Lialda vs. Asacol HD vs. Delzicol

What is the difference between Lialda and Asacol HD?

I have been on Asacol HD for three days and have experienced severe gas, intestinal gurgling, abdominal cramping and loose stool not consistent with my usual flare symptoms. I did not experience this while on regular Asacol.

Also, for people that are transitioning from regular Asacol, would you recommend sticking with the Asacol HD or trying the Delzicol? Or trying Lialda instead?

I'll be trying Delzicol when my Asacol runs out in about a month or so. It looks just like an Asacol tablet stuck inside a capsule so hopefully it works just as well. It says you're either supposed to take it at least an hour before meals or two hours after meals...I don't understand the purpose of that.

I switched from Asacol 400mg to Lialda and I've been doing great :)

Eric, perhaps Lialda would work better for you.

Thank you for your responses. I may look into the Lialda. I'm a scientists and so need to check out the studies done on it first. Good luck on the HD, Gary. I would try it but am concerned that the manufacturer claims that it is not a biological equivalent of the 400 mg tablets.

Just posted this on the general discussion about the change, but wanted to post it here too. No major flare, but new distressing symptoms with the change. Read on, and good luck to all:

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. Hope this is helpful - at least to some.

There ARE other options than the Delzicol, and in reality it doesn't make sense for the specification to be taken with meals.

Actually, it would be good if the med doesn't have a success...it's stoopid to put a pill with an enteric coating in a capsule unless it was like spheres, as in a time/bacterial/ph extended release.


Please, those who are flaring, PLEASE realise that rectal meds are also a common sense way of treating the rectum/sigmoid. supps and/or enemas.

Regarding the on and off and they don't work any longer...there's many reasons for that rather than the medication itself.

q

it's Asacol inside a empty capsule. could not believe it.

There is a generic approved in Canada, Mesalamine EC 400mg.  It is an Asacol equilivent. You can order it at a reputable Canadian pharmacy with a US prescription.

I'm giving it a try.  Dezicol not working for me.

I just switched to Delzicol a couple of weeks back and am having some reactions...I think.  My BMs have changed slightly to be looser and I feel as if I am having constant IBS, also a factor in my illness.  Also a little intestinal pain, but this can happen for many reasons so don't know if it's from the Delzicol.  Appalled to hear that the regular Asacol tablet is inside the capsule and the reason is patent running out and generic about to come in.  So we are given yet another contaminant in our systems for our kidneys/liver to dispose of in order for the money to continue to flow to pharm.  This is very upsetting and if true, I suspect it is an illegal gesture on the part of the maker that should be stopped and maybe can be.  I am grateful for mesalamine but furious with the maker.  I'm going to look into the Canadian product mentioned but my coverage will not extend to it, I fear.  I will also consult my doctor about Asacol HD.  Any other suggestions appreciated.

   

Ask your doctors for other options....there are a few. You don't have to take the Delzicol if you don't want.

q

Thanks for the suggestions.  I don't have trouble swallowing the Delzicol and it seems tasteless to me but read something about it and it does have non-inert material that has to be dealt with by the body.  On this thread it is mentioned that the regular Asacol tablet is contained inside the capsule so I am going to ask my doctor if I can simply remove it from the capsule and take the tablet as usual.  I find the fasting before and after annoying and it has affected by schedule.  After more than a week of discomfort since taking the Delzicol, today I seem to be ok and hope it continues that way.  One of the problems with this disease is discomfort for which there seems to be no explanation or cause that can be pinned down, so maybe my symptoms were just part of the colitis and not necessarily caused by the switch to Delzicol.  Eventually, comments on this thread by others may clarify my own experience, hope so.  I read about Lialda, which is a little different from the Asacol I've been taking for several years.  I also take Azulfadine (sulfaslazine) because it addresses the joint pain I have so I take less Mesalamine than I used to.  I also use Canasa daily.  Can someone please distinguish Asacol HD from the regular Asacol I was taking that is now replaced by Delzicol?  The descriptions online are not very helpful.

Hey All, I was diagnosed in 2001 with UC, I'm 52, I had years with Colazal and I remember a few more. Most were ineffective and symptoms were bad. Tried 6MP for a time and that darn near killed me. Put on Acacol did well for a few years. Tried Lialda and thought it was truly a miracle drug achieved almost full remission. After a period of time it slipped I was back on Asacol it has worked well. Not happy about the change, went to fill my called in scrip Monday and was told by Pharmacy it was no longer available, doc just called in the Delzicol. After reading these posts I'm a little concerned hope it works but would prefer Lialda based on my own experiences. I'll try the Delzicol and let all know. I understand the coating can be removed?

hey Capjeep, I don't think you have to worry about the coating that much. If you put a pill in a glass of water and it dissolves pretty quickly and youre left with the asacol looking pill. So I don't know if it matters. If it makes you feel more comfortable taking it out of the capsule that's cool. I just leave it just in case there is a true reason for the coating on the outside.