Re: sulfasalazine

January 11, 2009

I take the higher dose of folic acid to compensate for the effects of

sulfasalazine, which I take for UC.

Hi, I was searching for posts on sulfasalazine and found this remark.

What effects does sulfasalazine have? What experiences did the quoted

poster have and others who take or have taken this med? --And, how

doeds the med work for you? Does anyone take it to also help with

joint pain -and does it help with this? My son is switching from

Pentasa to Sulfasalazine this week (to have the added benefit of pain-

killer for his joints). He took Pentasa for 19 months. Also, is there

an adjustment period with GI symptom-like side effects? How long,

typically? My son had this when starting on his Pentasa, was sick with

symptoms identical to his IBD for a long time before he adjusted. I am

also nervous about the sulfasalazine not working out and that if/when

our son goes back on Pentasa, he will have the same difficult

adjustment on Pentasa that he did before. Any experience with this,

too, or thoughts??

Thank you,

Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt -psc, ibd, genetic fap, gerd, autoimmune

hives, disabled

January 12, 2009

> I had no side effects other than orange urine.

This one is good to know, too -my son would definitely want a heads

up on the color change. There's a drug that relaxes bladder muscles

that also changes urine orange -and sort of stains if you aren't

fully thorough in clearing it all away (to put it politely). My son,

ahem, is not always so thorough and leaves urine spots in his

underwear for the wash at times. Does sulfasalazine also stain?

And, is the urine forever orange or just until you adjust to the

med? Sorry for all the questions, but you definitely know your stuff

and it is quite helpful.

> I can personally attest that it is reversible. I can also state

that it does not affect everyone this way.

Thank you.

>No idea why, but it's assumed to be associated with the

sulfapyridine complex (the " sulfa " part of sulfasalazine) rather than

the 5-ASA (http://www.springerlink.com/content/xx624321734m074n/).

Thanks for the link, too, Arne.

-Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt -psc, ibd, genetic fap, gerd, autoimmune

hives, disabled

January 12, 2009

> I took sulfasalizine and folic acid for 17 years pre-transplant.

It did a fine job for me with only one side effect. It makes the

effects of the sun much more intense, so you must use sun block.

Did it cause a rash or did you burn more easily/quickly? Thanks for

this additional possible side effect. This is wonderful, getting so

much information for my son. I hope you are doing well post-

transplant, no complications or problems.

>I have not had joint pain, so I cannot say how it works for that,

but would think that since it reduces inflammation that it would work

well for that too.

We're hoping so, otherwise we'd stick with Pentasa.

> For a brief period of time I was on another drug that was more

expensive, but did not work better so I ask to return to

sulfasalizine. I do not remember any adjustment period.

No adjustment period would be wonderful for my son. I hope he has

the same experience as you. Thank you again, Joe.

-Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt -psc, ibd, genetic fap, gerd, autoimmune

hives, disabled

January 12, 2009

> It is orange as long as you are on the med.

Well, maybe he'll just consider it festive then -he likes fall

colors. ) We always try to spin a quirk a positive way at our house.

Thank you, Joe.

-Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt

January 12, 2009

> It is orange as long as you are on the med.

Well, maybe he'll just consider it festive then -he likes fall

colors. ) We always try to spin a quirk a positive way at our house.

Thank you, Joe.

-Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt

January 12, 2009

No rash, and with Norwegian ancestry (going back to at least the 1700s

both sides), I'm not sure I could tell if I burned more easily

anyway!

Arne

> Did it cause a rash or did you burn more easily/quickly?

January 12, 2009

No rash, and with Norwegian ancestry (going back to at least the 1700s

both sides), I'm not sure I could tell if I burned more easily

anyway!

Arne

> Did it cause a rash or did you burn more easily/quickly?

January 12, 2009

> I also have taken sulfasalazine for over 30 years, and can't

remember being told that folic should be added. I'll go back on it. I

find that it's easy to get off the track on meds as the years go by.

And sometimes Drs disagree about the usefulness of some meds. I've been

asked by one Dr why I was " taking that stuff " re several meds. I

always put in a good word for sulfasalazine. It halted my UC literally

over night. No side effects in all that time.

Thanks, Don. I haven't heard a negative word on it so far -that's

impressive.

-Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt

January 14, 2009

> After being treated with sulfasalazine for years successfully, I

developed a sensitivity to sulfa.? The palms of my hands started to

itch constantly.? I mentioned it to my GI and he switched me to

asacol.? The itch went away and I was once again a happy camper.? Since

then, I have listed sulfa as an allergen.? Later I was given a diabetes

med and felt rather crappy until I check the package which read " do not

take if sulfa allergy present " .? Just a heads up.

Thanks, Mizkit -I assumed an allergy would show up right away and that

I could set thoughts of it aside after the first few days. We're

starting our son tomorrow on it --he is off-campus from school all day

on thurs, fri, holiday mon --so a good time to try a new med. I'll

keep this in mind, won't assume any odd symptoms that may come up later

on are not an allergy, that they still might be. And, sorry that you

developed the allergy after such a good run with it. My own allergy to

sulfa drugs has made me uneasy/worried that my son may have one, too.

His doc says not to be too concerned about that, though.

Thanks again,

Meghan, mom to 14yo Wyatt

January 14, 2009