Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active User Reviews (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• February 27, 2009

Mesalamine "I have taken Lialda for 3 weeks and not much improvement. My doctor increased my intake to 3 pills every day 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."

• And...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 24, 2022

"I have been taking mesalamine for over 2 years. I don't believe it's actually working. I have taken it every single night without missing a dose. I have bleeding while going to the bathroom every time I have a bowel movement. I have off-and-on urgency, as in needing to go right now. My bowel movements are between 3 and 6 times a day. The medication is doing nothing to put me into remission. What has helped me: fresh vegetables, 2-3 cups every day, NO MATTER what, I exercise 4-5 days a week for 1 hour, and drink at least 2 glasses of water. Doing this has helped me stop going to the bathroom multiple times a day. Now I go less than three times a day. Changing my lifestyle has had a huge effect on my symptoms, way more than mesalamine. When I stop eating vegetables, I go back to 3+ bowel movements. I still have bleeding, but the vegetables help all the other symptoms. After two years of taking mesalamine every day, I decided to stop. There was no difference in my symptoms with mesalamine."

• May...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 28, 2023

"This is not putting me in remission. I’m on 1.2 grams four times daily and still get flare-ups. Colitis is also attacking my joints as well, so at this point, it’s time to start talking about immunosuppressants."

• 5jl...
• March 23, 2009

Mesalamine "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."

• Cra...
• October 23, 2017

"I was diagnosed with colon cancer seven years ago - stage 2A. About a year after, I had a colonoscopy and was found to have UC at the resection. A few years later, I was also diagnosed with proctitis. When I get a flare 2-3 times a year, I immediately have the enemas filled. It’s a two-week process, but usually after the first four or five days, the inflammation starts to go down. I highly recommend it based on my personal experience."

• Anonymous
• May 25, 2010

Mesalamine "Rowasa is helpful for administering mesalamine to the rectum and lower portion of the colon; my ulcerative colitis is particularly active there (and the Asacol I take is gone before it gets that far). It is a good complement (for me) to the Asacol and prevents the blood that otherwise often shows up in my stool. It is rather messy, though. Administering it is a hassle; it tends to drip. They can give you mild cramps; however, these go away if you lie on your left side for a few minutes to allow the medicine to flow into and coat the lower colon (this works fine for me, as I use it before bed)."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 3, 2015

Mesalamine "Gives me moderate headaches, acne, fatigue, and susceptibility to infections when I use it, but it does help to manage ulcerative colitis. I have to balance between the side effects of the medicine and the intestinal damage. My goal is to use it once a week."

• Mik...
• January 2, 2018

Mesalamine "It has seemed to help me a lot, but it’s whopping expensive. I lucked out on samples and mfg coupons for half a year, then got eaten up by expenses. I like this version much better than the Asacol I had years ago, which caused discomfort and terrible urinary stains from residue. So far with Lialda, the drug seems more concentrated or time-released, with no residue in urine."

• AGi...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 26, 2017

Mesalamine "I've been on Lialda since diagnosis nearly 10 years ago. I started with 2x a day and progressed to 4x a day about 4 years ago. A month ago, I had a bad flare and am now on 6x a day for a couple days + casana (sp?). Which is essentially the same drug, only in suppository. It's already working to clear up my flare, but I'm experiencing acne and jumbled thoughts. Can't wait to drop the suppository once this is under control, hopefully in 1-2 weeks. I don't know how 'Iowa' cured themselves with diet -- I tried that, and Lialda seriously changed my life."

• Anonymous
• September 12, 2011

Mesalamine "It 'sort of' worked for the first few months after my diagnosis, but I was still having symptoms of blood about every other day. The only side effect was some increased hair loss (very noticeable to me, but not to others). It's kind of messy and uncomfortable, terribly awkward if you are sharing a bed with someone, and you are supposed to lay still for a while after you take it, which is a problem for an insomniac. I switched medications to Canasa when I was going to be traveling for a month because a month's supply of Rowasa would have taken up half my suitcase. Canasa ended up working MUCH better and my symptoms were mostly gone a few months after I switched."

