UC

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day

and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and

on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper

abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4

times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at

times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning

which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for

these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i

think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all

the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI

disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains

like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what

could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and

gave some medicines which didnot reduce my pain.

Thanks,

Pavani

UC

[Guest guest]

Hi Pavani, Check the archives on this site. Within the last month to 6 weeks there's been numerous postings about Asacol and how it came about after Azathioprine' s (sp?) patent expired but the most important active ingredient was left out of Lialda and Asacol. The biggest problem is that the drug companies pay reps a lot to cater to the doctors. Asacol costs $250+ per month and Azathioprine costs $12+ month.

Most people who commented on this site have commented on not gaining much by taking Asacol. I didn't get any stomach pain (took it for a year). Read up. I've been taking Humira at $50,000+ per year for the last 6 months. My opinion- Skip the Humira experience too. Get some knowledge before you continue much longer with a drug that has your tummy in knots. We are not doctors just people with the same drugs in their lives as are in yours. Good luck.

Terri

2 years UC

6 weeks SCD

UC

Hi,I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4 times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and gave some medicines which didnot reduce my pain.Thanks,PavaniUC

[Guest guest]

As I was tapering off prednisone earlier in the month I decided to try Asulphazene because I thought it would not have the illegal binders that Asacol has. I also have an allergy to Pennecillin and Septra (both sulpha products like tha Azulphazene)...I was trying to be very strict in all aspects of the SCD diet. I started out really slow and increased the dosage over time and was on it for a coupls of months. I found myself getting a dull, queezy feeling that always seemed to be present as I go closer dropping down the Prednisone dosage. I did more research to see if a side eefect and by chance I came across info that said there also were illegal binders in the Asulfazene. I made a persona decision to stop all meds. It took a week or so but the queeziness went away. Not exactly you story but thought I would share in

case that gives you some value in trying to figure things out for yourself. I have been off all meds for about 3 1/2 weeks now. I have been on the SCD diet exactly three months. I was on Prednisons after a really bad flair in July and tapersed fromm 60 down to 0 in two months. Best to you.aiazeen - UC 6 1/2 yrs

[Guest guest]

Phyllis, you are right, I am wrong. They both start with Az.....! Thanks for being on your toes and covering my loud mouth!

Terri

Re: UC

Terri,

Could you be confusing Azathioprine with Azulfadine? Asacol does not have the sulfa component that Azulfadine has, otherwise it's similar to Asacol in that it's a salicylate that decreases inflammation. Azulfadine was replaced by Asacol as a safer drug because it didn't have the sulfa part and if I remember correctly Elaine said that was the useful part! Azathioprine is a totally different drug-- it's an immune suppressant.

Hope this info is correct.

Phyllis

CD

Just found this: From the Knowledge Base: http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/azulfidine_and_asacol.htm

Azulfidine and Asacol

Elaine writes:Just got through reading a recent article from GUT, 2001, Vol. 248, which again reaffirms what has been obvious to me: that the older drug, salphasalzine (Azulfidine) which was replaced when the patent ran out with the supposedly better drug, Asacol, is less effective than the orginal drug

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Thank you for all the replies. While on 2mg pred, i saw blood streaks,mucous in my stools . GI said that UC may be still active and increased pred dose to 16mg/day. Its been 10 days now still i see blood, mucous mixed in loose stools(passing thrice a day) while on 16mg pred and 400mg Asacol 5 tablets a day. I informed this to my GI and he has called me tommorow for a discussion.

My concerns

Subject: UCTo: BTVC-SCD Date: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 7:39 AM

Hi,I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4 times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and gave some medicines which didnot

reduce my pain.Thanks,PavaniUC

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Thank you for all the replies. While on 2mg pred, i saw blood streaks,mucous in my stools . GI said that UC may be still active and increased pred dose to 16mg/day. Its been 10 days now still i see blood, mucous mixed in loose stools(passing thrice a day) while on 16mg pred and 400mg Asacol 5 tablets a day. I informed this to my GI and he has called me tommorow for a discussion.

I see undissolved Asacol tablets(whole tablets not even a bit crushed) in my stools most of the times. Seems my body is not making any use of it. Anyone know the reasons? what it means ? If asacol is not been used by my body then what could be causing my stomach aches that i had told earlier(see this mailchain) ?

Also sometimes i see giardia(protozoa/parasite) like structures in my stools floating in water before i flush. But giardia are microscopic. I am sure that these structures are not undigested food pieces. They have dark hair like cilia around them resembling giardia. GI says these are my imaginations.

My concerns are these. i want to know what could be these.

Thanks for all the help,

Pavani

UC

Subject: UCTo: BTVC-SCD Date: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 7:39 AM

Hi,I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4 times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and gave some medicines which didnot

reduce my pain.Thanks,PavaniUC

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I was diagonised with UC in Aug 2005. Since then i was more or less on steroids, along with other medicines like mesacol, asacol, ayurvedic tablets, homepathic tablets etc.

