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Colazal discontinued?

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Posted 1/18/2012 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
You posted above that you received the generic by mail, right? Contact the shipper or take capsules to a local pharmacy & ask. It is law in my state that generic dispensed locally has to be identified on Rx label, but your shipper may have an "out". / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/18/2012 11:04 PM (GMT 0)

 Doors12, Roxane generic will have numbers "54 795" on the capsule; and the Mylan generic will have "Mylan 6750" on the capsule.

Posted 1/19/2012 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks gastro!!!

I see that both the old generic I tried years ago that didn't work well, and the stuff that my doctor had shipped without me asking are both 54795 Roxane!

This is so ridiculous. To anyone reading this thread, please email Salix and tell them how you feel and read some of the other options in this thread!
Posted 1/19/2012 5:29 AM (GMT 0)
Way cool, Gastro60! Thanks very much for the solid info you've given here on this thread. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/20/2012 7:03 AM (GMT 0)
FYI all reading this thread: Salix returned my 1/12/12 e-message today-- saying it was undeliverable! More baloney-- they really are the pits! / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/21/2012 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
Old hat, I haven't received any returned email as of yet. I would imagine anyone reading the email I sent would be left with a bit of a "flare." I'll keep you posted.
Posted 1/22/2012 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, do keep us posted, Doors. In another thread here GidHike just wrote that Salix never sent her the promised letter of explanation after she called them about her cancelled Colazal shipment! / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/22/2012 6:27 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, I just read through this whole thread and I really hate Salix now. I feel so bad for all you guys. Hang in there and I hope you all are able to find something else that works. For those who haven't tried Asacol, it's worked wonders for me...I know we're all different though.
Posted 1/26/2012 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to check in with everyone and see how we're all doing on the generic. I had been on this same Roxanne (thanks gastro) generic for a year before, and my condition worsened on it, so the fact that I am doing pretty darn good now to me is further confirmation that my personal situation was caused by eating gluten (in my opinion it is due to eating overly hybridized/genetically modified gluten).

I hope everyone is doing well. I of course have received no response to my delightful email to Salix. I have a doctor appointment on Friday, that should be the most interesting GI appointment since I was diagnosed to say the least!
Posted 1/26/2012 5:30 AM (GMT 0)
Here's hoping you continue to do well on the generic, Doors. Just beware if you have any signs of colon trouble brewing, get on the symptoms right away so as to nip any potential flare in the bud. I was able to buy some extra brandname Colazal in November for cold cash before CVS ran out so I'm still taking it & hoping to work out a longer term solution with my gastro. In about 6 weeks I'll need to have the titanium installed for a premolar dental implant so, for sure, I want to prevent UC from flaring & interfering with the other stuff! Definitely keep us posted on your situation. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/29/2012 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Update: Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness notified me that CCFA now reports Salix has NOT stopped producing brandname Colazal-- "they just ran the supply a bit low." Yeah, sure. But then corporations have become people by virtue of the Supreme Court [in Citizens United decision]-- so their well-being (read profit margin) is more important than our health. I am so disgusted with all this!!!!!!!! They must really think we're stupid ... / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/30/2012 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking the generic Colazal for about 6 months now and haven't noticed much of a difference. I am in a flare right now but that is because my doctor (old doctor now) told me to stop taking all my meds and see what happened. Back on 9 pills of 'Colazal' a day and one enema nightly, plus Prednisone to get over the flare, and doing well.  Don't seem to notice much of a difference on the generic. Maybe it depends how extensive your disease is or if you have any other allerigies.
Posted 1/31/2012 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
OldHat - how confusing? Are we now to believe that Colazal has NOT been discontinued? Wow!

I am still doing about 80% better on average for all of my symptoms, including joint pain which was terrible, since going gluten free.

Tonight I had a bit of diarrhea, but now that I am keeping a food journal that should help. It is not easy to do the gluten free thing, at first at least. For instance, I ate at Chipotle today....hahah, so I guess that's a given to get diarrhea.

I had a GI appointment and he basically said you can just go with the gluten free diet, or go back on gluten and get tests, but who knows maybe the tests are negative, and then you go back on the gluten anyway. I wanted to wait a bit longer before I post a thread on just the gluten free thing, it's only been about 2.5 weeks maybe since I've been trying in earnest to go gluten free. I was spotty prior to that, just experimenting.

