Colazal Generic vs. Brand Name

Hi, who here is taking generic and doing ok? I usually take brand name and have tried generic years ago and it wasn't working if i remember right. My insurance F'd me and wont cover brand name (im in the middle of appealing it ) So i can hopefully get brand name again..Today is the first day i had to take generic since im out of brand name, hopefully for only a short time until i get an answer from my insurance co.

Me too, but only six a day.

Hey long time poster, but I've been doing pretty good with gluten free and MTHFR methylation protocol. I have posted many threads on here on the topic of generic balsalazide v colazal. Also, the member oldhat has posted quite a bit on it.

I was once on the generic balsalazide for 1 year before I realized I was getting frequent water loose stools/diarrhea and bad IBS. It is my belief that the generic has gluten in the fillers. There is something going on and I do MUCH better on brand name Colazal.

HI thanks for the replies..i seem to being somewhat ok on it, BUT i did notice i get these upper stomach cramps that come and go..never had that before..its not down low, like upper heartburninsh cramps, not sure how to explain. Wish i could just take my regular colazol, but my inurence doesn't want to cover it. There is some difference between these too, has to be..i got a three month supply for $15.00. The non-generic they wanted $671.00 ! thats what i had to pay out of pocket. My insurance was covering the other half i guess ?!

Yes, you can open Colazal and pour the contents in yougurt, applesauce, or something similar. The capsules open and the shell can be disposed of.

The post in question was talking about the inert, nonactive ingredient that's included in every medication and says he believes that includes gluten in the generic form but not the brandname. I am not sure, if that's the case. All pills have active ingredients and inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients are often referred to as fillers.

No, it is fine to remove colazol from its capsule. Colazol doesn't have a delayed-release coating like other meslamine (5ASA) medications do. Rather colazol is a precursor molecule that gut bacteria break down into meslamine plus an, inert biproduct. So the casing isn't needed, the gel casing is dissolved in the stomach, it never reaches the intestine. Same gell casing as Tylenol and other medications.

I was on the generic colozal due to a miscommunication between my insurance company and doctor. 9 pills, 3X daily. Doctor wanted me on Lialda (mesalamine) but did not think it was covered. The generic colozal helped immediately, but I believe it caused loose stools. My symptoms were atypical from most in that I wasn't having diarrhea leading up to my diagnosis, just lots of pain with mucus and blood. Once I started the generic colozal, I started having loose stools up to 3 times a day with lots of urgency first thing in the morning, but all of my cramping and bleeding went away and I felt much better overall. Still had some rectal swelling for a week or so but that went away also. My only other complaint is my skin got kind of funny and I had dark circles under my eyes prompting all of my friends to tell my that I look like sh#@ often. I think that may have been from my liver adjusting to the meds (guessing). That being said, believe I may be entering remission thanks to the generic colozal coupled with mesalamine enemas. I just switched over to Lialda this week (after checking with my insurance company) and have had more solid stools and less urgency and overall, symptoms are continuing to improve. Good luck I hope it works well for you!

I've only taken generic Balsalazide, never Colazal. No side effects but it also never helped improve UC symptoms until adding a fairly strict diet modification (less strict now in remission).
No oral meds since diagnosis 15 years ago ever did squat for my symptoms (urgency, bleeding, gas) except for mesalamine enemas. Perhaps they lessened inflammation.

I just did a spread sheet comparing how much I'd save if I ordered Colazal (brand name) from Canada instead of Balsalazide in US. I'd save about $1000/year even after deductible met. I'll get to see if Colazal is any different than Balsalazide.