Switching from Asacol 800 HD to Colazal

Your goal shouldn't be to get off the Rowasa, but to find a maintenance that will keep your UC flares in check.

Balsalazide isn't a totally different compound....it still releases 5ASA into the colon. You might tolerate it fine and have no problems with it.
While many believe that it's released in the lower colon, that's an incorrect belief. It's released throughout the colon but definitely keeps its integrity through the descending and sigmoid. Much depends on the bacterial level in the colon and the if the 5ASA is released effectively.

There are also generic mesalamine enemas...so consider that regarding your options. the lower doage 2g compared to 4g might be more affordable if they're offered in generic as well.

There are also suppositories that could help for maintenance when you're in a remission.

Are you taking probiotics and fibre supplements as well?

q

Q thanks, I understand what your saying and didn't realize that Colazal is still mesalamine or 5asa? I thought it read Balsalazide so assumed it was not mesalamine or 5asa.. I had taken canasa in the past and have to correct myself on the Rowasa as I am using the generic Perigo mesalamine enema. The Generic Perigo is still expensive until I reach my deductible (384.00) monthly)( my ded is 1,500 a year)..I think then once the deductable is meet it will be like 30 bucks a month.

 I am down to using a 1/2 a bottle of it a day and see your point of maybe going to the smaller bottles but not sure if that would make sense since I been using half a bottle then capping it and using the rest for the next night. I read that idea from someone here and cant remember whom suggested that. I guess I can use the price a drug tool on my insurances web site but to see the difference in prices if it would work out for the better.  I do understand that it is all about keeping the blood and the inflammation down but at the same time cannot afford asacol period. Keeping my fingers crossed..

Oh the Canasa worked but barely as it didn't reach the spot where my crohns colits is located which is 20cm up ( 8 inches) from the rectum to the 30cm (12 inch) mark. I have 10cm or 4 inches of inflammation per my doc. The canasa just doesn't get up there effectively like the mesalamine enema.. I am hoping the colazal works better for that area than the asacol HD did. I guess I will know soon enough..As far as probiotics go I had stopped as with the psyllium seed powder.. I may start them up again. I swear the probiotics drained my energy though..I was always tired on them. Like my body was fighting them or something..who  knows.

Thanks

My guess is your doc chose Colazal over Sulfasalazine is because a lot more people are intolerant to Sulfasalazine than Colazal.

I started on asacol hd and went to sufsalazine. I did better UC wise but got severe headaches and a 101 fever 24/7 at about 4-5 weeks. Switched to generic colazal and have been on that for 3.5 years. One flare last summer with no blood or mucus. Colazal's price has dropped lots in the last 2 years. Colazal now costs $85 a month no insurance which isn't much more than sulfasalzine. It is a preferred generic on many health plans which means the same cost as sulfasalzine. I would do colazal first and sulfa second. Sulfasalazine does have some antibacterial effects other 5asas don't but has a adverse reaction rate of 30%. All of the oral drugs need a boast from Rowasa if you start flaring and a find lopermide helps too.

Colazal like sulfasalzide is a compound that is cleaved by biological action into 5asa plus some other compounds in the colon. Colazal was designed to release more in the distal colon.

I had purchased the generic asacol 800 hd from Bigmountaindrugs in Canada and had been on that for the last 4 months. The price is much better but it takes a month to get the generic from Canada and I don't want to have to deal with that anymore. I picked up my prescription and they made it for 90 days so I got a boat load of the Colazal. I paid 210.00 for 3 months worth of it at 3x3. I guess she didn't remember when she called it in that we both agreed that they should only call in a months supply to see how I do on it. Oh well I guess that is strike 3 for them. It is always something with them it seems.

Can anyone tell me the logic in taking 3x3 of a drug that is 750mg a capsule? If I do the math that is way more than I was taking in the asacol 800 hd at 2x2. Does anyone buck the prescription and take less like 3x2? Or?

AZ, Let me see if I understand. So I am on the maintenance dose of 9 caps a day with Colazal? Since I was taking 4 2x2 Asacol 800HD up till yesterday?

Doctors almost never perscribe anything but 9 pills per day because that is what is on the bottle. The push is to use more mesalmine and it appears there is no increase in problems from doing that. What you are taking now(asacol hd) is actually a higher dosage.

My personal feeling is that if you use Rowasa regularly or as soon as you have a problem, it doesn't matter if you are taking a little lower dosage with colazal than with 4 asacol hd. If you can retain the enema it is a very large dose to the distal colon.