How long for Asacol to kick in?

[Vortex]

Hi folks,

I've been having digestive issues for more than a year now, and after endless stool tests, blood tests, an Ultrasound etc etc, and being told there's nothing wrong with me I finally managed to get a referral to a specialist. Anyway, within a couple of minutes the specialist booked me in for a colonoscopy and said he thought I had Ulcerative Colitis. Anyway I had the examination and this was indeed the verdict.

About three weeks ago I was prescribed Asacol 800 and am taking 3 pills a day (two at breakfast time, one at around lunchtime - with water obviously). Thus far I've not seen any real difference. For a couple of weeks before I had my examination I started getting blood with my stool, before it wasn't too bad at all, but now I've had blood consistantly for about 8 weeks (3 of those whilst on Asacol).

I feel pretty good in general, although perhaps ever-so-slightly having a sick feeling once in a while, but the Asacol hasn't, thus far, seemed to reduce the symptoms at all. If anything I've had more gas.

So, my question - how long should I expect to wait before I see any change? I do have a follow-up appointment coming up, so I will discuss options then, but I would have thought by now I'd see some difference.

Maybe it's the way I'm taking the pills. They're usually before a meal, but not always, and always with water. Should I be stricter with times/amount of food/water?

Thanks, and hello!

Ben

 

[nevilletanner]

hi,

ASACOL is used to try and get the flare up under control, but normally i would have thought at least a few weeks of PREDNISOLONE with it would have been described, then the PRED is normally tapered off untill al you have is the ASACOL to try and help keep it in remission.

i would go to the doctors and say about the asacol on its own is not really upto the challange.

also the way asacol works i actually take the same dose of asacol MR ( modified release) but i make sure its over the full 24 hours, ( 00.00 , 0800 , 1600 )
the way your doing it leaves a large amount of time with nothing and little time with everything.

 

[Vortex]

Thanks for the advice Neville. Honestly my Doctor didn't really give much indication of how/when to take the Asacol at all, which I didn't feel was too helpful!

Anyway I'm back for another consultation very soon so I will mention Prednisolone and see what he says.

 

[nevilletanner]

Thanks for the advice Neville. Honestly my Doctor didn't really give much indication of how/when to take the Asacol at all, which I didn't feel was too helpful!

Anyway I'm back for another consultation very soon so I will mention Prednisolone and see what he says.

Also with Asacol its very important NOT to break or chew the tablet ( must be swallowed hole ) and deffinatly no indigestion remidies before or after the tablet ( 2 hours either side)

take a good look at the warnings on PRED - and i would deffo change the way your taking asacol

one other thing ... what are you eating, this is really important as there are many foods out there that will wkae you worse, i would therefore recommend taking up on a food diary if you havent allready. this alone can help tremondously.

all the best

 

[Vortex]

I did try a food diary for a while. The only thing I could really pinpoint that bothers me particularly was spicy food (which is doubly annoying as I LOVE spicy food!). I do eat a fair amount of bread/baked products though. I guess cutting those out entirely, and replacing with fruit/vegetables would be a good idea eh?

I'll have a good discussion tomorrow. Another issue is I'm supposed to be going away on a trip for 2 months starting in the middle of April. Kinda want to be a bit better than I am for then!!

Also yeah I'll try to be more structured with my Asacol taking and get them as close as possible to every 8 hours! Thanks again

 

[nevilletanner]

hi ,

thats what we are all here for, to try support each other.

just dont rule out the diary - it really does pay off over time.

you might find its only certain spices that make it flare up and not others ( so theres a good reason to carry it on ).

either way .. all the best


*** be careful with fruit, all fruit skin and seeds is high fiber not good !! ***

 

[Vortex]

This is true, I wouldn't want to have to give up on Indian food! I'll give it a go, thanks

As for the fruit/veg thing. Ok maybe I'll forget that idea. Back to the drawing board!

 

[nitty]

If in doubt about how to best take any medicines, I'd always ask a pharmacist rather than a doctor. They're the ones who specifically studied drugs, and they're a massively under-used resource. Doctors obviously know a lot about drugs, but the details are the pharmacist's speciality, and they usually love being asked stuff as that's what they're there for.