Old Hat… Question

Hello! I suffered from repeat UC flares for over 20 yrs and had to use hydrocortizone for severe manifestations. Finally my gastroenterologist recommended me to a drug trial in 2002 that brought Colazal to market. That didn't happen immediately because the trial version made many of us subjects ill by 10 weeks of use-- with vertigo, and puffy, itching eyelids. Not fun! Then the Salix Pharmaceutical refined their formula, which took several months to a year longer. The refined Colazal became my big break-through to longterm remission of UC! My inflammation usually was the worst in the sigmoid colon, but during some flares it also extended upward to involve the descending colon. Asacol never helped me; then toward 2008-2010 researchers determined that it doesn't dissolve properly in the colon unless patients have a pH (acidity) level of 7. (My level was 6.) *** Colazal agrees with me day-to-day; I mainly have to be sure to stay hydrated with plain water, and I avoid carbonated drinks, caffeine, and salty, spicy, or high-fat foods. I also use lactose-free lowfat or nonfat milk and consume citrus + other raw fruit & veggies in moderation. Plus I take 1,000 units daily of vit D3 alternating with a multivitamin. (I do that to avoid overly-high B-vitamin dosing.) Plus one glucosamine 500/chondroitin 400 daily that keeps my senior knees flexible. (These supplements taken with my gastroenterologist's approval.) *** My main issue with Colazal has been caused by health insurers. It has always been high-cost, but when the generic balsalazide disodium came to market about 10 yrs ago, though cheaper, it didn't work as well for me. Then I had an allergic reaction to Apriso. Fortunately, my gastroenterologist has helped me to get prior-reauthorization from the insurer many times to stay on brandname Colazal. (It was nearly removed from production in 2012, but many members here raised a fuss to their MDs, which helped to keep it in stock!) *** If your doctor is willing to prescribe it, try to get the brandname at least for 2-3 months. Because of different "filler" ingredients & dyes, the generics now available are not totally equivalent to brandname. The generic made by Roxanne Labs seems to be the least effective, also the cheapest. *** I hope this info helps you! / Old Hat (40 yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

Clarifying...are you saying no inflammation in the rectum and only in sigmoid...or rectum and into the sigmoid?

Hope you're able to get the colazal soon.

q

Lka, you might get more targeted insight from FlowersGal, who, per her forum posts, came to UC from diverticulitis. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

You are definitely educating many of US by describing your type of inflammation. I never heard of SCAD before. But I think the difference between diverticulitis and diverticulosis is that the latter describes infection that can result in an abscess = full of pus. A neighbor of mine (w/o IBD) had it around age 60 and needed hospitalization with IV antibiotics treatment. (So it's worse than diverticulitis.) / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal) P.S. If you continue having delays getting Colazal, in U.S. Express scripts can supply it by home delivery from the doctor's script.

Old Hat said...
But I think the difference between diverticulitis and diverticulosis is that the latter describes infection that can result in an abscess = full of pus. A neighbor of mine (w/o IBD) had it around age 60 and needed hospitalization with IV antibiotics treatment. (So it's worse than diverticulitis.)

OT: actually it’s the reverse. Diverticulosis is when you have the diverticuli. Many people have them (something like 30%) but when they get infected then you have diverticulitis. They don’t know why but usually only 1-2% of those with diverticuli actually develop infections. My last attack I had a micro-leak from one of the bulges that resulted in hospitalization with IV antibiotics. Fun times. It can be hard having both DT and UC knowing which is which but I can usually tell from my symptoms.

Update
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get brand name Colazal. I get my meds from Walgreens. They said not in stock with no date it might be available. Same results with other pharmacies I checked. So I decided to try generic Balsalazide.

I am on it for 2 weeks now. I don’t notice any side effects, so It seems it agrees with me.
It’s been a week now with no enemas and… knock on wood. I don’t know if it’s coincidence or it’s working better than Asacol. But I take it as positive sign.

Now the question.

I am taking 2 (750gr) caps 3 times a day. So 6 caps total per day which is approx equal to 2.4gr of Asacol (a little more).
When I googled for some info I read that it usually prescribed for 8 weeks or up to 12 weeks. That’s what my doc prescribed 1month with 2 refills, which would be 12 weeks. But then what? Aren’t you supposed to stay on it indefinitely?
If so, what is the maintenance dose?

I hope people who are on it could answer.

Old Hat, special thanks for mentioning it as an alternative to Asacol. I wouldn’t know.