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skin lesions due to mesalamines

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Posted 12/30/2013 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
I have been diagnosed w. U.c. for 7 years. I have been on some version of mesalamines the whole time. Last year, during a flare, my asacol dose was raised to 3x800 mg twice daily, with canasa. Soon after, I developed lesions on my lower legs, enodosom and p.g. were ruled out. My flare resolved within a month, I stayed on increased dosage. My skin lesions spread to my lower arms, then upper arms, then my back and upper legs during the last 7 months. No answers from my gi. my dermatologist or allergist. Finally I connected the dots and took myself off of all mesalaminrs (with support from my Dr). My lesions are resolving, but I am curious if anyone else has had this as a side effect? My Dr said she hasn't heard of it before...
Posted 12/30/2013 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
i don't think i had skin lesions but i had lots of skin problems when i was on lialda (oral mesalamine). i had severe itchiness, bright red patches, and weird "scaley" skin. i was always covered in scabs because i would itch myself until i bled. it was very difficult to function and go to school/work. my face was bright red and blotchy ALL the time. the other worst parts were my feet, ankles, hands, and wrists.

my GI doctor at the time said it wasn't connected to lialda but after i took myself off of it, it went away in about 2-3 months. i was surprised how long it stayed in my system but i was really affected by it.
Posted 12/30/2013 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Joanna, THANK YOU for sharing! Its good to know your Dr didn't believe you either. And that it took a while to get out of your system. I have been off meds for one week-skin is starting to heal, but itchiness is remaining. My stuff started on my ankles, too. And when it showed up on my arms, it was on my wrists-I think we are on to something here! It has been so upsetting to have a significant flare, followed by this unbearable and embarrassing skin stuff! Thanks for sharing, makes me feel so much better!
Posted 12/30/2013 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
omg lindsey, i'm itching just thinking about it now! haha

i remember my ankles drove me INSANE. it was such a horrid spot to reach when i was sleeping because i would try and sleep with ice packs on my face. i'd keep my hands rested on the ice packs to hold them in place and then my ankles would start itching and i'd have to drop my face ice packs.

i was seriously in hell from it because my skin was literally crawling. it also felt really "hot" if you know what i mean by that??

my GI doc said it was probably from my laundry detergent but i knew he was wrong. i wish i had pictures of these rashes but you know what i'm talking about already.

i really hope yours go away, too. i got off the lialda at the end of march 2011 and my rashes were gone by june. there was nothing i could do for it though. i just had to suffer through it until it was gone.
Posted 12/30/2013 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
I know exactly what you are talking about! You have no idea how good it feels to know some else had this- my drs were all making me feel crazy-the itching was driving me crazy and I was going insane! While my loved ones have been awesome, and sympathetic, they can't empathize. Thank you for replying- it has really lifted my spirits!
Posted 12/30/2013 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
no problem!! are you ok with your UC since you stopped mesalamine?? did you find something else to replace it?

itchiness can be really debilitating. i've had a lot of skin reactions to different medications so i'm super alert to it when i start something new.
Posted 12/30/2013 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
Would you mind posting picture(s).
Posted 12/30/2013 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
There is a connection of psoriasis with bowel problems (as evident by the fact that Humira is used to treat both). Though I would hope if it was psoriasis, your derm would have caught it.
Posted 12/30/2013 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
I am on nothing for my colitis right now. I have been "treating" with aloe gel, probiotics, chlorophyll, omega-3s, a bland diet, sleep and light exersize. At first, I had lots of urgency, loose stools, bleeding, mucus, you know the drill. But then it has slowly been improving. I am wondering if some of my "uc" symptoms were actually more side effects of the mesalamines.

I have some pictures of my legs, but I don't see how to post pictures here. They are almost like small ulcers about the size of a pencil top eraser- they start off innocently enough-like bug bites, then they open leaving an ulcer on my skin with a red/purple/pink ring of skin around it. They would stay for months and not heal, until I came off mesalamines. My scratching sped up the "ulceration" process, but the bumps would still open without any scratching. They were not oozing, and biopsy didn't show anything. It resembled a celliac rash, but tests and gluten free diet showed nothing.

Post Edited (lindseyuc) : 12/30/2013 4:30:00 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/30/2013 9:43 PM (GMT 0)

lindseyuc said...
I don't see how to post pictures here.

