Anyone take sulfasalazine? | Arthritis Information

Hi, has anyone ever taken sulfasalazine? I am being hijacked by my daughter to have a second RD opinion. I am currently on AP and have never taken aything else for RA or SD. I am pretty sure the RD will want to start me on mtx, Plaq or sulfasalazine. From what I have read, sulfa sounds like the least dangerous. Any thoughts will be appreciated. Pat

I've been taking sulfasalazine for a few years now. No real problems with it. Just a few headaches when I started it...but they went away after drinking more water. So just make sure you drink plenty of water while taking it. Not sure it'll do much for you on it's own though. Same as plaquenil. On it's own it did nothing for me.

Good luck!

Kelly

Took it for a while. Didn't really do much. SorryI took it for about a year and didn't love the first few days of stomach, gas and more fun stuff like that. After, it was okay, but I blamed my outbreaks of hives and rashes and sunlight on the sulfa drugs. In my 3rd week of MTX since stopping sulfa. I still have problems w/ sun and hives, so who knows? But I did okay w/ sulfa and relafin and plaquinil. Good luck. I'm sure you will be taking regular labs to monitor your liver and such.I took it very briefly (a few months at most) whilst waiting to start on Humira. My rheumy started me on it as he thought the funding would take longer to come through than it did.

It didn't do much, as it can take up to 6 months to kick in and start working, but even with the MTX which is meant to take 3 months to work, I could feel things slowly getting better over the first month.

As for side effect, luminous wee, nausea, nothing much more than that. I know I shouldn't but i sort of welcomed the nausea, in the hope it would help me lose weight that I'd gained from steroid use!

Interesting what you say about drinking more water, Kelstev, come to think of it I was always v thirsty whilst taking it. Never made the sulfa link though!

I was on sulfa for 6 months after being allergic to MTX. It appeared to improve things slightly after about 2 months but that was very short-lived and it quickly stopped being effective.

Had no bad reactions to it though. Got good advice here about drinking lots while on it to avoid headaches and it does turn your pee bright yellow. I wasn't always very good at remembering to take my eveneing dose either

Have since switched to Arava and Plaquenil and so far no probs with them. Been on them a month and my bloods are looking normal for the first time in nearly a year!

I've been on SSZ for 3 months. The only side effects so far are the thirst monster and a slight rash on upper arms with too much sun. It has helped the pain, but not the fatigue.

Thanks to everyone for your replies - sounds like this drug can be somewhat helpful, but is not the final answer. Guess I will see what the RD has to say, I am really afraid of the side effects of mtx and Plaquenil. Actually, I think I could live with the pain (most of the time anyway) if I could just get rid of some of the debilitating fatigue and total lack of energy. Oh, and get a good night's sleep! Pat

I was on it and found out I was allergic to it. Nothing new to me. Ihave lots of allergies. Allergic to mtx too and lots of seasonal, and environmental allergies. I have to take benedryl with my humira or I break out in hives. Good luck to you. THis disease is so frustrating because it's such a trial and err. Some meds work for some people and some don't. I hope you find the right mix soon!

take care

Sulfasalazine.. I just found out that there is an adverse reaction to taking this drug if you take PABA. PABA is in my daily vitamin B's. Doctor never tells you these things. Look it up on what NOT to take with sulfa.... However, I don't think it ever worked for me. I am asking him to take me off of it, it is an ANTIBIOTIC class. I am also asking to lower my MTX since Humira is working from first injection, except for bruises I get elsewhere on my arm from it. But so does sulfa cause bruising. There is so much to read on all the drugs we take and the DOCTORS DO NOT KNOW HALF OF THE CONTRAINDICATIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS.

BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR AND recheck everything you take. All information is on line.

Sulfasalazine completely turned my r/a and my life around. when i started taking it 20 years ago, i couldn't walk without pain, couldn't button my shirts. i was a mess. my rheumatologist put me on 6x500mg salazopyrine a day and said if it worked for me it would take 10 weeks before the improvement became apparent. just on 10 weeks later the inflammatory response started easing off. i started walking, and even running a bit. i had no side-effects to speak of and was able to go back to the gymn, swim and hike. medical papers have been written about the efficacy of salazopyrine in some trials, and i'm sure a google search will find them for you. i still take salazopyrine today and although i do go through rough times occasionally, it's been a lifesaver for me.
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