Pentasa worked in first few days, but not now

[matty]

i started pentasa 2-500mg 3x daily about 12 days ago and it did help me, i noticed the stomachaches lessoning and had no d. Well today felt more of the familiar stomacache and went and was formed but the last part was small pieces meaninng i know probably to follow is d. I can tell how my stomach feels. can it start helping and then not. also the last 4 days have red blotches on tongue which i think is geographic tongue. I refused to take pills before only 3 times took pred for 5 days each time. I finally start on these and i get this tongue thing which i have never had before. I feel i should have just continueed not taking anything. i feel depressed as i know the pentasa was helping. please some advice please

 

[David]

Hi Matty,

I'm sorry you didn't receive a response until now

Is Pentasa the only medication you're on at present?

All my best to you.

 

[parentnj]

Please talk to your GI as soon as possible. I recommend you stay on your course of treatment until you and your doctor talk and agree to make a change. We had issues introducing Pentasa for our son and had to modulate dosage to build up tolerance and then had to introduce prednisone when Pentasa didn't work on its own. I hope you find relief soon.

 

[matty]

haven't been on here for a week. Yes that is all i take is pentasa. This is going on my 5th week and it was helping, the stomachahces and cramps lessened and haven't had d since taking them. Last couple of days noticed it stomach getting a little more sore and last night had stomach pain all night and some still today. Its all over stomach and down on groin area and back. I would really like to stay on the pentasa but maybe i need something with it for awhile. Could it be the pentasa casuing the pain. Does d have to be with it or could it be another thing besides Crohn's.

 

[parentnj]

Pentasa does cause cramping, bleeding and diarrhea in a small percentage of cases ... unfortunately our son seems to have been one of them. If you are not improving I suggest you talk to your GI about at least adding other medicines to the Pentasa. As long as you have symptoms you almost certainly have inflammation which is causing more and more damage. A short course of prednisone may help ... it provided our son with very quick relief of his symptoms. The trick is keeping the symptoms down as you taper off the pred and that may require something stronger than Pentasa. Our son's GI believes Pentasa is only effective in 10% of Crohn's cases as it only topically treats the inner lining of the intestine.

 

[matty]

thanks, yes i would like to get pred with this for awhile and see what happens. I am going to phone gastro dr. and ask for a prescription. I can't see her until may, she is very busy.

 

[parentnj]

read up on Prednisone side effects before you start so you know what to expect (and hopefully you won't have any of them) ... our son tolerated it well but it did cause some muscle pain and headaches early on and headaches as he tapers. good luck and I hope you find remission soon.

 

[Fosterfamily2303]

Same thing happened to me. It was working great and now 5-6 weeks into it I'm throwing up, stomach pain, headaches, gas etc. eh

 

[kh216]

Is your inflammation in the small intestine, colon or both? I tried Pentasa before but it did not help me at all as my inflammation was mostly in the colon.

 

[Fosterfamily2303]

Mines mostly in my colon

 

[kh216]

Pentasa dissolves before it gets into the colon so it does not help with inflammation of the colon. I tried Pentasa before but it did not help. I have had better results with Asacol Asacol HD, and now Lialda.