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Mesalamine for Crohn's Disease User Reviews

Brand names: Lialda, Pentasa, Apriso, Asacol, Delzicol, Asacol HD, Rowasa, Canasa, Zaldyon, Canasa Pac Rowasa Sulfite Free …show all brand names

Mesalamine has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 28 reviews for the off-label treatment of Crohn's Disease. 68% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 25% reported a negative experience.

Mesalamine rating summary

6.9/10 average rating

28 ratings from 34 user reviews.

Compare all 125 medications used in the treatment of Crohn's Disease.

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18%
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Reviews for Mesalamine

  • Doing...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • April 5, 2017

Lialda (mesalamine) "Ok not enough room on this review to put up my full history. So will be brief. :) So far, tried Asacol and Humira and both did nothing for me. Now I am on Lialda twice a day, 1.2GM tablets. And these are working great. No cramps and limiting me now to about 2 - 3 bowel movements a day. And no bloody stools unlike my past. (10 years diagnosis). I have also changed my diet to a Mediterranean diet with little to no red meat. Mainly chicken and fish for my sources of protein. No deep fried foods. And has worked out great. Also for veggies/greens etc, skip out on any gas producing vegs (broccoli and onions for example). And taking vitamins/iron supplements daily to keep those well maintained."

10 / 10
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30 Report
  • 7year...
  • October 22, 2013

Lialda (mesalamine) "Diagnosed in 2006 with severe Crohns disease. Tried a dozen medications and never had any success or even close to finding remission. Consistent pain, diarrhea, naesua etc.....started Lialda 1.2GM once daily 4 days ago. My pain, naesua and everything stopped within a few hours of first dose except diarrhea, its actually gotten worse and completely watery. Is this normal and if so how long does it typically last. I am SO happy to being 100% pain free for the first time in 7 years without having to use a pain killer just want the diarrhea to stop so I can be more active outside of the hone with my children."

9 / 10
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36 Report
  • Rick...
  • July 6, 2015

Asacol (mesalamine) "I was diagnosed with crohn's disease when I was 27yrs old. I'm now 54. Ive been through 2 fistula removal's and many nights awaken with extreme rectal spasams. no fun! Extreme weight loss and fatigue. My Dr. put me on Asacol 400mg (2 in the morning, and 2 at night). turned my life around. Dr. told me I needed to stay on the medicine for rest of my life. I felt great, put weight back on and then I did a stupid thing. I decided to stop taking it. was doing fine for past 5yrs but its back. weight loss and all other symptoms, cramping, loss of appetite, etc.. If Asacol is working for you, stay on it."

10 / 10
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26 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • September 25, 2019

"mesalamine was great for me. I could finally stop taking more aggressive treatments such as Humira or steroids. I like it because it has worked wonders. Been taking it for a year now, feel better than ever. I have not had any side effects. I feel like I can put Crohns in the back of my mind now. Hopefully for a while at least. Hope everyone reading this finds a treatment that works."

10 / 10
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13 Report
  • ajackie
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • June 20, 2014

Pentasa (mesalamine) "The only reason I gave Pentasa a "9" rating instead of a "10" is due to my having to remember to take 8 capsules a day. This medication has allowed me to live a normal life again...no more excruciating gut pain & no more daily diarrhea. I can actually eat at restaurants now, without worrying when the pain & diarrhea will hit me. I have had no side effects from Pentasa. It has given my life back to me."

9 / 10
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19 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

  • CKing
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 18, 2017

Apriso (mesalamine) "I started taking Apriso after being diagnosed with Crohn's August 2017. My Gastro doctor started me out on the ER capsules in the morning. I didn't really notice many side effects at first. I actually felt better than I've felt in years. Crohn's symptoms are almost completely gone, however, I still have a bad day every now and then. A few weeks in, I'm having horrible pounding headaches, dizzy when I stand from sitting, heart burn, excessive sweating, dry mouth, nausea, food taste metallic, and loss of appetite. I'm afraid if I stop this medication all the Crohn's issue will return. I would rate it a 5 because the med works if you can tolerate the side effects."

5 / 10
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13 Report
  • Urseka
  • November 4, 2017

Lialda (mesalamine) "Diagnosed with Crohn’s after routine Colonscopy 5/2017 and was started on Lialda. No symptoms of Crohn’s other than the discovery of ulcers during Colonscopy. Now having hair loss at temples and fear it will continue and/or get worse. Plus it’s not covered by my insurance and costs over $230.00 a month. My GI says if I don’t take it I risk getting colon cancer. I was basically told it’s better to be broke and bald than have colon cancer. I think there has to be another answer?"

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12 Report
  • Pauling
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • February 26, 2013

Asacol (mesalamine) "I have been on Asacol for 7 years and have only minor flare ups. I have had 3 "flares" in 7 years so I am a fan of Asacol. I take the max dose of 12 per day. I also have colitis. Thanks to insurance my cost is ONLY $200 a month."

8 / 10
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16 Report
  • Anonymous
  • July 16, 2015

Lialda (mesalamine) "With in the first 20 minutes of taking this medication, I started dizzy, disoriented, my mouth had gotten numb . With in 45 minutes I went into full anaphylactic shock and was taken to the er. So unfortunately this isn't for me. I just had my 3rd colonoscopy and actually now have severe Crohn's. Getting ready to start remicaide. I'm nervous but hopefully this will rid the pain and suffering I've been going through."

