Sulfasalazine...any info??

South656 · 06-28-2005, 02:37 PM

Anyone ever heard of or taken sulfasalazine? I have tried Plaquenil and Imuran and had allergic reactions to both so now I am going to try sulfasalazine. If anyone has any helpful info on this medicine, feel free to comment. Seems like every med I start, I end up in hives 2 weeks into taking it.

Thanks for any help any of you might can offer...

South

creinha · 06-28-2005, 05:41 PM

South,

I've been following your story and I'm sorry you've been having so much trouble. I noticed that no one has replied to your post. I don't know a whole lot about Sulfasalazine. My doctor wanted me to take it along with my Plaquenil but I was hesitant because its an antibiotic and I'm prone to candida infections. The doctor said that its a sulfa drug and I think he said that is was the drug they usually give to pregnant women.

Its also a drug they give to people who have ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel.

I've never had any experience with it. Let me know what you think. So far, the Relafen and Plaquenil are working pretty well for me but I'm afraid that I'll start having side effects from the Relafen. Those anti-inflammatories always seem to irritate my stomach.

Cheri.

South656 · 06-29-2005, 12:34 PM

Cheri- Thanks for following my story.

I need all the help and advice I can get. I read up about the sulfasalazine and it seems like it is used in the same way as the Plaquenil, or atleast they are in the same catergory. I am not going to start on it until the 12th, when I go back to my rheumy for more blood work results. But I hope it is not going to cause any problems for me, like the other meds. I am usually not allergic to anything...this is a first for me. I have noticed though, since my doc reduced my prednisone intake my ankles have started to feel kind of sore and achey. I sure hope another flare isn't coming on. Since I've been on the prednisone (about 3 weeks now) my RA has not acted up at all! But I can't be on it forever, so the doc is trying to wheem me off of it, slowly. I just wish I could find something that works for me. Thanks again for listening, your thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated! I'll let you know how it all works out.

South

MissChatterbox · 06-30-2005, 01:12 PM

Hi there

I am taking sulfasalazine tablets for my arthritis (4 a day - 500mg each) and find them to be very good. I have tried loads of tablets over the last 3 years and must admit sulfasalazine have been the only ones that seem to have worked for me and given me a 'more normal life' again.

I have been on them for nearly a year and a half now, although recently they have not been working so well. After a while your body tends to get used to a certain medication, I did go up to 5, then 6 a day but found they left me sick. Last week i was started on some new anti anti inflammatory along with the sulphasalazines and again am feeling a lot better.

I would def recommend them, although as you doctor or rheumatologst has probably told you you do need to get regular blood tests. Its a bit of a pain and was one of the reason i wasnt sure of them at first, but if they help you....a few blood tests are nothing. I think if i remember it was every 2 weeks for the first 4 months, then once a month up until a year. After that, so long as everything ok you only need one every 6 months. I didnt find i had any side effects with them... oh apart from that fact it turns you urine either bright green or orange lol

They do take a while though until they start working, I think doctors say up to 6 months, and it was about 3 and a half months before i felt any improvement.

Anyway, hope this is of some help to you
good luck with them if you decide to give them a go.

Fiona

South656 · 06-30-2005, 03:35 PM

Thanks for all the info MissChatterBox.

Wow..you have to take a good many of them huh? You got up to 6 a day? Geez...that seems like a lot to me! I already have a hard enough time with all of the pills I have to take now and I take about 3-4 a day, can't imagine adding 4 or 6 more to that! Well I haven't had any luck with any of the rest of the medications I have tried. I can't even get past the 2 week mark b4 I have an allergic reaction to them, so I wouldn't even be able to last the 3 months it takes to find out if it works or not.

But hopefully with the sulfasalazine, it will work. Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm.

I sure hope so. I have been getting blood work done about every month already, so unfortunately I have gotten used to that. Thanks again for your help. Hope all goes well with you!