Lialda vs. Asacol HD vs. Delzicol

I too have switched to Delzicol after years of great success with Asacol. I have been asymptomatic for years. I am not having any success with Delzicol...with or without the capsule.

What is a reputable Canadian pharmacy? Is Asacol still available or did I read there is a generic equivalent? What is the name?

I was on Asacol HD , 2 pills, 3 x day

Thanks

Hi all - I am new here, and also dealing with the switch. I had been taking 4 asacol, 3X daily as maintenance for Crohn's for the past 18 years with great success.

I am following this thread closely, as I just started with Delzicol.

Sara14 - if we can remove the outer capsule ( which does seem logical to me), so then what is the real reason they made the switch? Is it really just the patent issue? Was there any tinkering with the coating of the pill? I thought I read that there might have been carcinogen issues on the coating.

If I could proceed as you suggest, it would be much simpler, as the timing indications are a real inconvenience!

Thanks.

Sara 14, You take all 6 pills at one time? I take 3x2 a day. Anoone out there take all 6 at a time? would be easier, because I am forgetful

Per Warner Chilcott rep, the Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) has been removed and replaced by dibutyl sebacate. THIS IS ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO!!

She told me this dibutyl sebacate is plasticizer that allows for delayed release. It does the same thing that dibutyl phthalate did.

I took tablet out and put capsule in a little tap water. The plastic covering dissolved within minutes, meaning it would probably dissolve in your stomach when taken with water.

I am continuing to take the tablet after removing it from the capsule.

Hey Taratoo the still make asacol hd.They stopped making regular asacol

Thanks for the info.It does look like a typical asacol pill. If it was the same I wouldn't have had this flairup.My first in 20 years.
HOT

the outside capsule will almost completely dissolve in water, if it was in the stomach it wouldnt last long at all. I dont think it would still be on it once it reached the colon. I think they put it on there for patent reasons.

I sometimes consider my self a test dummy and usually suffer from it, hopefully not this time, but I currently have once again stopped asacol and all those drugs whilst not in a flare and I am going to see if I can make on psyllium powder alone. IF I start to flare again I will use suppositories and try and get it back down and I will use the new delzicol that I received but I will be taking them out of the capsules.

Yes its risky. I have done so many things in the past and I always end up back on meds. Its as if I refuse to think I have this, but I must try. I read several topics on here about using Psyllium seed and the seed husk powder and I was using it along with the asacol and had great bm's.

I read that it was so close to being natures mesalamine that I figured its worth a shot to quit the drugs and see if I can make it on that alone and possibly add more spinach to my diet. Its been almost 2 weeks and I so far so good. I have tried very low carb, the specific carb diet, gluten free, all while I was doing good and then later flared. I feel like sometimes its just seasonal and I am wasting my time on meds when I dont need them. I think I get really confident while not flaring(have not flared in over a year) and I get brave and want to quit the drugs.

I always go back to my first diagnosis in 2004. The Dr said I had mild UC and sent me home with metamucil packets and I used them but it seemed like it made things worse, they were sugar free and that’s probably why, but that was in 2004 and I have been on meds ever since, Sulfalazine, colazal, asacol. In 2008 I was really questioning the whole thing, and I had another Dr do a scope and he did verify that I really did have mild UC. So lately I have revisited the idea that the original GI may have been on to something with the psyllium.

Im tired of taking meds and tired of paying for them. Not cheap.

Why not take Asacol HD?

Actually I was talking to Friskie.

UPDATE: well.....I started to get nervous. I started seeing the signs coming back. Some lite cramping when pooping, some mucous, so I decided to start BACK on some meds today, using the asacol replacement that I had recently gotten filled. (Delzicol)

I have a trip planned soon and I wanted to be well for it. I may give it another go at another time. (I was using the psyllium seed powder if anyone was wondering. Supposed to me natures equivalent of mesalamine.)

So anyway I wish I could find a drug free way to totally manage it, but not at this time.
I always come back to the thinking that something I am ingesting is causing the inflammation and/or I am allergic to something, just wish I could figure it out for me and not have to take anything....

I too have recently switched to delzicol. At the same time I started a new probiotic as they no longer made the one I had been taking for a year. Around the same time I started to have flare up symptoms, at first I thought it was due to the new probiotic so stopped taking those, symptoms continued, so I decided to start up again on canasa supp (as that usually helps quickly remedy the symptoms) but after a few days of delzicol and canasa still had some minor symptoms, so yesterday I stopped the delzicol and will see how I am feeling in a couple of days just being on the canasa.