1 / 10
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13 Report
  • Hal
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 16, 2015

Pentasa (mesalamine) "I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease about a month ago, and I am 15 years old. I take 400mg of Pentasa 3x daily along with other pills to stop inflammation. So far it's been working great. I still get abdominal pain occasionally which is a lot better than it used to be."

8 / 10
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12 Report
  • Bandido
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • February 23, 2018

Asacol HD (mesalamine) "I feel that this medication is of a big help to me. I have had crohns since 2004. I have good days and bad days more good than bad. I can not take any of the new treatments because I have two auto immune disorders. And I feel the risk is to high of bad side effects. I control my crohns with my diet and other otc meds that helps me deal with crohns better. The only problem I have is weight gain. I can not gain weight. Other than that I can live with it!"

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8 Report
  • Anonymous
  • December 4, 2019

"Diagnost with colitis 1984, I'm 61 now ,had remission. I'm taking Lialda and is working. Diet is very important for me . Not having fast foods and greasy foods, deep fried foods and spicy foods. My main issue is stress."

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6 Report
  • Crohn
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 6, 2013

Pentasa (mesalamine) "I had Crohn's with a resection 30 years ago and have been mostly in remission since. Have recently had a bad flare and narrowing at the anastomosis and need to be on medication, but haven't found one that I can handle. Asacol gave me such serious body aching and fatigue that I could not function. Pentasa immediately gave me heart palpitations and arrhythmias so I had to discontinue it."

4 / 10
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11 Report
  • Crohns
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 26, 2019

"Horrible reactions from three separate drugs with mesalamine in them, much worse than crohns flare ups - Asacol, Pentasa and j can’t remember the other. Vomiting, diarrhea, I became so weak I couldn’t hold down food or liquids. While I went through the various treatments (Drug changes) I had to be hospitalized off and on and eventually I had to go on disability. Once I was off those drugs and with the help of steroids I became better."

1 / 10
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5 Report
  • sewing
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 11, 2014

Pentasa (mesalamine) "I had surgery removing 6" of my small intestines. In Dec. 2013 was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, I have been taking Pentasa for about 3 months, since Jan. 2014. It has really helped me but I am losing handfuls of hair every day. I am also having dizzy spells. The hardest side effect to deal with is, every time I have a bowel movement, I have terrible itching inside my rectum. Otherwise I haven't noticed any other side effects yet."

10 / 10
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9 Report
  • Ttra
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • February 17, 2018

Asacol (mesalamine) "Been taking this for 23 years - was doing quite well for a long time 4-6 x 400mg daily. No longer working - had bowel perforation and Chronic pains in large bowel and caecum. I've been on and off steriods for a year so trying azathioprine next week. Bloods returned anaemic low b12 so having injections also low TPMT - heterozygous ( Patients with low activity of TPMT are at a heightened risk of drug-induced bone marrow toxicity due to accumulation of the unmetabolised drug) so can only take low dose of aza. It is important to get checked for this before you start azathioprine. Let’s hope it works !! Sick of being sick and struggling to work."

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5 Report
  • Boynu...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • October 20, 2017

Apriso (mesalamine) "71 y/o male, been on Apriso for 17 months. Was on Asacol, PRN, since 1st dx of "Crohn's colititis" in '03, refined to Crohn's, with stricture @ splenic flexure (caecum) in 2013. In June drove 4000+ miles without butt cushion and have exacerbated hemorrhoids with minor bleeding X3 mos. Saw anesthesia yesterday and ECG looked better than 40 years ago, but worried about H&H (rectal bleeding), liver and kidney enzymes (long terms NSAIDS) and C-reactive protein (indicative of autoimmune antecedents). If labs are OK, will go next week for UGI endo (1st time), and bottom peek, with possible repair of hemis. My Apriso co pay went from $47 to $169/mo.(donut hole) and I wonder if we might switch back to Asacol?"

8 / 10
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5 Report
  • Hawa
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 15, 2015

Apriso (mesalamine) "It caused severe cramps, nausea and more bleeding. I went on vegan diet with no processed foods and took aloe vera juice instead my ulcerative colitis cleared up within a few months."

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26 Report
  • Ronny...
  • October 30, 2014

Apriso (mesalamine) "Didn't work for me. In fact, made things worse. Caused bleeding at a time when that was no longer an issue for me."

1 / 10
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25 Report
  • silver
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • August 5, 2014

Apriso (mesalamine) "Severe vertigo, sweating, vomiting."

1 / 10
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21 Report
  • Anonymous
  • April 2, 2012

Pentasa (mesalamine) "I have had good results with this medicine."

10 / 10
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18 Report
  • TJ003
  • April 18, 2014

Pentasa (mesalamine) "Within one month of starting on Pentasa all my Crohn's symptoms have been completely in remission and have remained so going on 5 years now."

10 / 10
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16 Report
  • TREEman...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • February 18, 2013

Asacol (mesalamine) "I have been taking Asacol HD since I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease almost 3 years ago and have had only one flare-up. This works great for me!"

10 / 10
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16 Report
  • nic...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • April 27, 2013

Asacol (mesalamine) "So far this medicine had slowed down multiple diarrhea problems"

10 / 10
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16 Report
  • Nano...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • April 28, 2013

Asacol (mesalamine) "Has been very effective for maintaining remission of symptoms. Note: had to decrease dose to 400 mg 3 times daily. Passed pills whole at higher dose."

9 / 10
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13 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

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