I could use some advice about dealing with the side effects of Sulfasalazine or requesting something different. I started taking it 3 months ago and have dealt with terrible fatigue and nausea since though it has helped the diarrhea and joint pain. A few weeks ago I got sick (unrelated spell of vertigo) and stopped taking it because I was overwhelmed and couldn't take the nausea on top of the world spinning. After the vertigo cleared up, I felt on top of the world, had so much energy and no nausea. Unfortunately it was short lived and the Crohn's symptoms came back after about a week.
I talked to my doctor to see if there were other options with fewer side effects and he said there really wasn't. I am a bit confused as to why he didn't recommend one of the other related 5-ASA drugs. He told me if I really couldn't tolerate it we could try Entocort but that the Entocort could stop working after a while and then wasn't sure what we would try next. I guess I am not sick enough to warrant the heavy hitting medications out there. I started the Sulfasalazine back 5 days ago (500mg twice a day) and feel terrible, with nausea and fatigue in addition to the D which has not yet cleared back up.
The reason I am a bit confusing as a patient is that I have a clear Crohn's diagnosis through surgical pathology back in 2005 (abscess in terminal ileum). I was fine for many years on no meds but then over the last 2 years have had near constant D and joint pain, but otherwise I seem to be in remission- meaning no sign of damage through colonoscopy or scans. No one seems to be sure if I am in remission or not. To me the daily reality of the D and pain doesn't make me feel like I am in remission, though of course I am glad they aren't finding physical damage.
If I try and stick with the sulfasalzine will the side effects get better over time? Are there any down sides to going ahead and trying the Entocort and seeing what happens?
Thanks!
I talked to my doctor to see if there were other options with fewer side effects and he said there really wasn't. I am a bit confused as to why he didn't recommend one of the other related 5-ASA drugs. He told me if I really couldn't tolerate it we could try Entocort but that the Entocort could stop working after a while and then wasn't sure what we would try next. I guess I am not sick enough to warrant the heavy hitting medications out there. I started the Sulfasalazine back 5 days ago (500mg twice a day) and feel terrible, with nausea and fatigue in addition to the D which has not yet cleared back up.
The reason I am a bit confusing as a patient is that I have a clear Crohn's diagnosis through surgical pathology back in 2005 (abscess in terminal ileum). I was fine for many years on no meds but then over the last 2 years have had near constant D and joint pain, but otherwise I seem to be in remission- meaning no sign of damage through colonoscopy or scans. No one seems to be sure if I am in remission or not. To me the daily reality of the D and pain doesn't make me feel like I am in remission, though of course I am glad they aren't finding physical damage.
If I try and stick with the sulfasalzine will the side effects get better over time? Are there any down sides to going ahead and trying the Entocort and seeing what happens?
Thanks!