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I think Delzico hasl made me worse..anyone else?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/15/2013 11:57 AM (GMT 0)
I switched from Asacol to Delzicol around the end of June I believe. I've noticed I'm much worse.

When I started it I was in a strong remission. Since then I've worked back into a flare, and even got very bad starting about 3 weeks ago. I went on my vacation sicker than a dog.

Yesterday I forgot my noon dose and also last night I forgot to take it. I notice I'm a little better this morning.

Is it the Delzicol? Wow...I'm really wondering about this now. Anyone else?

John
Posted 8/15/2013 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
Others have had the same problem. I would switch to Asacol HD.
Posted 8/15/2013 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
Wow...all I can say is wow. Thanks.
Posted 8/15/2013 12:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi -
Yes, I'd noticed that, too; I posted a few days ago. I, too, had been in a great remission. My symptoms are still relatively minor - sorry you got so sick!
I found a stashed bottle of Asacol in my cupboard and things are a bit better now. Off to the Doctor on Monday to have a little chat. (And hopefully a new prescription for something that works!)
Posted 8/15/2013 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
to both of you, songlady & JohnPhx- Delzicol nearly had me running to the surgeon, I swear! Within a week of starting it, I had a major increase in gas, loose stools, bloating, nauseau, & more urgency. I stuck it out for a week, then called my GI in desperation. He switched me to Asacol HD, 2 tabs 2x a day. And within a week of going back to Asacol, I felt markedly better. Currently, I'm feeling really good- I try to space my Asacol HD doses every 12 hours, which seems to really help the med work best. I strongly urge you both to call your GI's asap- it's got to be the Delzicol, that stuff is toxic! skull
Posted 8/15/2013 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Works the same as Asacol for me. Sorry to hear you're flaring. :(
Posted 8/15/2013 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
I was on asacol (16 years now) and had some problems when switching to delzicol as well (not to mention the $240/month copay , that is WITH insurance). Someone posted a link to an article in a scientific journal in which a comparison was made on the various mesalamine drugs. Basically, per this arcitle, they all worked equally well. That being said, the DELIVERY system of these meds is different- the coatings on them do vary, and that could effect where in person's GI tract the meds dissolve and hence take effect. I read that there was a phthalate (sp?) in Asacol that had to be removed- perhaps removing that slightly altered where it dissolves in the GI tract? Of course, I despise Delzicol b/c of the little trick they did so that it is a "new" and patented and therefore VERY EXPENSIVE drug again- ho ho ho we will just out asacol into a capsule and call it brand new!
Posted 8/15/2013 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I really don't believe they removed the "toxic" plastic from the Asacol but merely put the Asacol pill in a capsule and called it a new drug. Several drug manufacturers use the very same "toxic" plastic, including the fact that it is still used in Asacol HD. The FDA has suggested that manufacturers reformulate these coatings but has not made it mandatory. There is no evidence that this is actually toxic in humans and few, if any cases, of toxicity have been reported in anyone. Since the capsule is an extra layer on top of the Asacol pill it would be logical to assume that it disolves just slightly lower in the digestive tract than a regular Asacol pill would.
Posted 8/15/2013 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
i don't think i've ever met a mesalamine that didn't make me worse. :(
Posted 8/15/2013 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
I take my Delzicol out of the capsules. The capsules dissolve in your stomach so they don't affect where the pill dissolves in your GI track. It is such a pain taking off the capsules but they're hard to swallow.
Posted 8/15/2013 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
Yes sticks to back of throat and it is hard to swallow. I am not a big fan.
Posted 8/15/2013 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
You can take the tablets out of the capsule. It takes a little time but then I can swallow a handful of pills at once. I called the company and confirmed all of this.
Posted 8/15/2013 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if this will help or not but my VSL capsules are a little hard for me to swallow as their coating is not slick. I developed a trick that always works. I take a drink of water ahead of time, which coats my tract and then take the capsule and it goes down quick. Whenever I forget to do that it gets a little sticky and goes down hard. I don't know whether that would work with Delzicol or not but I still wouldn't take it for anyone who feels it makes them worse as this little trick really wouldn't be of any help in that department.
Posted 8/15/2013 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hrmm. Well my doctor's office just called and they called in Asacol HD for me instead.