• Pai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2023

"Mesalamine helped my UC symptoms, however, I developed little, painful blisters on my eyelids and a skin rash on my face and dark circles under my eyes. I tried switching brands to rule out allergy to inactive ingredients, but that second brand gave me swelling and hive-like welts on each side of my face, between my eyes and my temple, and down towards my cheekbones. It worked well on the UC symptoms, though, but I had to stop taking it because of my allergic reactions, not because it didn’t seem to help the UC symptoms. I was using the suppositories with 1000 mg of mesalamine at bedtime. I would recommend someone try this and see at least how they tolerate it."

• Bel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 26, 2023

"I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, active (U)C in 2016. The inflammation was most on the left side of my colon, and I was taking oral medication. I was fine for a few years, but eventually, the inflammation moved lower, and the medication was not providing the direct effect I needed to be in remission. My doctor added both oral and suppository medication, and I went into full remission. I have been on the suppositories only since October, and I am in full remission. I also take supplements to help me."

• Jak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2023

Mesalamine "First diagnosed December 15, 2022, with pancolitis. Prescribed Lialda, two pills two times a day, and prednisone taper for a month. Within a week, symptoms went away, and I felt the best I had felt in years. After two months, symptoms started coming back, and I’ve currently been in a flare-up for about six weeks with diarrhea and blood and just finished another month of prednisone with no good results. My G.I. doctor is talking about putting me on immune suppressors, but I’m not so sure I’m ready to start that yet. I’m thinking about switching over to sulfasalazine or some other type of medicine before I do immune suppressors. The only side effects that I’ve experienced are mild headaches from time to time."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 24, 2022

"Mesalamine doesn’t work at all for my ulcerative colitis using the oral route and suppository. Been on it for quite a while, and it’s done nothing for me. Time to move on to an immune system suppressant. My GI is going back in for a second look to decide on which type of treatment to try next."

• uc ...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 24, 2022

"I was put on Asacol 19 years ago following UC diagnosis. Inflammation decreased, but flare-ups still happened nonetheless, treated with steroids. Then I read a book by an American doctor recommending a diet free of fruit sugar and lactose. Difficult but not impossible. I had six flare-free years. I lapsed, and the flare-ups came back. Regarding mesalamine: I now find it is making my inflammation worse, so I have stopped taking it, trying to stay off sugars and will take steroids if flare-ups occur."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2022

"I was prescribed Pentasa for my ulcerative colitis. Dosage was 2 pills 4x daily. I stopped taking it halfway through the first box. Side effects were: stiff and sore neck, massive headache, severe back pain with pains in stomach. It wasn’t very easy to take either as it is a flat tablet. They are very hard to swallow, making you gag. It may work for some people, but not for me."

• Pas...
• September 27, 2015

Mesalamine "Have been taking Delzicol for 7 weeks and still not working as does Asacol. 700 dollars later, who do I complain to... I need Asacol after all. Has only calmed things, still unable to eat most things and see no future for me and Delzicol."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 23, 2012

Mesalamine "Most of my symptoms disappeared! As long as I take as directed, I am pain-free! Still have tiredness and occasional low-grade fever, but no bleeding for three years now."

• Wif...
• June 30, 2008

Mesalamine "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."

• Mar...
• February 1, 2016

Mesalamine "I had tons of hair loss, and the medication never did anything for me. My doctor finally agreed to take me off it after 9 months."

• lit...
• January 3, 2011

Mesalamine "I have been taking Lialda for almost 2 years, and it works really well for me. I take one tablet four times a day. I have tried other medications, but they didn't work as well as Lialda."

• Sic...
• April 4, 2010

Mesalamine "This medicine stopped the pain of two severe colon fistulas (fissures?) in about three days. I'm very glad to have had it prescribed, and to my knowledge, no side effects."

• Anonymous
• March 26, 2008

Mesalamine "Tired feeling, abdominal pain, tingling in hands and feet, 4 tablets a day."

• Bel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2019

Mesalamine "Taking Lialda, 2 pills twice a day, lots of bloating, diarrhea, losing hair... time to call Dr. Been on this med for almost a year... now that he upped it, feel it got worse."

• Pea...
• April 11, 2009

Mesalamine "Asacol stopped working and switched to Lialda and right back to remission!"