Re: switching from Asacol to Sulfasalazine

[Guest guest]

Claude,

My 18yr old son switched from Pentasa to Sulfasalazine (SSA) this past

May. It has been a great move for him.

His GI doctor said he has seen other patients be successful in switching

to SSA. For my son, the doctor liked that SSA has antibiotic properties

(due to the sulfa component) without being a broad spectrum antibiotic.

(My son responded well to Cipro, but they won't let him on that long

term because it can allow C-diff growth, which had been a recurring issue.)

Yes, SSA comes in 500mg tablets. The doctor started my son out on low

dose (one tablet, three times a day) to see if there was any reaction

(good or bad as some people are allergic to sulfa). My son saw

improvement in symptoms (which were frequent trips to bathroom with

loose stools) but not completely gone. [The paper that comes with the

SSA prescription explains it is best to spread the doses equally

throughout the day so there is effectively a continuous amount of SSA in

your body.]

After about 8 weeks, the doctor bumped him up to 2 tablets, 3 times a

day and said to give it 6-8 weeks to see how that worked. (I never

heard 6 months for SSA to take effect - I know that is true for the 6mp

med - but SSA seems to be 6-8 weeks with gradual improvement during that

time). More improvement, but not 100%, so another bump up to 3 tablets,

3 times a day. At that point my son went off to college and tells me he

is doing well. I am not sure of the daily bathroom situation but my son

is maintaining a very busy schedule and seems to be doing the best he

has since the whole IBD nightmare started. We'll see bloodwork and visit

the doctor over winter break in December. I believe the doctor said

there is still room to bump to 4 tablets, 3 times a day if necessary.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Sally

[Guest guest]

I tried to switch from Pentasa to sulfazine due cost.  It didn't work that well for me. 

 

I know other people who have had CD for many, many years and take the sulfazine, works great.  One lady I know had serum poisoning (I think that's what they called it) so start very low and see how you do.  She was able to start at a very low dose with her doctor and build up to it so there is no sensitivity. 

 

You're supposed to take folic acid with any of these ASA's according to ccfa.org.

 

My new doctor swtiched me from pentasa to Asacol but I'll find out tomorrow for sure.  Way too expensive, this stuff.

 

Debbie 40 cd

 

Claude,My 18yr old son switched from Pentasa to Sulfasalazine (SSA) this past May. It has been a great move for him.His GI doctor said he has seen other patients be successful in switching to SSA. For my son, the doctor liked that SSA has antibiotic properties

(due to the sulfa component) without being a broad spectrum antibiotic. (My son responded well to Cipro, but they won't let him on that long term because it can allow C-diff growth, which had been a recurring issue.)

Yes, SSA comes in 500mg tablets. The doctor started my son out on low dose (one tablet, three times a day) to see if there was any reaction (good or bad as some people are allergic to sulfa). My son saw improvement in symptoms (which were frequent trips to bathroom with

loose stools) but not completely gone. [The paper that comes with the SSA prescription explains it is best to spread the doses equally throughout the day so there is effectively a continuous amount of SSA in your body.]

After about 8 weeks, the doctor bumped him up to 2 tablets, 3 times a day and said to give it 6-8 weeks to see how that worked. (I never heard 6 months for SSA to take effect - I know that is true for the 6mp

med - but SSA seems to be 6-8 weeks with gradual improvement during that time). More improvement, but not 100%, so another bump up to 3 tablets, 3 times a day. At that point my son went off to college and tells me he

is doing well. I am not sure of the daily bathroom situation but my son is maintaining a very busy schedule and seems to be doing the best he has since the whole IBD nightmare started. We'll see bloodwork and visit

the doctor over winter break in December. I believe the doctor said there is still room to bump to 4 tablets, 3 times a day if necessary.Hope this helps and good luck.Sally