I am also wondering if the Roxane generic contains gluten (or brandname Colazal for that matter). I guess I'll have to call them. I know I was on the generic Roxane for 1 year before (due to insurance company trying to save a buck on my dime) and it took me until the end of the year to realize I was worsening. It's so confusing, really, this actually wasn't a good time for Colazal to go away and complicate my research!
Posted 1/31/2012 6:07 AM (GMT 0)
Doors, I doubt that they contain gluten-- but I am worried that the generics may have ammonia in them per AZYooper's post on secondary components. Ammonia is a household cleaner, for petessake, why would it be allowed in medicine? I wonder if Gastro60 has any new info RE brandname or Giazo. Not surprised, though, to hear you got D after Chipotle ... cuidado, my friend! / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

Post Edited (Old Hat) : 1/30/2012 11:11:19 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/1/2012 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
****...thanks for the laugh old hat...haha..I guess I needed that...

Every time I eat chipotle I remember that south park episode, I never saw the whole episode but I never forget the essential details...cuidado indeed! That's why I brought my own lunch today, brother...hahah
Posted 2/1/2012 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
A wise move, Doors! (But last yr I met a Crohn's patient who said that Chipotle doesn't bother her ... go figure.) Meanwhile, Advocacy FPWCI told me they'll pass along my contact info to CCFA in case they find a pharmacist in my area able to dispense brandname Colazal. I explained that at best this would only be a stop-gap remedy for me because longterm I need to get prior-authorization from my insurer for brandname Rx coverage, and even then they will only pay a pharmacy THEY contract with. So if CCFA turns up some urban boutique pharmacy that will sell me 280 brandname Colazal for $900, it's not a viable solution to the distribution problem. Aaaarrrrrrrrggggg! At this point I have zero confidence in CCFA ... to be frank. Nor do I see any news about Giazo on the 'net! / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 2/2/2012 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
I wrote to Salix earlier in January and finally received a response today by phone from a Salix medical information team member. She said that today she got information from Salix management team indicating that the situation has changed and Colazal is no longer discontinued but rather changed to "out of stock." She said that it should be available again in March. She gave me a number to call with questions: 800-508-0024. Hope this is true and that we can get back on track.
Posted 2/2/2012 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, they're really giving you guys the run-around!
Posted 2/2/2012 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
The way Salix conducts themselves in this matter we can only hope for the best, but expect the worst. As I posted in other threads, around 2007 Solvay decided to stop making Rowasa mesalamine enemas; however, they did sell the rights to another pharma fairly quickly-- so that warehouse distribution of the enemas in the U.S. returned to normal in about a month. Brandname Colazal started disappearing from warehouses in my area in October-- and NOW Salix says it will be available in March? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!! This indicates a patients-be-dammmmmed attitude, IMHO. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 2/2/2012 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I just started the generic Mylan.....first blood I have seen in months.  confused
Posted 2/3/2012 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
Blast Salix!!!!!!!!!!!!! This AM I phoned their 800 no. that Carpediem posted above. A voice who identified herself as "Sarah" told me that brandname Colazal HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED & said that Carpediem's info was wrong. She added that all she could do was take my name & phone contact info. I guess they just intend to build up a database they can market to in the future. What a crummy situation! Grrrrrrrrrrrr. It makes me feel very drained & oppressed. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 2/4/2012 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
I have replayed the message Salix rep left for me on my phone and she definitely said it is no longer discontinued. I will definitely call the 800 number and use the reps name to get to the bottom of the message they sent me. Clearly the right hand at Salix does not communicate with the left hand. Stay tuned....I will see where I get.
j
Posted 2/5/2012 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck, Carpediem!!!!!!!!! You will need it to deal with those people. Why did this nightmare have to happen? / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 2/5/2012 5:42 PM (GMT 0)

 Old Hat,  I can't really add anything new.  As of Jan 5, 2012, Giazo was scheduled for a Feb 17 release (depending on the FDA); and Colazal production was being re-evaluated with possibly another sub-contractor.  Hopefully Salix should have either Giazo, or Colazal on the market sometime in March.  And I am holding my breath on this one..

Posted 2/7/2012 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
LATEST UPDATE: today at 4:30 PM I received a phone call from a Salix staffer, who gave me a full name + 919 phone no. for further reference. This person said that brandname Colazal should become available again in pharmacy warehouses by the end of February. She promised to call me back in case any updates are issued. I told her that many of us patients DEPEND on Colazal to keep our intestines functioning-- so that we do not become bowel incontinent & have to wear adult diapers. She seemed surprised to hear that! Cross our fingers (toes, too) that her promise leads to Colazal being back on the market for us as she stated. In the meantime, any members here who want to pursue the brandname Colazal problem with Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, check their Website for contact info. and e-mail them with your comments/questions; they assured me that your inquiries would be welcomed when I mentioned our online forum. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
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