Has anyone taken Pentasa for Crohn's?

[China.Suttle]

My stepdaughter's doctor recently prescribed her Pentasa for Crohn's, and I was wondering if that is the best medicine for her to be on. She is 7, and just started taking Pentasa in the last 24 hours. My husband and I are not very familiar with Crohn's yet, she was only diagnosed with it about 2 months ago, so we are still learning. Please let me know if anyone has ever taken this particular drug, or know someone who has, and what the results were.

 

[whereisthenearestbathroom]

Hi China.Suttle!

I take pentasa and have done for nearly two years. I found it worked for me until recently, although my doc isn't sure if my latest symptoms are a flare or something else. My crohns is relatively mild.

I think it's important to realise that crohns affects everybody differently so what works for one person may not work for someone else.

I'm sorry to hear about your stepdaughter, and at such a young age. On a positive note, at least she now has a diagnoses and the GI can work towards a way to manage her condition.

Hopefully someone else here can shed more light on pentasa and children?

 

[nikimazur]

I took Pentasa when I was originally diagnosed in April 2011, with mild disease. I noticed an improvement of symptoms for a couple of months, but my disease progressed quite rapidly and was forced to move onto some of the more potent drugs. Best of luck!

 

[my little penguin]

Please join us in the parents section
http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

My DS was also dx at age 7 and started on pentasa .
It did nothing and he got worse so he was moved up to 6-mp + EEN .

5-ASA are typically not enough to used as a monotherapy for crohn's.
Especially pediatric crohn's since the disease course tends to be more severe over time.
Children tend to have disease that spreads over 10 years from dx and tends to evolve from inflammatory to stricturing/fistulizing .

Here is link to the pediatruc research section


http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=43002



And finally a thread about pentasa in children
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=44963

Pentasa is referred to by most Gi as about effective as giving aspirin for a brain tumor.
Not going to hurt a lot but not going to help much either .

Crohn's affects multiple layers of the intestine.
But 5-ASA only treat the top most layer like a cream if that makes sense which is why it's very effective in UC.
If only the top most layer is effected then it should work .
Keep in mind it works quickly so you will know either way in 30 days for sure if its going to work .

Wishing you the best .

 

[worriedboy]

Opposed to 10-15 years ago when Pentasa and other 5ASA were the standard "first line" therapy for Crohns, nowadays most -updated- doctors dont go through this stage, as recent studies show poor efficiency over placebo.

Having said that, there was once a great thread by David here at the forum, talking about 5ASA with Crohns - yes or no. There are still few reasons for giving it, but that is mostly done as a combo with other more aggressive medicines.

The common approach today is to use wither immunosuppressants e.g. 6mp/imuran or biologics e.g. remicade/humira.
For short term and inducing remission often a course of steroids is given, e.g. prednisone/budisonide.

Please note that in children, EN (controlled liquid diet) has shows great results for inducing remission, they say it can be effective as steroids even.


Feel well.