Sulphasalazine or not??

blibblob

Please can anybody help??

I was proscribed Salasalazine by my first rummey appointment, after taking it for 5 weeks I ran out of it, so went to my GP to see if I could get some more.

My wife got the drugs from Boots, but on the front of it, they have spelt it as salazopyrinen??

I know that it could of been spelt wrong, but can anybody confirm what these tables are Sulphasalazine

The tablets that I have are orange in colour, and have KPh on one side of them and on the other side has 102?

janie68

Yes they are the same, one name is the trade name and the other is the generic name.

Hope that this clears it up for you.

Janie

blibblob

Thanks very much, Its a relief thats its right

I thought it would be, just thought Id check.

The only problem now is I've been taking them for 12 weeks now and hardly no improvement

tkachev

You should get them on a repeat prescription as you need to take them longterm until told otherwise.The Rheummy should write to your Gp to inform him so.You can then phone to get the chemist to take them to GP surgery for you and you collect from chemists when ready.The Rheummy will be monitoring the effect of the medication by blood tests.
Elizabeth

blibblob

Thanks for the info

I didnt know about having blood test tho

Im due to see my GP tomorrow I mention it to him

skezier

Hi Blibbob,

I took them for 4 months before they started to have any effect. I saw my rumo and he doubled the dose and soon after that there was some improvment for me. I had to do some incredibly hard work for my wrists and got stressed and they don't seem so good now but I think without the stress etc they'd have carried on working for a while. I hope you soon get some relief and see some improvment. Take care Cris

blibblob

Has anybody else got any more advice on taking this???

blibblob

Thanks for that Chris

Paul

skezier

Hi Paul,

My bloods were done every month (and still are fr some reason) and if you haven't had one yet then please do ask your doctor. Don't know about you but I find the capsule shaped ones far easier to swallow than the big round ones but they are the same drug. Good luck Cris

bailey27

Hi
I have been on sulphasalazine for about 11 weeks now. I have had lood test every two weeks. It is a good job because it lowered my iron levels and so needed to go on iron tablets too. you should definately be having blood checked on these tablets.
I havent noticed any differance being on these tablets, I started on one a day and have increased an extra tab a week, I now on 4 a day. No imrpovement for me though!
This is the first DMARD treatment they have tried on me so am guessing when I see rheumy in 2 weeks he'll give me something different.

tkachev

They helped me initially for 3 months then I got more aches and pains and was prescribed more medication.I am still on them(sulfasalazine) and Rheumatologist rates them highly and increased my dose when I had to come off Methotrexate(for hip replacement in July 09) but I dont really see much improvement.I think they work well in combination with other medication,
Best wishes
Elizabeth

kickyloo

Hi,
I've been on them for 5 weeks now (taking 4 per day). I have noticed side effects of some nausea and decreased appetite - nausea is not too bad and the reduced appetite is great after eating everything in sight when I was on steroids!

I am starting to notice an improvement in symptoms now and so am very optomistic about the future.

I'm having monthly blood tests.

Kicky

wibberley

I'm on week 3 with Sulpha and am feeling slightly out of sorts - a bit of nausea and slight headache. Will persevere tho'!

Lois x

jackie1955

Hi Paul,

I have been on Methotrexate for 9 months, now have started Sulphasalazine and Hydroxychloroquine. I believe this is called 'Triple' Therapy, and has proved quite good for a lot of people.

The Sulpha is 1 per day for 1st week, then 2 second week, 3 third week, and finally 4 per day from the fourth week. I have to go every week for the first month to have my blood test, in particular they will want to make sure my liver function is not reacting badly to the new drugs. You MUST make sure you have blood tests done regularly - speak to your gp.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Jackie

blibblob

Hello all

Thanks so much for all your comments and info, I really appreciate your help.

I went to see my GP today and mentioned the blood test. He didn’t say much just took my blood. Great I though what else havn't you told me about??

I found it was interesting about what Elizabeth said about getting the chemist to take them to the GP surgery....thanks for that. Also thanks for the comment about work well in combination with other meds

Im due to see the rhummey next week, so one of the questions will be about doubling the dose , as so far my condition hasn’t changed......Thanks Cris

Thanks Bailey for your input, which I found very interesting. Its sounds like you have had very similar problems to me on the knee front, I’ve sent you a large PM with what has happen to me.

Lois...thanks for that at the start I had a bit of nausea and slight headaches, but gradually they wore off ...tho I did and still have a decreased appetite

The only other side affect I have had is twitching eye???..I don’t know if anybody else has had this?

Thanks to Kicky I loved the, “very optomistic about the future”
And last but not least thanks to Jackie, with the comment about,”'Triple' Therapy, and has proved quite good for a lot of people”. I’ll check with the rhummey next week

Thank you all very much with your experiences, and the time you’ve taken to answer my question.

My I wish you all a pain free weekend !

blibblob

Hello all

Thanks so much for all your comments and info, I really appreciate your help.

I went to see my GP today and mentioned the blood test. He didn’t say much just took my blood.

I found it was interesting about what Elizabeth said about getting the chemist to take them to the GP surgery....thanks for that. Also thanks for the comment about work well in combination with other meds

Im due to see the rhummey next week, so one of the questions will be about doubling the dose , as so far my condition hasn’t changed......Thanks Cris

Thanks Bailey for your input, which I found very interesting. Its sounds like you have had very similar problems to me on the knee front, I’ve sent you a large PM with what has happen to me.

Lois...thanks for that at the start I had a bit of nausea and slight headaches, but gradually they wore off ...tho I did and still have a decreased appetite

The only other side affect I have had is twitching eye???..I don’t know if anybody else has had this?

Thanks to Kicky I loved the, “very optomistic about the future”

And last but not least thanks to Jackie, with the comment about,”'Triple' Therapy, and has proved quite good for a lot of people”. I’ll check with the rhummey next week

Thank you all very much with your experiences, and the time you’ve taken to answer my question.

My I wish you all a pain free weekend !