The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: Lialda works great. No rectal bleeding. NO side effects. I started taking it for 4 months and decided to quit taking it after 4 months to see what happens. Never had problems. Haven't gone back to the doctor since.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: Asacol had no impact on my Crohn's flare-ups at all. Until the biologic medicines came out, I had no relief at all. I suggest starting with mild drug like this but to realize that there are so many more options available today if this does not help.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Pentasa (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: My child was diagnosed 05/06. Since that time the only major flare he has had was precipitated by the stomach flu. He is otherwise basically controlled with Pentasa.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Pentasa (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: I have been taking Pentasa for about two months and my condition has improved. I had to lower the dosage after the first three weeks, but am doing well now.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: When I first began using the mesalamine, my symptoms quickly went away. And when they popped back up, I started to use the mesalamine again and, in the same day, my symptoms were almost completely gone.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: Like the others mention, I was put on Asacol after a hospital stay which included high doses of prednisone and transfusions. I was prescribed Asacol and have been flare free for just over 1 year now. Occasionally I experience slight nausea after taking it, but I have found that taking it with a meal reduces or eliminates that problem. I intend to continue to take this medicine because I feel it has allowed me to live a normal life again.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Rowasa (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I have found that it works great for my flare ups. It is to be retained all night, which isn't difficult as long as you do a full tap water bag enema first, empty, wait an hour or so and then inject the Rowasa enema. If you just simply use the Rowasa with a full colon, it becomes quite difficult to retain. If you do the Rowasa immediately after the big enema, you have absorbed too much water and not the medicine of the Rowasa. Bottom line is this: It's no fun, but clean yourself out with at least one full bag enema first, wait and hour and then put it in. This always works for me. I hope it helps.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: I've been taking Asacol since I was 8 years old. So far I like how it works besides the cost, I think that it is a wonderful medication, no side effects for me.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: I was diagnosed with Crohn's at 41 and have been taking this medication since then (approximately 2 years). It has worked perfectly for me and have had no flare ups or side effects. I currently take 2 tablets 3 x a day. I now have my life back.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: My son has Crohn's disease and has done very well on the Asacol. He has no complaints and shows no side effects. He has taken as many as nine tablets per day at one time. I've been very happy with the results, reducing his bouts of diarrhea drastically.
1 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I have been taking Lialda for over three months. I have lymphatic colitis. I was taking 3 pills once daily, now I am taking two. I had horrible side effects when I first started taking the medication - severe cluster headaches, nausea, and numbness in my face. The effects eventually wore off after a week. I still feel like I am not right though but my doctor has encouraged me to continue to take the drug for at least a year. I also have panic disorder which got worse than ever after I started taking Lialda. I finally got back on Effexor. I have lost weight. The colitis started getting better with the Effexor.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: Works great. No side effects and got my condition under control in 1 month after fighting it for over a year on other medicines.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I have take Lialda for 3 weeks and not much improvement. My doctor increased my intake to 3 pills everyday and started me on prednisone. In my opinion prednisone will do most of the work. I do not plan on taking Lialda long term because of side effects of headache, cramping, bloating, etc. This pill does not work fast enough.
3 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis about six months ago and since then I have been on Lialda and it has helped tremendously.
4 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Pentasa (mesalamine) for Crohn's Disease, Maintenance: My Crohn's disease diagnosis followed a routine colonoscopy at age 54. I had unexplained bouts with diarrhea but never thought much of it. Pentasa reduced the frequency from about every three weeks to about every six-eight weeks, and appears to have reduced the inflammation. No obvious side effects, seems to be helping.
5 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Lymphocytic Colitis: I have been on Asacol for about 5 years and it has changed my life. I had diarrhea for about 5 years previously and my doctor and 2 specialists couldn't found anything specific to help it. We moved to another state where the gastric specialist did uncover the problem and I was started on 6 Asacol daily (2 tablets, 3 X a day). It took about 2 months, and one day my diarrhea completely vanished. Gone. After about 8 months I began lowering the pills daily, kept on with 4 a day and am now taking 3 Asacol daily for maintenance. For the past 8 years have been swimming 4 X weekly at a wellness center. Couldn't do that with bowel problems. I had a colonscopy in December 2008, 5 days ago, and all is normal. I'm 72 years.
10 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: After one year of fairly significant ulcerative colitis symptoms, I began taking Lialda. It began working almost immediately. Within a week I started feeling like my old self again. The only changes I've noticed (unsure if they are side effects or new problems??) are tingling in my legs (like restless leg syndrome), sinus issues, sore throat and trouble falling asleep.
