There is an oral Salofalk, but both active ingredients are mesalamine.

The mezavant is like Lialda.

There's also Dipentum, although it's not used much, it's still another 5ASA, not mesalazine.

have you ever been on just Asacol?

There's also asulfazine, which is sulfa and 5ASA.

q
Posted 1/1/2013 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
missclairol,

Yes salofalk does come in oral tablets, but 8 pills is equivalent to 4 mezavant.  Thats why my doc switced me because i hated taking all those pills.  It is also available in enemas 2g and 4g and suppositories.

yes the are  both mesalamine(5asa) but according to the GI they are broken down differently in the body so you can get a different outcome or reaction from both.

17yrs on salofalk tablets and no noticeable side effects.  2 years on mezavant an many issues

Ask your doctor if you can try salofalk.  or talk to your pharmacist about your side effects and sometimes they can request a different medication from  your doctor.  I've had my pharmacist do that before and the doc had faxed in a script for the change.

Have you ever tried the hycort enema or cortenema,  both I found to be very effective in getting a flare unnder control.

I also use cortifoam (during the day)while in a flare and the enemas at night.

 

Posted 1/1/2013 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks puff rice ! Yes my first gastro 17 years ago gave me to cortifoam , procticyal (spelling) and the saofalk suppositories. It wasn't perfect but it was 80 percent. It wasn't until my new gastro did a scope and said I should move onto MEZAVANT oral. That is when my life turned to hell and now I am on 8 weeks pred for the first time and can't leave my house. 3 days without mez tomorrow, I am hoping it feels better. I will ask for my suppositories back and cortifoam. I feel relieved to know someone else couldn't tolerate it. Sorry for you though!! Thank you! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
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