Sulfasalazine | Arthritis Information

 

Is anyone on sulfasalazine or arava?  I need some real life experiences with both meds. 

Our 23 year old daughter has her official dx now and her rheumy put her on sulfasalazine and I want to know how well it has worked for people and what she can expect while on the medication if it works or doesn't work for her.  I am looking for some real life experience with the medication.

 

Well, it seems that just about every med out there for RA has failed for me including rituxan and of most recent, mtx.  I built up a very bad toxicity to mtx that landed me in the hospital the proud owner of her very own PIC line due to being so dangerously dehydrated they could not get a normal IV in me.  Yeah, I was recently really ill from the mtx.  We are talking about putting me on arava and going back to a mild drug (plaquenil) because of the way the low doses of each effect the immune system.  There was a study that showed low dose of mtx and plaquenil give RELIEF (not remission but relief) to people like me who have had multiple medication failures.  Since I can no longer take mtx they are wanting to try this with arava.  Does arava have the same side effects as the mtx can have?  You know like the stomach issues, fatigue, etc.  I read there can be those but I am more interested in what people taking it experience versus what an internet article tells me.  I need real life experience with this med before I make the decision to go on it.  I have been on plaquenil before so that one is no biggie for me. 

 

For those of you that know me know that our youngest daughter has JRA and I happy to report that she has entered into a remission over the summer with just a couple of minor flare ups with the weather.  She was able to go off her medication for a bit but we have put her back on it as she starts school on the 2nd and we all know that stress can trigger really bad flares.  We all know that junior high is not without it's stresses lol.  We are very happy to see her in this remission and she had a bad patch back in June and had to be hospitalized.  We hope and pray it lasts forever.

 

I have had another grandchild.  Vincent Anthony was born Dec. 3, 2007.  He is the most precious thing in the world to all of us along with his 5 year old sister whom started school this year.  Vinny is most definitely a gramma's boy and clings to me when my daughter is up visiting with the kids.  We see them about every 6 weeks. 

 

Thanks everyone for the info and the help.

 

Sulfersalizine was the first DMARD I was on almost 15 years ago. It worked well for quite sometime. I say that's a great place to start. If it helps her it can buy her a lot of time before moving onto more toxic type medications. Having RA yourself you know that these meds only work so well for so long so it's best to start with the weaker meds and work your way up over time. Save the bigger guns for later in life. She's got a long time to deal with this. I can't say how it works on it's own since I take sulfasalazine along with plaquenil and mtx.  The only thing I can remember when I first started taking it was I had some headaches, but once I increased my water intake, that disappeared.  So make sure she knows to drink a lot of water with sulfasalazine. 

Hi,

   Sulfasalazine is supposed to be good, but it has terrible side effects.  My rhuematologist doesn't want to change mine from Plaquenil to a stronger ones as I am sero negative and the blood tests don't indicate a need to change.   I feel that I need something done as I am having terrible problems with my feet and ankles swelling and hot.  I can hardly walk and am due to start a teaching course tomorrow but don't know if I'll be allowed.

Hi Liz,  I've been on Sulfasalazine for about a year and to date have experienced no side effects.  I'm also on MXT and Humira.  I was prescribed Sulfasal. as a second DMARD because besides RA I have very active PsA.  I'm in clinical RA remission but not PsA remission.  PsA is still active but tolerable and sometimes not even noticable, just some twinges.  I can only assume that Sulfasal. is helping me.  I was diagnosed with severe RA and PsA and I'm not sure that Sulfasal. would have helped as a mono med. but it's working in conjunction with my other meds.  I've had no bowel changes, no skin issues, no headaches.  I hope you daughter does well on the medication.

I don't have any experience with Arava.   Lindy

 

Salfasalazine was my first med with Ra and worked great for about 2 years. I then went to Arava and Enbrel and that seems to be doing pretty good for me. After a few years my Rd wanted me to try Mtx instead of Arava and I was so sick for about 5 days after taking it that after about a month I went back to Arava and have not been sick at all.

Thanks everyone for the great info on the meds.  I knew that the sulfasal. was going to be a pretty mild when I read about it.  She has said that it has taken down some of her swelling but not all of it.  I told her that it may also take a bit for more swelling to go down but I think her initial reaction to the medication has been pretty good.  It is good to know that if she does not get the results she is looking for that she can add arava or mtx with it and that might take care of the rest of the swelling etc.

I just might try arava if it does not have the side effects that mtx does.  I developed a toxicity to the mtx and was one seriously ill individual from it so I can no longer take that either.  Sigh. 

Catherinejanet...I do not know you very well (I used to post here a lot and know a few people) but I am a little troubled by the fact that your rheumy is going by your blood work and the fact that you are sero negative and not how you are clinically presenting yourself to him.  The fact that you are sero negative should only be a small factor if a factor at all in determining your course of treatment. How you present clinically and how you are doing physically and emotionally should be the biggest determining factor in your treatment.  80% of the RA population is sero negative.  I am sero negative...have been sero negative for just about 16 years now and will always be sero negative most likely but have a lot of damage and a raging out of control case of RA at the moment.  I have had my times in the past 16 years that I have been in remission tho.  It is only coming up on 2 years I have been this bad.  The point is tho hunny that maybe you should consider a 2nd opinion on your treatment and the severity of your disease.  Have you had x-rays?  What do they show?  How much damage?  If you are as miserable as you say you are then you really need to be on the phone with your rheumy and telling him/her that or making an appt. so that he/she can actually see the swelling, inflammation, and the pain that is going on with you.  

I am sorry for all the questions I just don't know you and want to make sure that I have all the info on your disease so that I can help you where I can. 

I miss ya Lindy!  I am sorry to hear that your PsA is still active.  I am happy tho that it doesn't give ya too many problems.  Are you guys still traveling or are you in Mexico right now?  How is the hubby?  Ahhh just shoot me a PM lol. 

Lovie...glad to see you are doing well!  That is awesome!  Your little dog is sooooo cute! 

Oh oh remember how I would drive everyone nuts whining and crabbing for a laptop and a wireless network?  Wooot!!!n  I got one finally!!  Took having my knee replaced but ya know lol.  I couldn't be happier and drag the darn thing wherever I go lol.  You would be amazed how many dr. offices are wi-fi'd lol.  I would bring my laptop with me when Danny had to have his cervical and lumbar pain blocks done and be online while he is back there having his procedure done lol.  It beats being bored in the doc office!

Once again thanks for the info and I might be around here and there.  It all depends really on how I am feeling.
Liz, sent you a pm.  LLiz - Hi Liz!
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