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Is 8 sulfasalazine a day a lot?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/30/2013 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Doc just switched me from Lialda, and wants me to take 8 a day....I took it 15 years ago, and only took 4 a day.....Maybe this is the max dose?
Posted 5/30/2013 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
You need to talk to your DR. Sulfasalazine has more side effects than the other meds. My DR has me on 3/day (plus 6 balsalazide) and he wanted me to ramp up slowly so as to minimize headache. I still get headaches but they are bearable.

The other potentially difficult side effect of sulfa meds is a reduction in platelets. Mine have slowly decreased over the time I've been taking it. They are below normal now (140,000) but not at any kind of alarming low. All of my DRs say a number like 50,000 would be a problem.

Ask your DR whether you should build up your dose slowly. You also might want to use another 5-ASA in addition to the sulfazine so you don't have to take 4g of this med per day.

I really appreciate the benefits of taking this med - my GI put me on it because it addresses joint pain really well, and that was my primary complaint for many years (not bowel problems).
Posted 5/31/2013 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
I believe thats the highest possible dose. but I remember i had to take 4 in the morning and 4 at night.
Posted 5/31/2013 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
I was up to 10 a day but saw no real benefit past 8. There are diminishing returns. As suggested, I'd work up to that slowly.
Posted 5/31/2013 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
Listen to Kazbern. He is right. I did not take his advice (brain froze while talking to the doc and blindly followed the directions). She started me with 6/day and headache+nausea made my life miserable. The headache could not be controlled with literally anything and since we can not take NSAID, major drug that could have worked was out. Trust me, I have migraine as it is but this headache was something I can not put in words.

After getting frustrated for 2 weeks with this crap, I requested GI to get me off the drug then she reduced it to 3/day. Its been almost a month I am on 3/day but still headache and nausea drives me nuts. I just had an episode yesterday.

Start slowly, I would say increase by one tablet every 2 weeks. You have been warned.
Posted 6/1/2013 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
I thought I read that 6 was the max.

I'd focus on adding mesalamine enemas to the mix FIRST...before going up to 8 sulfasalazine.

q
Posted 6/2/2013 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
I just started sulfasalazine yesterday. I am supposed to take 8 per day. After reading other posters suggesting to ramp up the dose slowly, that is what I am planning to do. I took 2 yesterday, so far so good. I plan to take 3 today and see how that goes.
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