Taking Pentasa?

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My Butt Hurts

My Butt Hurts

Squeals-a-lot!
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Do you take/have you taken pentasa?
I have the little granules that are inside the capsule in my poop. Sometimes a lot of them, sometimes not so much. I just didn't know if that was normal, or if they should all be dissolved by the time it comes out. They almost seem like little seeds. Couldn't that be irritating to the gut??
 
My Butt Hurts said:
Do you take/have you taken pentasa?
I have the little granules that are inside the capsule in my poop. Sometimes a lot of them, sometimes not so much. I just didn't know if that was normal, or if they should all be dissolved by the time it comes out. They almost seem like little seeds. Couldn't that be irritating to the gut??
Click to expand...

To be honest, I'd have thought that they should have been absorbed by that point. I wonder if they're going through too quickly to work? You might want to mention it to your doc.
 
I had that same problem when I was on Pentasa many years ago. They were passing through my system too quickly so they switched my meds. I guess that's why it never worked for me.
 
hippie4lyfe said:
i take 8 pentasa a day and dont feel it helps, who knows
Click to expand...

Asacol did nothing for me. I know a number of other people with crohn's as well, and it did nothing for them either. We're all on Azathioprine now.

I think someone dug up some info that said Asa was more of a benefit for people with UC. I can't remember who though.
 
My Butt Hurts said:
Do you take/have you taken pentasa?
I have the little granules that are inside the capsule in my poop. Sometimes a lot of them, sometimes not so much. I just didn't know if that was normal, or if they should all be dissolved by the time it comes out. They almost seem like little seeds. Couldn't that be irritating to the gut??
Click to expand...


Sounds like you are not alone.
I too have the same issues with the Pentasa. I am on 1000mg 3X daily, so I usually will notice it pretty often in my stool. I didn't think anything of it at first, but ultimately it would seem to me that it is just passing thru my system not doing a darn thing.

Let me know what you GI doc says about it. I too need to bring this up to him as it is too costly to just poop out this expensive drug with no benefit at all !
 
NCWaves said:
Sounds like you are not alone.
I too have the same issues with the Pentasa. I am on 1000mg 3X daily, so I usually will notice it pretty often in my stool. I didn't think anything of it at first, but ultimately it would seem to me that it is just passing thru my system not doing a darn thing.

Let me know what you GI doc says about it. I too need to bring this up to him as it is too costly to just poop out this expensive drug with no benefit at all !
Click to expand...

Yeah you're literally flushing it down the drain.
 
Creepy Lurker said:
Asacol did nothing for me. I know a number of other people with crohn's as well, and it did nothing for them either. We're all on Azathioprine now.

I think someone dug up some info that said Asa was more of a benefit for people with UC. I can't remember who though.
Click to expand...


creepy what is azathioprine? are there side effects? maybe i should consider switching. also, i hate taking 8 of pentasa pills a day.
 
hippie4lyfe said:
creepy what is azathioprine? are there side effects? maybe i should consider switching. also, i hate taking 8 of pentasa pills a day.
Click to expand...

Aza= Imuran
 
Forgot to mention that most take the Pentasa in conjuction with the Imuran.
Pentasa is more specific for the small intestine/bowel area while the asacol is more for the large intestine.
Have you seen any of the tiny pentasa pellets in your stool? Some have described the presence of it in their stool, which means we are pooping it away!!!!
 
I asked my doc about my seeing this in my poo,this drug cost me 75$ a month to be flushing away I don't have diahrea so I know its not going threw my system to fast. Anyway so I told my doc that my poop looks like it candy sprinkled he said its normal the meds are being absorbed out of the white shell you are just pooping the shell out the meds are out of it..
Jenn
 
hippie4lyfe said:
creepy what is azathioprine? are there side effects? maybe i should consider switching. also, i hate taking 8 of pentasa pills a day.
Click to expand...

Hippie, 5asa drugs are about as innocent as Crohns meds get other than something like Immodium. I know you're againt meds, but quantity is practically irrelevent, if the # is your concern. Also, AZA/Imuran is NOT less risky than Asacol/Pentasa....trust me.
 
I said this in the other thread, but you have to be careful of what is exiting your body, is it the shell, or the whole pill? It's gross, but you have to look closely, to see if the shell is cracked and hollow, otherwise it's the entire pill. Big difference.
 
