sulpha or hydroxy?

caprica

Hey folks,
Needing some advice from you experienced people..

I finally have my ultrasound this coming friday and depending on what it shows I'll get put on medication.

My rheumy said if they see any early tissue damage they'll put me on mtx.

But if everything looks ok, then I can choose between sulphasalazine or hydroxy.

I have the leaflets for both and have looked them up but I really don't know which one to pick, if it comes to that.

From what I gather, hydroxy is maybe a bit milder? I'm maybe leaning more towards sulphasalazine because that takes a bit less time to kick in, but I'm really not sure.

Any advice??

dreamdaisy

Everyone reacts differently to drugs so it's hard to tell when it/they will start to work.

I'm on sulpha, been on it since 2002. I have PA, and it keeps the psoriasis at bay, does nothing for the arthritis. I bruised horrendously for the first ten weeks or so, but then that went and I have no side effects at all. (I do have the yellow-orange wee but, as that doesn't hurt and doesn't make me feel ill, I don't class it as a side effect.)

I have never had the other stuff, so can't comment on that. Good luck with it all. Dreamdaisy

scattered

I've been on both and didn't expereince major side-effects from either. Hydroxy. bleached all my body hair. I was already blonde, but went white blond and looked like I had no eyebrows for a while. It has also made me more sensitive to the sun. Sulph. made me more sensitive to the sun and turned my pee bright yellow.

Neither of them are strong enough to control my RA on their own. I take MTX and Humira with the hydroxy. I tried the sulph on it's own and ended up in a right mess, but the disease has always been very aggressive with me.

Good lluck with which ever one you choose.

frogmorton

HiCaprica

I am on hydroxy and as yet tried nothing else. (trying to keep it like that ) It really is ok (gave me belly ache at first) and I reckon if all is reasonably well I'd give it a go - you can always try something else later on if needs be/?

I hope you are doing ok?? Havent seen you for a while?

Love

Toni xx

caprica

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah it's such a lottery isn't it, I might as well flip a coin!

Toni, how long before the hydroxy helped you? And thanks, I'm fine. Was on holiday last week (wonderful!) and this week I've had a bit of tonsilitis so been in a grump. But the arthritis is behaving which is the main thing. Hope you're well?

frogmorton

Hi Caprica

Hope you had good hols??

The hydroxy worked very quickly (seemed to) as I was quite well at the time and really since then it seems to have 'weakened' my flares if you know what I mean?? at least the vast majority og the time.

Think I was just well when I went on them really

Glad your arthritis is behaving That IS good news Not so good tonsilitis though boo

talke care

Love

Toni xx

tkachev

I am on both. I prefer the Sulfa. The hydroxy has some side effects that can change your vision. It is a rare side effect but still not a nice thought.So you need to get your eyes checked out.
Sulfa helped me for 3 months whereas hydroxy not at all in my opinion.I have been on them years so they must be doing something.

Elizabeth

caprica

Thanks Elizabeth, sorry to hear you only got 3 months out of it though!

Toni, I'm glad you saw results quickly - even if it was a good spell naturally.

My gut feeling is saying sulphasalazine... I don't know why.

Then again maybe this discussion is pointless and they'll just stick me straight on methotrexate. Argh. Hope not, but if it's necessary, it's necessary..

jonny_g

I was on Sulpha for a few years and found that it sometimes gave me painful stomachs and I had to take omeprazole to reduce stomach acid.

I eventually had to come off Sulpha because it gave me tinnitis, which hasn't gone away

breane

Hi, I've been on Hydroxy for over a year and I've had no trouble with it. You do need to have regular yearly eye tests while taking it but it is one of the milder drugs.However, MTX has now been added to my Hydroxy so perhaps the Hydroxy hasn't been strong enough for me.Whichever you try,hope you get good results with it. Breane.x

Starburst

Good luck for your ultrasound, caprica. I hope it goes ok. I took hydroxy for 5 months but I had side-effects, it made me extremely tired and dizzy. It didn't help my arthritis either. I've heard good things about it though. It's better, I think, to start on the milder drugs because if they do work, it's a bonus to live without bad side-effects. I was never offered sulpha, I went straight to mtx.

All the best and keep us updated.
x

caprica

Thanks for the replies guys.

Jonny, what a strange side effect, I'm sorry! Closest I've come to experiencing that is after a loud concert or club night and it's very unpleasant so I hope something can be done for you..

Breane, thanks.. That's my thinking - I obviously want to be put on a 'milder' drug but I need it to be poweful enough to freeze the arthritis. Trouble is they take so long to take effect that in the meantime the arthritis is running wild.. Sigh. Hope your MTX is helping and that it's the right combo to stop the progression now.

Princess, sorry to hear about the side effects. So annoying that we're all so different! I hope the MTX is helping you now?

jordan7j

caprica, just adding my bit too!! been on mtx since July 09, then hydroxy since feb this year and finally sulfa added in April. Cant say its working really. Maybe if I wasngt on them I'd feel differently, who knows? I have an appt with jspecialist nurse next Rhur 20th, so will have a chat. I do still work full time, dont suppose it helps, quite physical looking after little ones, under 2 years. Have been asked "do you need to work?" at the moment yes, so thats my answer. Cant say about which one to go on though, personally I only had nausea with mtx for first few months now ok. Have orange wee from sulfa. Hydroxy nothing so far, but everyone is different, good luck with deciding, its strange sometimes that they ask you to choose, they're supposed to be the experts!!

caprica

thanks Jordan, in the end the doctor said she recommended sulphasalazine so.. that's what we've gone for. Yellow wee... here I come! Lovely..
Hope you're not struggling too much with work!