But nothing has helped me with my symptoms like steriods. If i taper steriods, i bleed. I dint have remission for more than 2 months.

I had a discussion with my GI today. He says i am not responding to medicines now. Since mine is steroid dependent UC, he has got only two options now to avoid the side effects of steriods. One is Azatrioprine and the other one is colon removal.

I was planning to conceive once i get into remission. But with Azatrioprine treatment on he says it could cause birth defects to the child. and also itz failure rate is 30-40% , other side effects and i should be on it for longer duration( 2 years). How can this be used for maintainence of remission ?

As my UC(left sided UC) is mild to moderate in nature, i dont want colon to be removed.

Since, this should be last option and dont know what other options i have got to save myself.

Looking for your valuable suggestions,

Thanks so much,

Pavani

UC

From: pavani_bs <pavani_bsyahoo (DOT) com>Subject: UCTo: BTVC-SCD@yahoogroup s.comDate: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 7:39 AM

Hi,I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4 times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and gave some medicines which didnot

reduce my pain.Thanks,PavaniUC

[Guest guest]

Pavani,

I would suggest that you go to the Healing Well Forum for Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis and post your question there. Many people on that list are struggling with the same issues and may have suggestions for you.

Hope this helps.

Phyllis

CD

UCTo: BTVC-SCD@yahoogroup s.comDate: Sunday, October 26, 2008, 7:39 AM

Hi,I am taking Asacol 400mg from last 2 months(1st month 3 tabs per day and next month 5 tabs per day). Tapering off pred, 2mg a day now and on diet. After using asacol, i am getting stomach aches(upper abdominal pain) which is not coz of colitis. In the first month 3-4 times and this month it is almost there all the time mildly and at times modereately. UC symptoms are under control. I did US scanning which shows normal study. My GI says there is nothing to worry for these pains and i should just ignore it. The cause of these aches i think is Asacol(coz stomach ache increased and is almost there all the time when my GI increased the dose this month..) which my GI disagrees. He says its not coz of asacol.I never used to get pains like this with UC. So is this common with Asacol usage or what could be other reasons ? My GI had suspected some infections and gave some medicines which didnot reduce my pain.Thanks,PavaniUC

[Guest guest]

Pavani,

You don't indicate in your signature if you have started SCD yet.

If you haven't, then you will want to do so at once. This is not an easy

diet to follow, but it's worth it.

Elaine Gottschall used to claim that she would have had an easier time

marketing SCD as a fertility diet, since many women do conceive

after some months on the diet. (My niece did!)

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Hi, I was diagonised with UC in Aug 2005. Since then i was more or less on steroids, along with other medicines like mesacol, asacol, ayurvedic tablets, homepathic tablets etc.But nothing has helped me with my symptoms like steriods. If i taper steriods, i bleed. I dint have remission for more than 2 months.I had a discussion with my GI today. He says i am not responding to medicines now. Since mine is steroid dependent UC, he has got only two options now to avoid the side effects of steriods. One is Azatrioprine and the other one is colon removal. I was planning to conceive once i get into remission. But with Azatrioprine treatment on he says it could cause birth defects to the child. and also itz failure rate is 30-40% , other side effects and i should be on it for longer duration( 2 years). How can this be used for maintainence of remission ? As my UC(left sided UC) is mild to moderate in nature, i dont want colon to be removed.Since, this should be last option and dont know what other options i have got to save myself.Can your doc switch you to colazol or to azulfadine - maybe your body would be able to absorb that better. Or have youused the rowena enemas? Or pentasa? Also, what about going to see someone who is both a conventional and naturopathic doctor - to get your stooltested to see what parasites/bacteria/fungi you have colonizing your gut - this cannot be sent to a conventionallab, as such a lab will not test accurately for those things. And your test will likely come back negative. Have you tried taking a natural anti-bacterial such as oreganol or grapefruit seed extract or raw garlic?What are you eating on the diet? Are you on intro/stage 1 foods? How much honey are youeating? Join the low dose naltrexone list to see if that medication might help you. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/lowdosenaltrexone/Mara

[Guest guest]

Oks. Thanks for inputs.I had tried this diet for 2 months sometime back which did not help.

I went for a 2nd opinion with a new GI surgeon, who also suggested azatrioprine or colon removal. He says i am good candidate for colon removal which will make rest of my life free of sufferings.

I have not yet taken any decision. i will take some time. Keep writing.

Pavani.

UC

To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 7:59:12 PMSubject: Re: UC

Pavani,You don't indicate in your signature if you have started SCD yet. If you haven't, then you will want to do so at once. This is not an easy diet to follow, but it's worth it. Elaine Gottschall used to claim that she would have had an easier time marketing SCD as a fertility diet, since many women do conceive after some months on the diet. (My niece did!)

— Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund