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asacol hd or another 5 asa (delzicol)

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/24/2014 11:15 AM (GMT 0)
When I first was diagnosed back in 2011 I was started on asacol 400 mg. 6 pills a day for 6 weeks then dropped to 4 pills a day for remission. Everything went okay until a year later when I got another flare and then recently another flare. Since asacol was discontinued my doctor prescribed delzicol, but I told him my insurance company did not cover it and so he prescribed asacol hd, which i am presently on. Since I have been using the hydrocortisone enemas (two weeks) and mesalamine enemas now for a month and the Asacol hd 6 pills a day, I see no blood or mucous and would like to ask doctor to change my asacol hd prescription to something that is used for maintenance.

I notice on the internet that asacol hd is for active colitis and not to be taken for remission and was wondering if I should take another medicine instead of asacol hd.

How is everyone's experience is delzicol? I was thinking of asking doctor to switch me to it, because i don't think the asacol hd is as good as the old asacol.
Posted 2/24/2014 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
If asacol hd is working for you then why the heck do you want change meds? Asacol hd can be used both to achieve remission and as a maintenance medication as well. Sometimes the difference between trying to get to remission and maintenance is the dosage. The dosages are 4,800 mgs and 2,400 mgs, respectively.

The only difference between asacol and asacol hd, is the amount of medication in each pill. Asacol hd has more medication in each pill and is the bigger pill.
Posted 2/24/2014 12:23 PM (GMT 0)
the reason why i would think about changing is the fact that i am on such a high dose and that I am not sure if is doing anything as my uc is now under control for the last 2 weeks from hydrocortisone enemas and mesalamine enemas, nothing to do with the asacol hd, as my uc never went into remission on this medicine alone with the canasa.

As i am going to stop the hydrocortisone enemas tomorrow, i am so worried that my symptoms will return and i am not on the right oral meds.

Thanks.

Posted 2/24/2014 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Well, get rid of hydrocortisone enamas wait a while afterwards on the same dosage of asacol hd. Steroids have a tendency to mask uc symptoms, so you really don't know how well you are doing until the steroids are completely out of your system.

I think most of us would prefer to be on less medications here, however, they are a necessity and a reality for us all.

As I said earlier, some GIs will lower your meslamine dosage to 2,400 mgs after remission is achieved. Even staying at the higher dosage isn't necessarily a bad thing as meslamine is a topical anti-inflammatory medication that 90 percent flushes out of your body when you poop (the rest comes out when you pee). The steroids, however, are a bad thing when used for long periods of time.
Posted 2/24/2014 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
I would definitely stay away from Delzicol. I have seen very few claim any success with it and many where it made their conditions worse. I don't know where you read that the HD is not for remission, because it is. Maybe they were trying to say that it is hard to reach remission with HD alone, but some do. I also believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it but you do have a point that if it is the other treatments are what put you into remisison, and the Asacol didn't do anything, then that might be something to worry about.
Posted 2/24/2014 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on asacol hd for 2 years and almost 3 months, and I love it. I reached remission on it last summer. I take 3 pills a day (800 mg each) but my prescription says up to 6 pills a day which would be the dosages stated above. When I tried going to 2 pills a day, I started cramping up. My doc told me to not try that anymore after 2 or 3 tries. (my idea not his) This last flare I added the mesalamine enemas (thanks to what I learned here!) and I upped my asacol by 1 pill, taking 2 at bedtime. I think I'm getting the flare under control again. I guess my point is, for me 1 pill more or less and my body knows it. I like how I have been able to find the right amount for me.
Posted 2/24/2014 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
HD works for me. I saw everything drop when I was monitoring with weekly bloodwork for 8 weeks. Everything plunged and that is when I became a fan of HD.

No reason not to take it. Now I used to love sulfasalazine but it reduces semen volume so that something to consider dropping.

I am not aware of any side effects from ASACOL HD so I keep taking 6 per day.
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