But she said they have switched all their patients to Delzicol and nobody has had a problem with it. It makes me feel like a jerk!!! She also said it is EXACTLY the same thing as Asacol. So either I'm imagining this entire thing, or it's something else, or they don't know what they are talking about!

Regardless, I'm going to switch since I couldn't have been any worse.

Sigh*
Posted 8/15/2013 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe she hasn't had any other patients have any troubles but there have been a few here who have. It is not exactly the same thing if they are putting an Asacol pill inside of a capsule. It has another layer, even if it does dissolve fairly quickly. Don't forget they have pharmacy reps coming in and plying their trade, buying lunch for the whole office. The company who made reg Asacol wants you to stick around with Delzicol. They're hoping you get used to Delzicol and will get years and years more out of this new patent and if there ever is a generic for Asacol, guess what - you won't get it because your prescription is for Delzicol and there is no generic for Delzicol!
Posted 8/16/2013 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Inform me...what is Delzicol?
Posted 8/16/2013 12:50 AM (GMT 0)

Red_34 said...
Inform me...what is Delzicol?

pretty sure it's another delayed release mesalamine.
Posted 8/16/2013 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
Sherry, some of us (me included) got a letter, mine from my mail-order pharmacy, saying that because the FDA didn't like something in the coating of Asacol, they were discontinuing it and instead making Delzicol. A Delzicol capsule is equivalent to one 400 mg Asacol tablet. It's bigger, and if you take the "capsule" coating off, there appears to be an Asacol tablet inside, without the labeling.
Whether the tablet is "exactly" the same or not is unclear to me.
I'll post the report from my GI, (who is a GI prof at Yale Med) after I see him Monday.
Posted 8/16/2013 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Ah ok...thanks Josh and Songlady. I was out of the loop for that one :)

But if its just Asacol, with a capsule coating...how is that supposed to help if the internal coating is the same??
Posted 8/16/2013 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
It wasn't designed to "help". It was designed to dodge the patent running out on Asacol so they could keep charging high prices for a patented medicine (Delzicol) while at the same time making it more difficult for other companies to make a generic Asacol. So far it has been a win win win for the pharmacutical company and a loss loss loss for the patients.
Posted 8/16/2013 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
John...you could have also asked the doc for some rectal meds...or is that completely off the table for you?

q
Posted 8/17/2013 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone else had extreme nauaea on dezicol?
Read it could be a side effect.
Angry because had 3 years of success with as a col. Called my GI and he said 'don't take outer coating off' and up prilosec to am along with pm dose.
Is there a way I can get a email alert when new answers come in?
I'm New here.
I have microscopic colitis. Is there a thread for this condition? Thanks In advance for your Help.
Judy
Posted 8/17/2013 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
HELLO JOHN....WOULD YOU PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION.

q
Posted 8/17/2013 8:49 PM (GMT 0)

Red_34 said...
Ah ok...thanks Josh and Songlady. I was out of the loop for that one :)

But if its just Asacol, with a capsule coating...how is that supposed to help if the internal coating is the same??

This was the question I had also. My GI didn't seem to pick up on it.
Posted 8/17/2013 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
HELLO QUINCY!!!

Yes I see you keep asking me "rectal meds...rectal meds...rectal meds...." LOL. At first I thought you just had a fascination with RECTAL MEDS...but then see that you are female, so that rules that out. hrmmm...maybe it doesn't!!! LOL

You probably missed in one of my answers today I put that I had and have been using three of them! Yes, I'm on a rectal med roll!!!!!! The hydro suppos..didn't seem to be doing anything. I started the hydro cort enemas and got much much worse...so then two weeks ago I started the cortifoam. It's not as irritating but I really haven't improved.

So you see I can start my own RECTAL MED museum of natural history! People can come and watch me using them for a fee! j/k

So I was asking patho...which one he or she (I still dont' know what patho is) would use? They said the coritfoam. It's very discouraging now because nothing seems to work these past two weeks. My quitting drinking (and although I've talked a lot about it it's not like I was downing 2 fifths of vodka per day!!!!) may have something to do with all of this.

I'm just trying to hang in there and waiting for something to kick in, because it's certainly doing a lot of kicking out!! LOL

John
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