Sulfasalazine blood monitoring

WhaleRoad
WhaleRoad Member Posts: 32
edited 18. Nov 2017, 05:25 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi - what blood tests do people have on sulfasalazine and how often? I've had one lot but I'm not really sure what they're looking for.

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    When I began sulph back in 2002 my bloods were done fortnightly: I can't recall what the regular tests were then but I doubt they differed from what is checked now. The green form asks for CRP (inflammation), LFT (liver function) plus U & E (which I think is to do with the kidneys). The red form asks for FBC (full blood count) and ESR (another inflammation marker). DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • WhaleRoad
    WhaleRoad Member Posts: 32
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Thanks - I found it odd that they were repeating my CRP/ESR after just two weeks, especially as mine are always normal. Habit, I suppose.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I don't think it's habit, I think it a necessity; as the sulph builds in your system they need to ensure that your liver and kidneys are not being affected. When I was taking Enbrel (an anti-TNF) it had a very deleterious effect on my liver, I had no idea because I felt fine, it was the bloods that showed that I was in trouble. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I'm on Sulfasalazine and have been on it for a few years now and have my blood tests every six weeks.

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