The problem with pentasa is that it's a blue plastic shell (mine is anyways) with tiny pellets inside. The pellets are what you see in the toilet. Who knows if they are actually broken down, or just another shell, but they are too tiny to tell.
 
BWS1982 said:
Hippie, 5asa drugs are about as innocent as Crohns meds get other than something like Immodium. I know you're againt meds, but quantity is practically irrelevent, if the # is your concern. Also, AZA/Imuran is NOT less risky than Asacol/Pentasa....trust me.
Click to expand...

Haha it is just annoying to have to take so many pills. My pill container is enormous and its already almost full. That was my only concern with pent.
 
Interesting. Pentasa is (likely) what I'll be put on sometime this week. I think my doc is starting things out conservatively.
 
My asacol's were red, and when you have bloodly stools all the time you may as well give me camoflauge-classed ones.
 
Hahaha that is how it was for me when I first started taking Asacol. I was like "how in the hell am I going to see a red pill in this?" But then it started to work and I knew I wasn't passing it whole.
 
hippie4lyfe said:
gojohnny they usually start with pentasa and some type of corticosteroid to reduce the inflammations.
Click to expand...

Well, I certainly do need something because I'm having difficulty managing via diet and supplements. It's rapidly getting worse. Yesterday I started getting the sharp gut pains and spent most of my time in bed.

I had really hoped to avoid this situation. I'm not really up on the various Crohn's drugs and the various side effects, but I don't seem to have any choice.
 
gojohnny - i hate meds too, but pentasa is probably the least of worries from all the different agents they use with cd. not that id take it lightly, but its prob the least side effects.
 
Here's a gross question -
How far away from your butt have you found a little Pentasa granule??
I am NOT answering that question until someone else does!!
I swear those suckers have legs.
 
I've been taking Pentasa for a while now and I feel it works great for me. Its the same med as Sulfasalizine without the Sulfa . I too have the little pellets but was told b4 hand it would happen. The blue capsule doesnt breakdown until it hits the colon. then those little pellets are released and absorbed into the affected areas. Not all of them make it but thats why we take 8 pills a day. Its made a difference in my stool in only a few weeks and my inflammation has been brought down to mild.
 
My Butt Hurts said:
The problem with pentasa is that it's a blue plastic shell (mine is anyways) with tiny pellets inside. The pellets are what you see in the toilet. Who knows if they are actually broken down, or just another shell, but they are too tiny to tell.
Click to expand...

Dont worry. I did but I asked my doctor and he said that sometimes they dont all get absorbed into your system so some of those little stuff in your stool means nothing. hopes this helps.
 
My pentasa is NOT a capsule! Its a white flat round pill that dissolves nicely, and ive been taking it for years. Ive never noticed any seeds in my poop, and i know that it has had effect against my crohns

Perhaps you should mention to your doctor this different kind of pentasa, it might be better than what you get in the US.
 
My Butt Hurts said:
Do you take/have you taken pentasa?
I have the little granules that are inside the capsule in my poop. Sometimes a lot of them, sometimes not so much. I just didn't know if that was normal, or if they should all be dissolved by the time it comes out. They almost seem like little seeds. Couldn't that be irritating to the gut??
Click to expand...

I found references online to the fact that the granules are not supposed to dissolve completely. The medicine is inside the coating of the granule.

The capsule is made by one company and sold in the US and the enteric coated tablet is made by a different Canadian company and sold in Canada. Apart from this it would seem that there is a "delayed" release version as well as an "extended" release version. At any rate, the capsules are extended release.
 
I am new with Crohn's, very very new... long story, but I wanted to ask you guys how long do I have to wait to see if pentasa works? I have been taking it only for a month.. Doctor said I need at least three months...

I also asked her about the white little things in the stool and she said that is normal and it doesn't mean that Pentasa hasn't been absorved
 
But my doctor said that the white little things on my stool doesn't mean that it is not being absorbed. It has been only one month should I wait longer? Also what other medicine did you get? I am scared of imuran but I would love to hear your case. I added you on Facebook. Thanks
 
If you really want to know, inspect the white specks in your stool. If they are solid, they didn't absorb. If it is just the white shell, then they have absorbed.
 

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