Stopping Sulfasalazine

Sab81

Hi all, I wonder if anyone has any experience similar to mine. I was diagnosed three years ago with mild Psoriatic Arthritis. I suffered mainly from stiffness (no swelling) in my fingers during the night (had steroid injection once), on/off toe pain and was never really on any medication for longer than a month. I was prescribed Sulfasalazine twice, most recently a month and a half ago but had to stop it due to severe side effects. After i started taking Sulfasalazine i felt much worse than before I started it. Since i stopped i keep suffering from constant stiff neck causing headache, back pain, siatica, pain in my hip and my shoulder and arm. I am constantly nauseated as well. I now have no idea whether this is a flare up of arthritis (i am five months post partum) or whether it is Sulfasalazine that messed up my body temporarily. Has anyone had any similar experience whilst taking or coming off the drug? I have not really taken it for long and my dose was the lowest, just one tablet daily.

Ellen

Good morning @Sab81 Welcome to the online community.

First of all I must say congratulations on the birth of your baby.

On the subject of your side effects on sulfasalazine I did a quick search for you so you can see whether any of these stories are similar to yours:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/search?query=sulfasalazine%20side%20effects&scope=site&source=community

I also wondered whether you might find Jessica's story interesting?

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/january/motherhood-and-life-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-jessica-s-story/

Finally I do hope you have an appointment in the pipeline with rheumatology as you do sound to be having some symptoms at the moment and they need to know. There are so many other options for you other than sulfasalazine if it doesn't suit you.

Best wishes

Ellen.

frogmorton

Might be coincidence that you seem to be flaring at the moment @Sab81 but l hope you have a rheumatology apt booked soon or can ring the rheum nurses maybe?

There are quite a few other treatments they can offer you to try to get things more under control.

Hope things ease for you soon

Toni x