Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Sulfasalazine Reaction - anyone else?

Phew. Those were several **Horrible weeks. Started Sulfasalazine. Worked my way upto 4 tablets of 500mg over 4 weeks. Got to the two week mark and 'just' started to have mild problems: this in hindsight. At three weeks the problems escalated to whoomph, whilst at 4 weeks I managed three days of the 4 tablets before being forced down to the 3 pill dose. just couldn't cope.

Went to the GP. Who prescribed all sorts of various meds to contend with the 'rush' of nastyness. Still hadn't put two and two together, then, **Totally fed up, I STOPPED the SSZ.

So, what happened? First off, stomach gurglings. There were a sounds of guns by night...and day! This progressed eventually to diarrhoea, like crazy. My taste buds changed to being unable to even drink coffee, nothing except for hot water or green tea with lemon and honey. Then couldn't eat, felt soooo darn nauseaus - making up the dog's meals were...horribly sick-making. (Don't think I'll EVER be able to really face chicken EVER *Again!) Then, didn't eat, at all. just couldn't eat a darn thing. It was what anorexics must feel like (all sympathy to em now, I tell ya). Then started shooting mucus and as for the abominable anal leak - well, yea, enough said.

Oh Lordy. That was all too awful. So, in sheer desperation,, I stopped the SSZ. Result? Side effects, gone. They just WENT!

Just left with residual taste buds changes and not much appetite. But this morning DID eat some ham for breakfast, I *felt* like eating ham! Yea. First proper food in hmmmm, about 5 weeks now? Have lost 7lbs - no matter for that. But, unable to take the SSZ. WWWWAAAAHHHH.

Can't take Celebrex any longer, gives me GERD/Reflux (discovered that in this latest meds journey). The GP has me on Nexem - which the FDA withdrew from the USA some time ago and NICE don't much care for but is still used in France and a few other countries including India... Fast running out of options. Just can't believe that I would throw such a HUGE wobbly to the SSZ.

Chest/rib pains back again. Strewth. Just hope the Nexem kicks in fast. Right fed up, me.

Has anyone else suffered any of these side effects to being on Sulfasalazine?

Strangely, whilst on the SSZ it kept an infected tooth under control, now I'm off it for the one week, the infection has blown up into a *huge abscess, gum boil. So now got a GP appt to go pick up some antibiotics. Face all swollen. Oh Lord. Get me to a dentist quick...UK here I come.

Meantime, anyone EVER throw such side effects to the SSZ - including it taking care of tooth infections?

Molly C (France)
Keeping on Keeping on (gotta keep a goin, innit?)

Stormy - NOT Nexium, NEXEN. Which is a pain med. Nexium is a gut med. Easy to confuse the two as the names are soooo very similar The pharmacy is: Therabel Lucien.

Have just seen the GP and have a further script for more NEXEN 100mg tablets. Now to get me to the UK to a dentist. Just seeing about ticketing and routes, as I'll take my car over and also organise the Bath Rheumy Hosp for the pre-assessment to do the two week residential AS course.

Late this afternoon I have an MRI appt for foot, and this evening a birthday dinner to attend. Gonna be a bit of a day methinks!

Nexen (Nimesulide) Therabel Lucien Pharma
Trade name: Nexen Ingredients names: Nimesulide Forms: Granules for Solution; Oral; Nimesulide 100 mg; Tablet; Oral; Nimesulide 100 mg ...

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NEXEN 100MG GLE P SOL BUV
informations médicaments, information sur le médicament nexen 100mg gle p sol buv.

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[ More results from www.vidal.fr ]
Médicament Nexen : Indications, Contre indications, Effets ...
grossesse : l'utilisation de comprimés NEXEN 100 mg est contre-indiquée au cours du ... NEXEN 100 mg Granulé pour solution buvable Boîte de 30 Sachets-dose ...

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Douleur - Rhumatologie - Therabel Lucien Pharma
NEXEN® 100 mg, Tablets (30) (10) Granules for oral solution in sachets (30) ... MONOCRIXO® LP 100 mg. MONOCRIXO® LP 150 mg. MONOCRIXO® LP 200 mg ...

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Hi Molly, ssz is pretty rough on some people, it's well known and I'm surprised you weren't warned about just those symptoms. I'm so sorry... glad you're eating again.

Get your tooth fixed stat... periodontal health has a direct phone line to your inflammation center;

healthy gums = less inflammation

which says stuff like
historically teeth were pulled or antibiotics given for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, which actually treated the periodontitis. The patients got better.

I hope you're back on chicken soon
cc

Thanks CC. No, I had NO idea and the GP didn't warn me, at all. He didn't say a word. Mebbe he thought 'all in the mind' so wont say owt? But, I never ever want to go through that again. IF I had known... Sigh.

Funny thing was, that I had told him when I started the SSZ that I thought it was keeping my tooth under control (which am V. sure it was) then I came off the SSZ as of Wed this week, and presto, side effects GO but HUGE abscess appears! His face when he saw me a couple of hours ago...hahaha Sure as heck NOT 'all in the mind!!' No. It was ALL in the face (like a balloon!) He's told me to get to a dentist pdq. So am phoning through to make appts as soon as staff are back from lunch breaks.

Yes, am right scared that this infection will explode on me - and I think this is the reason for my eye going funny on me in the evening. Hope the antibiotics kick in SOON.

Thanks CC. Your're a brick for knowing. I sure don't want tooth pulled...Oh Lordy me.

Molls

Hey Molly! I haven't been on sulfasalazine yet but my doctor has mentioned it as the next step. I will keep this post in mind. Thanks. Does celebrex cause GERD/acid reflux. I developed GERD after about 18 months of celebrex. Hmmm! Is it normal for your appetite to be lower even after stopping an appetite-suppressing drug. I lost my appetite and a lot of weight on plaquenil and have been really struggling to get back to where I was.

Craig

Hi Molly
Sorry to hear about your reaction to this. I am on SSZ for a very long time now, like about three years, and don't have such strong reactions to it. I don't have a huge appetite (for which I am thankful) and do have some missing taste buds, but that does not bother me.
I am on 4 tablets of 500mg each per day. I am quite sure that without those I would not be able to cope at all! Hope you feel better soon! As far as I know Celebrex has been discontinued in South Africa.
Take care

Hi Molli C,
Sorry to hear about the return of pain. I hope you are still on LDN. Are expected to get the pain?

Regards.

Jay

Oh Molly, I didn't even like reading your reactions. Sounds like mine. It made me so sick with my stomach. I hung on for a while and made sure they gave me the enteric pills but I couldn't handle it.

I have asthama from NSAIDS. I have had bad reactions to all of the Biologics and TNF's that I have tried so I am a no medicine patient. Just trying for pain management and quality of life. Rather discouraging. I keep just holding on to believing that my Lupus won't flare. That is the scary one to not have a med for.

Hugs Molly.
Possi

Only major side-effect I had from sulfasalazine was headache. Only bothered my stomach after morning dose, unless I ate some crackers. Evening dose didn't matter, even 4 hrs after dinner. It sort of seemed to help the IBS symptoms...didn't have as much cramping/diarrhea. But it did nothing for the stiffness/pain in joints. Even up to 3000mg/day. Didn't notice any change in taste..but my nose is messed up and I didn't have a good sense of smell before, so it's pretty hard to make that judgement. Can't blame you for quitting SSZ.