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Pentasa
- Thread starter Shari
- Start date
I have been on Pentasa 500mg 2 capsules 4x a day since February. I have not had any side effects, pills are a little large but I can get them down. So far a good experience, I got on a schedule 2 before brushing my teeth, 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner, 2 brushing teeth before bed - that way I don't forget a dosage.
Hope that helps - good luck - don't stress out, these are one of the lower level drugs so I was happy my GI started me on these first.
Hope that helps - good luck - don't stress out, these are one of the lower level drugs so I was happy my GI started me on these first.
- Location
- Northern California, USA
Do you have the version that is large capsules filled with tiny balls? If so you can open the capsules and mix the contents with applesauce or ice cream or pudding - whatever you want really - and take it that way. We did that with my son when he was young.
What else are you on?
What else are you on?
What else am I on? I thought that was alot.... I am a newly diagnosed and actually get to talk to my GI doc on the 22nd. Should I expect to be placed in more? Thi is crazy expensive.
- Location
- Northern California, USA
Most patients are on a maintenance medication that is an immunosuppressant. There are two - Methotrexate (MTX) and Azathioprine (AZA) and it's derivatives Imuran and 6-MP.
Pentasa is generally inadequate to keep you in remission unless you have very mild disease located in the colon. If you have disease in the small intestines then you should expect to be prescribed one of those meds.
The next step up which are biologics - remicade, Humira, Cimzia are their names. These are used first by some doctors who feel that it's better to get you in solid remission quickly (there is research that suggests this is the best strategy for newly diagnosed patients).
Other doctors feel it is better to go with immunosuppresants first since they are less powerful meds and may be sufficient to maintain remission.
From your perspective the immunosuppresants may be less expensive but also may not work and you may get sicker. There is no guarantee with any of these meds that you will go into remission but it is much more likely that you will go and stay in remission when you use these drugs.
Another alternative is to go on a liquid diet using nutrition drinks that have full nutrition. You would do that for at least 8 weeks. Some people do this instead of doing prednisone.
You will want to have a thorough talk with your GI about treatment options. Here's a memory aid that might help - BRAND
B - what are the Benefits of the treatment
R - what are the Risks of the treatment
A - what are the Alternatives
N - what if we do Nothing?
D - Decide
Frankly, for the vast majority of people, Pentasa is not enough to keep them in remission and they are on immunosuppressive meds. These meds take 2 to 4 months to become effective.
another med I didn't mention is Prednisone. This is a rescue medication used sometimes to get someone who is pretty sick into temporary remission until other meds kick in. Prednisone has many bad side effects including things like thinning bones and possibly causing diabetes so it should be used sparingly.
Sorry you have been diagnosed but glad you found the Forum.
Best wishes
Pentasa is generally inadequate to keep you in remission unless you have very mild disease located in the colon. If you have disease in the small intestines then you should expect to be prescribed one of those meds.
The next step up which are biologics - remicade, Humira, Cimzia are their names. These are used first by some doctors who feel that it's better to get you in solid remission quickly (there is research that suggests this is the best strategy for newly diagnosed patients).
Other doctors feel it is better to go with immunosuppresants first since they are less powerful meds and may be sufficient to maintain remission.
From your perspective the immunosuppresants may be less expensive but also may not work and you may get sicker. There is no guarantee with any of these meds that you will go into remission but it is much more likely that you will go and stay in remission when you use these drugs.
Another alternative is to go on a liquid diet using nutrition drinks that have full nutrition. You would do that for at least 8 weeks. Some people do this instead of doing prednisone.
You will want to have a thorough talk with your GI about treatment options. Here's a memory aid that might help - BRAND
B - what are the Benefits of the treatment
R - what are the Risks of the treatment
A - what are the Alternatives
N - what if we do Nothing?
D - Decide
Frankly, for the vast majority of people, Pentasa is not enough to keep them in remission and they are on immunosuppressive meds. These meds take 2 to 4 months to become effective.
another med I didn't mention is Prednisone. This is a rescue medication used sometimes to get someone who is pretty sick into temporary remission until other meds kick in. Prednisone has many bad side effects including things like thinning bones and possibly causing diabetes so it should be used sparingly.
Sorry you have been diagnosed but glad you found the Forum.
Best wishes
I,ve been on penatasa a for two years and initially thought it didn't,t do much,but it has helped me although I,m beginning to think I need a change of melds I,very had no side effects was a bit windy at the start.i,m in Scotland and fortunately we don,t pay for prescriptions.
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
I'm was on pentasa for a few months and honestly the little beads in it upset my colon.
My Gi stopped prescribing it to all his patients last fall because a study came out that showed pentasa is no more effective than a placebo, I believe it was a French study, I'd check it out since it's really expensive, not worth taking it unless you feel it is really helping a lot
My Gi stopped prescribing it to all his patients last fall because a study came out that showed pentasa is no more effective than a placebo, I believe it was a French study, I'd check it out since it's really expensive, not worth taking it unless you feel it is really helping a lot
It elevated my liver numbers so much that my liver wasn't functioning properly. This was only found out after I was hospitalized after my first major flare and was having blood work done daily. I was only on it for 3 weeks....I was immediately taken off of it and had to wait over a month and a half for my liver numbers to go down to normal so that I could start Remicade.
- Location
- India
hey guys.... i'm currently in total remission and taking just 2 tabs of 500mg pentasa in a day. Is this dose sufficient to maintain in remission?
Everyone is different. I can say, though, that 1 gram of mesalamine per day is not that much. For instance, I've seen people on this forum prescribed 4.8 grams mesalamine (delayed release) per day.
So I'd say contact your doctor if you feel the symptoms are returning in the slightest and you will probably get the nod to increase the dose.
Out of curiosity I asked my chemist how much a box of pentasa costs to buy £38 so unfortunately for our friends across the the pond your being ripped off!
You are right. The U.S. patients are the patsies in the pharmaceutical game.
Pentasa is $8.33 per gram of mesalamine (£5.00).
Lialda is $5.83 per gram of mesalamine (£3.50).
India:
Generic Lialda is $0.30 per gram of mesalamine (£0.18)
I stopped taking Pentasa, only after 2 weeks on it, on Wednesday. Am awaiting another appointment with my GI in 4 days. I was on 1g, 4 times daily, so 8 pills total per day. If I thought Delzicol made me have headaches, Pentasa was much worse. Headaches, neck pain, throat pain, pain in my esaphogus (yeah, spelling at night is not working for me, especially being sleep deprived on Prednisone), rash, etc. It was like I was having an allergic reaction but I could breathe the whole time. Almost 2 weeks of being in pain, in a daze, and hurting, my GI took me off the medication and told me to go back to Delzicol if I could tolerate the headaches until my appointment next week where will discuss a different type of medication, most likely Imuran, as we have discussed this in the past. It could be a possible reaction to the blue dye that is used in Pentasa, as I test for an allergy to blue dye, especially cobalt based, on skin and prick allergy testing. For now, prednisone taper and no sleep. I don't know which is a better alternative, but I hope that you are feeling better and if not, you can find the right medication to help.
This depends on your disease (Crohn's, UC) your weight etc. remission usually means no pain or troubles for at least one year. If you have Crohn's the 2 tabs of Pentasa are likely not the reason for you being in remission.