10 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I've been on Asacol 12 pills/day (4 pills, 3x/day) and I've been experiencing headaches at least 2x/week. Also, I've had side effects of fatigue & acne. Whether or not these side effects can be completely blamed on the last 4-5 months of asacol use, who really knows. But Asacol has helped control my symptoms almost completely.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: Lialda has given me a decent quality of life again. I've suffered relentlessly for 20 years and finally found a great doctor, who gave me this medication. It's not an overnight fix. I've been taking it for 3 months and it has fixed what I thought was permanently my lot in life. What a fantastic medication !
5 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: Asacol has worked perfectly for me.
I was diagnosed with moderate ulcerative colitis, started taking asacol (along with enemas, for about 2 months), now I'm completely off the enemas and still taking the asacol tablets twice a day at 4 pills per time ( 8 per day). It has been about four months since I've had any sign of my colitis, and I intend to keep taking asacol. I am reducing my dose to 6 pills per day for the next month or two, then I'll go down to 4 pills per day and see if that dosage will keep it away.
I am very pleased with this drug.
8 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Canasa (mesalamine) : I was diagnosed with proctitis (only in the first 7 inches of the rectum) and had pain on and off every 4-5 months for 10 years until I got medicated for it. Canasa is great if you use it when symtoms arise and keep using it 5-10 days after symptom finishes. Remission for me is still 3-4 months but for now Canasa relieves the pain and inflammation.
0 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: It has been very helpful in controlling my UC. I have been taking it since my last episode along with prednisone and it has been a life saver. I have had no really side effects except extra secretion of saliva, but I am starting to feel much better since starting these medicines.
2 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: I have had Ulcerative Colitis for 13 years. Asacol is good for maintenance of active ulcerative colitis.
4 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: I have had ulcerative colitis for 16 years and I am 31 years old. I can tell you that I've been on pretty much every drug out there to control it. Asacol has been the only drug that I can take without getting any horrible side effects and keep my illness under control. It was even safe throughout my pregnancy. I do take anywhere from 8 to 12 pills a day, but it's so worth it.
8 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: At the onset of my ulcerative colitis (UC), I was hospitalized for an extended time. I lost a lot of blood and had a transfusion. I was put on a very high dose of prednisone and was then introduced to Asacol. While on Asacol, I've had just a few minor UC attacks that went away quickly when "upping" the Asacol during the flair-up. I think it's a great drug. I currently take 6 pills a day for maintenance.
7 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: My husband began using Lialda about a week ago, and he's already getting great results: no blood in stool, no abdominal cramps, and his stool is becoming more "normal" by the day. So far so good.
14 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance: I have been using Asacol for about 6 years. At the onset of Ulcerative cholitis, I was on high doses of Prednisone with the Asacol. It took over a year to get stablized, but the past two years have been event free. The only complaint I have is that the Doctor did not explain how Asacol works. I thought it was not working because I was passing whole tablets. I actually was breaking some of the pills thinking I was helping when in fact I was hurting the situation. Now taking 9 x 400mg pills daily.
10 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Canasa (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: This is a 5-ASA suppository. Helpful in gaining control of a mild UC flare. No side effects. Fairly easy to "hold in" compared to Rowasa, but doesn't spread as far, pretty much only the rectum. A little lube helps, I also knock off the rough edges on the blunt end.
16 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Rowasa (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: Effective in gaining control of a moderate UC flare, but awful to use. This is an enema that should be retained - "Held in" all night. This is especially difficult for me during a flare. Don't fart! Stains. Tip- squeeze all the air out before administering.
7 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Asacol (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I've been on Asacol for years - 12 tabs /day. No side effects, easy to take, but sometimes during flares it fails to release. Release is pH dependent (as are some competing drugs), in my case I think that's the problem. This problem is not well publicized, so doctors aren't aware of it.
17 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
Lialda (mesalamine) for Ulcerative Colitis, Active: I've taken Lialda for about a month for my UC using doctor samples. It has reduced my flare ups, although it does take a while and does not work over night, it seems to be working for me. I want to continue taking Lialda and have a perscription from my doctor but can't seem to find a pharmacy that carries it.
My overall rating of Lialda is high because it was working, atleast for me. I would suggest finding out if you can get LIalda in your area before consideration.
25 user(s) found this comment helpful. Did you?YesNo
gu3ra55 said: 
cajunjoy said: 
