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Mesalazine 5ASA

Hi All,

Well after having a few minor issues recently and a small flare I have been put back on the dreaded Pred!! So there goes the natural route right out the window :(

My GI wants to try me on a mild maintenance med called Mesalazine 5ASA as I only have mild crohns so he is hoping that we will only need to target it with a mild drug.. plus Im not keen on the meds to begin with so mild is good for me esp after failing straight up on Imuran and 6mp, these drugs only seemed to make me feel sick all the time.

Just wondering who on here has tried this drug or is currently on it and how they find it to treat this disease and remembering what level of crohns you have as I realise for a lot of you guys it probably did nothing or made things worse as you were beyond having mild crohns!!

Well thanks in advance for any information or tips :)
 

Astra

Moderator
Hiya Tan
lovely to see you again!
hope you're well?

I've been on Pentasa (mesalazine) for 5 years, I take 2 x500mg tablets four times a day! from dx in 2005, Pentasa kept me in remission until January when I had a blockage, this was cos of a number of things tho! one of them not taking my Pentasa! becoming complacent and blase about it!
I'm off all steroids now, Pred and Entocort, just on Pentasa, have occassional loose BMs but that's ok.
I'm a mild case too Tanya, and I believe, like you, I'll stick it out with a 5ASA, and keep the biggies for the future!
Pentasa hasn't given me any side effects and I have no problems with it! These 5ASAs are designed to maintain and ward off future flares, so Yes! try it.
wishing you good luck, you'll be ok with Pentasa (mesalazine)
lotsa luv
Joan xxxx
 
Joan, so nice to hear back from you... glad Pentasa is working for you, give me hope that a mild drug will work out for me too. I noticed you have been on Aza too did that not work out for you.. I had a reaction too it which wasn't pleasant so has kinda scarred me for future medications. I will go to the chemist tomorrow and organise my script not sure what dosage Im on he was also saying something about being granuals (not sure what he was on about) but dare say I will find out more information tomorrow. Go back for another check up in a months time.

Thanks for letting me know your experience with 5ASA it helps to know others who have similar disease to mine (location and being mild) are on similar drugs that help!!

Def leaving the big gun drugs till later on in life :)
 
I take 3 pills 3 times a day of Salo Falk, 2 Imuran, 6-5mg Pred, 1 Mesalazine Enema at night and Humira. I have been in a flare for over a year now and nothing seems to stop this train ride to hell. But I do find that the Mesalazine enema really helps, I'm not sure how you're taking it but hopefully you see results!
 

Astra

Moderator
Hiya Tan

Yes some people have granules? mine are tablets.
I had a terrible allergic reaction to Azathioprine! got urticaria (hives) all over my body within 8 weeks, gastro said he was shocked! I stopped and immediately felt better!
you won't be on Pred long!
good luck
xxxx
 
Mesalamine is very mild, think of it a aspirin that works in the ilieum.

4 x 250mg four times a day. 16 capsules or 4 grams per day.

I had been on it for the past 13 years with no problems, except of course the little confectioner sugar balls, if you know what I mean. ;)
 
i have been on pentasa which is a mild 5asa it worked for a while and now im in another flare which requiring pred and rowasa enemas which is a 5asa enema which helped my rectum calm down and stop the bleeding but when i was told to stop the bleeding and pain has came back.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies.. I put the script in today but have to wait for the chemist to get the meds in as they need to order them from down south or something.. you would think I lived in a small country town but anyhoo mustn't be a med that gets used often.
The granuals way worries me a bit as I noticed everyone else takes heaps of tablets but I have a feeling my GI wanted to try and cut down the amount of tablets I needed to take and with the granuals you can take more or something like that don't go quoting me as I haven't even started on the meds. Will be interesting tho as I hate oral medication and cant handle things that taste bad and not doubt all medication doesn't taste the best especially if its not in tablet form.. but Im up for it want to stick it out and see how I go.

Thanks again and will keep everyone posted how the new meds go.
 
hi tan, i'm on mesalazine, i have been since i was diagnosed with crohn's, i take 6 x 500mg every day, i was initially put on predisolone in conjunction with mesalazine, i still get flare ups, my joints ache, i have zero energy, never able to sleep but i just seem to get on with things.
 
Sorry to hear the natural route isn't working out for you, Tan! Hopefully the 5ASA will do its job though and get you to feeling normal again. Sounds like it has the potential to really help your mild Crohn's! :) Good luck!
 
Well they got the meds in pretty fast collected them last night so took my first lot when I got home.. the granules are actually not that bad they have a vanilla kinda flavour lining so tastes all good. Plus each sachet is 1g so don't need to take as many at present he has only got me on 2grams a day so just need to take a sachet in the morning and night. Fingers cross this works for me and at least helps things stay settled as Im only having small flares every so often so if they settle down a bit then life will be almost normal!! Im also on Pred until I go back to see him in a month have to have tapered down from 40mg to 5mg by then. Can't wait for that as much as pred makes my insides better the bloating, no sleeping etc all gets to me.

Thanks everyone for the support and experiences.
 

Entchen

Chief Dandelion Picker
Hi Tan: So relieved for you that the granules are okay to take (vanilla flavour can only be a bonus?!). Feel better soon.
 
Thank Kelly... I noticed you are on Salofalk I actually think thats what my meds are but the granules... how many tablets do you take each day? Do you take them on an empty stomach? So far Im going ok on them see how I go next week when I start my 4 week taper off Pred!!
I will actually be glad to get off Pred as I find it really affects my sinus.. I get all stuffed up and end up having a bloody nose etc.. not nice at all, I found this happened the last time I was on Pred too so Im assuming that is what is causing it.
 

Entchen

Chief Dandelion Picker
Hi Tanya: How did you find taking the meds today? Are you noticing any side effects, or doing well overall? So sorry to hear about the sinus pain.

I take nine Salofalk pills/day (4500 mg), three when I wake up and then the other two doses of three at varying times, depending on when the first dose was taken. Wasn't advised of anything re. taking on an empty stomach -- were you? I'd be interested to know if there is something I can do to help make sure they are as effective as possible, such as taking them without food. A lack of major change after 2 months is why I'm now taking prednisone, too, and it would be great if a simple change could produce better results with Salofalk alone!

Hope the taper goes really well for you.
 
Hi Kelly,

Doing well thankyou, started my taper on Pred last Wed and since then have noticed my sinus have improved.. also probably didn't help I think I may have had a cold as well!! Do another taper this coming Wed.

Will send you an email with regards to the meds but I had been directed to take them on an empty stomach and have no food for at least 30 mins afterwards.. assuming this is so the meds go thru our system quicker.

Thanks for the support it means alot :)
 
pentasa and salofalk are the first meds I've been put on but they don't seem to be working for me. I hate taking meds so knowing that pentasa was mild with very few side effects was good, but obviously i'm going to have to go onto something else
 
i take 4 x 1 gram sachets of mesalazine a day along side mercaptopurine and humira and i dont have any side affects at all although i first started it 2 years ago after a major resection and it didnt push me into remission hence the humira which i recently started if this doesnt work im not sure what the nxt step is but hope the mesalazine works well for you
 
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