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Neck Pain side effects?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/9/2012 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
I was recently diagnosed with UC on May 21. Immediately prescribed Colozal (3 pills, 3 times a day). After two and a half weeks with no help, they switched me over to Lialda. I am currently taking 1 pill, 2 times a day.

It seemed like after a few days of starting the Lialda I started having neck/shoulder pain. The pain is now almost unbearable, Tylenol seems to help for a short time.

I also visited a health food store that recommended that i start taking "perm-a-vite" powder, which i have also been taking along with omega 3 fish oils for the last 4 days.

I dont know if there is any correlation, but was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this or heard about this happening while taking any of these?

Thanks
Posted 6/9/2012 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
I've had neck/shoulder/back pain long before my diagnosis of UC, so I would never have noticed.

Regarding your treatment, you should also be on a rectal med such as Rowasa retention enemas. That could have been the one reason your Colazal wasn't working so well.

The ingredients seem to be the same as many on here are taking as supplements. Hope you feel better soon.

Welcome to the forum.
q
Posted 6/10/2012 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on Lialda and have never had neck pain from it. Your also on a low dose of it. Usually 2 pills twice a day is prescribed for flares and then 2 pills a day for maintenance.
Posted 6/10/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)

The pain in your neck and shoulders???? Is it a burning type pain , or stabbing?                                                        

I had that going on before I was diagnosed with UC. I went to my family doc after I was diagnosed thinking it was the joint pains from the disease. He told me it was from stress and anxiety. Maybe go talk to your family doc to see if he can point you in the right direction to help take care of that.

Sparty16 said...
I was recently diagnosed with UC on May 21. Immediately prescribed Colozal (3 pills, 3 times a day). After two and a half weeks with no help, they switched me over to Lialda. I am currently taking 1 pill, 2 times a day.

It seemed like after a few days of starting the Lialda I started having neck/shoulder pain. The pain is now almost unbearable, Tylenol seems to help for a short time.

I also visited a health food store that recommended that i start taking "perm-a-vite" powder, which i have also been taking along with omega 3 fish oils for the last 4 days.

I dont know if there is any correlation, but was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this or heard about this happening while taking any of these?

Thanks

Posted 6/10/2012 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
That doesn't sound like a mesalamine side-effect to me. It's probably a tweaked muscle but it could be something way worse. You should see a dr ASAP to rule out any nerve issues and to get something to help manage the pain so you can rest and recover. The last time I had pain like that, it was a cervical spine infection.
Posted 6/10/2012 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
I've had neck and shoulder pain since prior to taking meslamine as well. Some days mine is bad and some days I am fine. I am not sure if it is related to UC but I don't think so. I actually think it's related to sitting with my back hunched at the computer.
Posted 6/10/2012 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responses. Im convinced its the lialda, but im hesitantly going to skip tonights dose and contact my GI and primary care physician first thing tomorrow to see if any symptoms change/to see if they can prescribe me something else.

Appreciate the help
Posted 6/11/2012 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
It's always best to get checked out. It's not a common side effect that I've seen mentioned here but better safe than sorry. Please let us know what you find out.

You should really try the rectal enemas, they are topical and they can help a lot.
Posted 6/11/2012 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
I was on Colazal for many years, and I also had the neck pains. It's a bit of a blur, but at one point my GI specialist detected an Iron deficiency, which is not uncommon with UC because of the blood loss and the colon's difficulty in absorbing iron when inflamed by the UC. If my memory serves me right, the neck pains got much better once I was on the iron supplements for a while. I wouldn't just start taking them though...please check with your doctor and ask him/her to check out your iron levels. I do recall having some neck pain all the way until I had my colon removed (and then I was off the Colazal), so maybe it is a side effect. Sorry I can't be more definitive about that...had my surgery 4+ years ago...and lots more issues since then.
Posted 6/11/2012 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
Well my neck pain almost completely dissappeared after stopping the Lialda. They now prescribed prednisone.

We'll see how this goes...
Posted 6/12/2012 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on Colazal, and for periods on the generic for the 6 years since diagnosis, and I have had terrible upper back and neck joint pain/problems that get fixed at the chiro and then go right back to being "out" again. But I did start having some kind of muscle wasting or something when I started the descent into UC hell (before dx and meds) because I was throwing my back out then, only back then it was from actually doing something (ie lifting furniture) and now it's from sleeping wrong or sitting in front of a computer too long and I'll throw my neck out bad enough to lose sleep.

Does anyone know if L-glutamine helps this stuff? I used to take it when I worked out for skeletal muscle support. Maybe I'll need to post a separate thread.
Posted 6/12/2012 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
When I started Lialda I experienced the neck and shoulder pain you are describing. I had to take pain killers to help deal with the discomfort. The pain finally went away after almost a month. I told my GI about it and he had never heard of that side effect being associated with Lialda.
I am very confident the pain was caused by Lialda.
It wasn't a fun month by any means, but I would rather endure a month of that pain then get back on Prednisone.
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