Go to postimage.org/, upload your picture(s). Once uploaded, you get different links, try pasting one of those links here and preview. You will notice which link works best and post the message.
Posted 12/31/2013 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lindsey,
Man that sucks I am sorry. I have been using mesalamine enemas x 3 years without any side effects. However, when I took oral asacol it sent me into pancreatitis and I was hospitalized- there to find out that is not uncommon . I hope you find something that works for you soon without the nasty side effects. I am new here but not to the disease May remission come with 2014 for all of us. It is nice to have a place to relate and converse with others.
Jen
Posted 1/1/2014 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
I was on salofalk suppositories (mesalamine) for a few months and one day I woke up with the tops of my feet VERY VERY itchy, when I looked at them, I saw two rashes (the one on the right foot was bigger than the on rthe left, but they were both basically in the same spot on both feet, weeeiirrd). I am no longer on the suppository but am now on the salofalk tablet and the rashes seem to be going away, but I find I'm breaking out in acne a lot now!
Posted 1/2/2014 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
I'm just on the salofalk site now and it says rash is a side effect of mesalamines.
Posted 4/17/2021 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Is this thread still alive?! I’m in itchy rash hell would love to know more. On mesalamine and wondering what I will have to do next if I can’t take it anymore.
Posted 4/17/2021 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
Could this be a salicylate sensitivity?
Posted 4/17/2021 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
VanJordan-that is really interesting that you mentioned salicylates! I am new to all of this, newly diagnosed not new to the disease. But definitely new to taking so many supplements and taking regular prescription meds. I had been drinking ginger meadowsweet tea for the past few evenings and when I researched meadowsweet, well it has salicylates! I didn’t realize that the mesalamine does too! I think maybe this is it 😣 I hope so. The itching is so bad again today but I have stopped both so I should know within the week. It’s so strange....just my toes, fingers and elbows. Thanks for the reply Vanjordan, I hope you come out your flare soon ♥️
Posted 4/17/2021 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Wait does ibuprofen have these too!! I had a terrible reaction taking Advil for an extended period of time too. Oh duh I’m seeing it now.
Posted 4/17/2021 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Taylorjo, be careful with ibuprofen and other NSAIDs as they can aggravate UC. I was advised on the day I was diagnosed with UC not to take NSAIDs like ibuprofen, and 17 years later continue to not take them, except for occasionally using ibuprofen gel externally for joint / muscle pain for one off injuries (ie not daily).

https://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/news/20000907/most-pain-relievers-unsafe-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease
Posted 4/18/2021 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
Yes thank you UcYousee, I was taking it at a time before I had been diagnosed. Looking back now I had another one of those ah ha moments.
Posted 4/18/2021 10:02 AM (GMT 0)

Taylorjo said...
Yes thank you UcYousee, I was taking it at a time before I had been diagnosed. Looking back now I had another one of those ah ha moments.

Phew! Just double checking Taylorjo! Also, making sure any newbies reading know it's not a good idea to take NSAIDs like ibuprofen. I'd like to think that gastros warn patients on diagnosis, like I was.
Posted 4/19/2021 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting observations. Medications affect each of us differently, both in helping our condition, and in causing unintended side effects, like rashes, and other common side effects. Also, I note many, including me, are taking 4.8 gms of mesalamine daily for maintenance, but this dose is suggested only for a flair, with 2.4 gms recommended for maintenance. Maybe we're overdosing. My very experienced GI doc doesn't have a strong opinion, one way or the other.

Common side effects of Lialda include:

nausea,
vomiting,
stomach cramps,
diarrhea,
gas,
fever,
sore throat,
flu-like symptoms,
constipation,
headache,
dizziness,
tired feeling,
skin rash.

US Brand Names for mesalamine, that some suggest have subtle differences in side effects:

Apriso.
Asacol HD.
Delzicol.
Lialda.
Pentasa.

Like most everything in medicine, answers elude us. Just keep on keeping on....
Posted 4/19/2021 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
@Taylor Jo, why not try an OTC antihistamine such as Claritin or Allegro. It's not all that uncommon for drs to let a patient do this with a medication, very much worth trying.
Posted 4/22/2021 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
Stray dog- In the past with hives I had tried taking Benadryl. It did nothing until my Derm recommended I add an h2 blocker as well like Zantac. He also said to up my Benadryl dose to 3or 4 and take them together. after about 5 nights of this- sleep with the dead concoction- the hives finally went away. I’m trying this again, but so far I am still scratching away- just fingers, toes and elbow. 🤪
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