sulfasalazine issues.

Hello all. Been a while since I did some posting on here just did reading and so on. I have been in remission for roughly 5 months now. 3 of those were while on pred and the last 2 have been completely med free. I was able to eat pretty much anything (besides super spicy foods and lactose heavy foods without lactaid) and could even drink. I mean really drink like college days. (A 26 on the weekends when I wanted). I was doing fine, and everything was going normal (bm wise-1complete formed a day at 1130 almost to the minute). But then I had a conversation with a friend of my mothers who has had colitis for 25 years and she said that there was no way I shouldn't be on my meds. So I started taking what the doctor had prescribed (sulfasalazine). I started having stiffness and pains in my abdomen and apparently this is normal. Also under my left eye I got a puffy spot but they said that was my body adapting to it and could be a mild allergic reaction. Also got some D which has passed (thank god). Basically I just want to know if anyone has had the stiff pain issue and when or if it has gone away.?
Thanks

I should have said this in my previous post but I was on generic 5asa and asacol but they literally did nothing. Something to do with the fact that I couldn't break down the coating. I would basically see the whole pills.....unfortunately.

If this stuff works I can avoid going on imuran, which my GI seems to think is a good idea. I wouldn't say I had the most severe pancolitis but its still no fun. The reason for the most part she said not only to stay on the pills is that not only can it help fend off a flare, but it was put to me this way (because I hated the cost): its 100 a month or a really good chance of cancer. I was more then happy to fork out the dough this time.

Which 5ASA were you on? There are several different ones, and you would likely do well on one of the others. I started out on Asacol and part of the reason I switched was b/c pills with a lot of medicine left inside were coming out in my poop. Apriso dissolves much differently as does Lialda.

I am also taking sulfasalazine, I do find I get stiffness/pain in my body when I change the dosage around but it usually goes away when I stabilize the dosage or if I taper slowly. I take 8 tablets of 500mg (i think it's 500) when flaring or controlling a flare, and only 4 tablets when I seem to be stable just for maintenance.

I suggest you make sure you drink enough water while taking this drug as well, if I am too lax on the water intake I find the effects are worse.

I have yet to have blood test for just being on sulfasalazine, but when I started Imuran I was started on blood tests. I was only on Imuran for 25 days and couldn't take the side effects cause by it, I will be seeing my doctor tomorrow about that though.

I hope this helps.

Thanks people.

You are all really helpful. I too, have found that my joint and eye pain have gone away but I do get those nagging head aches and stiffness in the abdomen. I am taking 3 500 mg pills twice aday but am thinking about reducing that since I may work better on a lower dose. I drink roughly 4-5 litres of water a day but have noted on days when I dont get enough the head aches are pretty bad.

The 5asa I was on was mesalamine. It's strange that there is a problem digesting the coating for some of us, I wonder why that is.

I am scheduled to talk to my GI next week so I will ask him about the lialda and colozal and see what he thinks. The last time we talked he seemed pretty intent on Imuran, though I am not sure I like the idea.

Thanks everyone, as always, your more then helpful.