Asacol is being discontinued!

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HI EVERYONE
I found this website during an internet search on Delzicol and food. The 1 hr before or 2 hrs after is an additional pain in the rear. I had discovered in the drug documentation that it wasn't tested to determine if food had any impact on the efficacy of the drug. I'm thinking it was because of a rush to get the drug to market.

I'm female (fyi for the other female who's dr. said Delzicol was only for males). My GI doc wrote me a prescription with 3 options on it.

Since there is nothing to document the need for the food logic with Delzicol (other than they did not test it with food), I choose to follow it when possible, but will likely not always meet the suggested timing for the PM. My understanding is that the outer capsule is essential for the proper release of the med in the targeted area. I'm definitely not going to mess with that.

I was only 3 weeks into a session with Asacol (2 pills 3 X day), when I needed a refill and ended up with Delzicol ( 3 pills 2 X day). It wasn't optimum for me to change meds at this point, but all I can do is give it a chance and hope for the best.

Post Edited (Naughty) : 5/10/2013 6:19:15 PM (GMT-6)

there less tablets to take with the HD because iits double potency instead of 400 mg it's 800mg. the delzicol sounds weird to me.

Hi I have learned that Asacol 400 has Dibutyl phthalate in it that is like a plastic and people who take Asacol like I have for maintenance (since 1998 and increase with a flare for my UC) have 60 times the level of this than normal people. It is the coating they needed to change!! FDA says no more Dibutyl phthalate !! Something to do with kidneys- maybe this is why I have so many kidney stones......

jumpshift...where did you get the testing done for the dp?

q

Quincy - sorry to mislead you that I may have been tested for DP levels - I have read several studies on the subject and was relaying that info- I can't find them all but did remember this one :
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2649248/
When the pharmacy told me about the change I started reading everything I could find on WHY and saw info on DP levels in several articles. I also found this forum and find all the information very enlightening - sorry

Hows everyone doing on their new meds? I start Delzicol in a few weeks...currently on my last bottle of Asacol. Im finally in a solid remission and hope nothing changes...

Thats great news Carol! So happy for you! :) I will definitely keep you posted on how I do on the Delzicol.

Aww thanks! :) Im greatful to everyone who researched and shared info. It's been very helpful!

I spoke at great length about this change with my experienced GI Dr, who also pressed the drug rep for an explanation. Truth of this one is, sadly, the change really did come down to patent issues. The warning about the innactive ingredient is somewhat misleading - and not the real reason for the change. It was optional.

At first, fearing the change and noticing too that the tablet inside the capsule looked exactly like asacol, which I've been on for 9 years with no side effects, I removed it from the capsule and took it that way. When my doctor told me after I'd started it that the drug company also claims to have changed the formulation of the tablet "slightly", moving a substance that keeps the pill in tact until it reaches the lower GI from the tablet to the capsule, he asked me to try it in the capsule to see what happened. So, I did, and without putting two and two together - I began experiencing both extreme gastro reflux and stomach pain with it. After nearly a week, it occurred to me today that this is why. I am now going to try it again without what I think is the useless capsule and see what happens. If that doesn't work, and it "breaks up too soon" causing Crohn's symptoms to flare, I will look into Asacol HD - which is unchanged (patent not running out), or another option.

Frustrating move - re: patents and generics. Don't know if this is absolutely true, but I am told by my doctor who grilled the drug rep that some part of the deal will delay the creation of generic asacol 400 mg. - very disappointing. Good luck to all of you - and seriously, watch the reflux/stomach pain - and take with/out food (doesn't seem to help me, but may help some). My stomach issues set in at 2:00 AM the night I started taking this stuff - so almost immediate: and have continued for almost a week, constant, and bad. Glad I now think I know why.

I don't think Asacol has been discontinued in Canada, but to get it from a reputable pharmacy (like Walmart in Canada) it won't be cheap. Not nearly as much money as in the US, but more money than a copay here with insurance.

Canada already has generic asacol 400mg...I use the Teva 5ASA, no problems so far.

q

To complicate things some more, Generic drugmaker Actavis Inc is buying Warner Chilcott Plc.