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side effects of sulfasalazine?

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Posted 5/16/2014 11:09 AM (GMT 0)
my doctor tried me on thioprine (not sure of the other name for it, sorry) and I had a bad reaction to it, my liver functions went up and I got really low white blood cells, also I was vomiting up everything I ate for 5-7 days, so my doctor told me to stop taking them, not he's knocked my steroids back up to 30mg and is trying me on these different tablets, sulfasalazine to try to get my UC under control, and he is going to try me on thioprine again :( I really want to know if there's any side effects? he didn't really give me much information about them because he was in a rush.
thanks x
Posted 5/16/2014 11:41 AM (GMT 0)
Did you mean Azathioprine?

Sulfazalazine gave me bad side effects so I had to stop them.
Posted 5/16/2014 1:02 PM (GMT 0)
sulfazine can have many side effects but I would have done it way before Azathioprine, which actually can have far worse side effects. I'm guessing you have a insurance or finances problem because there are much better meds to use with less side effects, but they cost a lot.
Posted 5/16/2014 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
about 30% of people are intolerant to sulfasalazine but the reaction is usually mind. Headache and indigestion are the most common. I got a fever, headaches and flu symptoms after taking it one month. The reactions are dose sensitive and build up overtime. It is a very good drug and inexpensive. Worth a try in my opinion. Blood tests should be done regularly while taking it.
Posted 5/16/2014 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I take sulfazine (1.5 g/day) and it has been a godsend to me (got rid of joint pain). I get more headaches than before but tylenol works fine. My platelets have been decreasing slowly over the years which may be a sulfazine reaction or maybe just random.
Posted 5/16/2014 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Sulfa drugs can definitely lower platelet counts.
Posted 5/16/2014 8:25 PM (GMT 0)

garylouisville said...
sulfazine can have many side effects but I would have done it way before Azathioprine, which actually can have far worse side effects. I'm guessing you have a insurance or finances problem because there are much better meds to use with less side effects, but they cost a lot.

no finance or insurance issues, this is just what my doctor is trying me on. because I'm only young (14) he doesn't want to try certain medications because it might affect my growth or hormone reactions etc
Posted 5/16/2014 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
He should have prescribed mesalamine instead of sulfazine. It works just as good or better and has far less side effects and doesn't have any of the issues you refer to. AZA has even more issues than sulfazine does. Do you have a GI or is your pediatrician been doing your care? I really think your doctor didn't do you right by prescribing sulfazine instead of mesalamine and then doing the AZA.
Posted 5/17/2014 4:12 AM (GMT 0)

garylouisville said...
He should have prescribed mesalamine instead of sulfazine. It works just as good or better and has far less side effects and doesn't have any of the issues you refer to. AZA has even more issues than sulfazine does. Do you have a GI or is your pediatrician been doing your care? I really think your doctor didn't do you right by prescribing sulfazine instead of mesalamine and then doing the AZA.

I'm seeing a pediatrician gastroenterologist
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