Lialda for Ulcerative Colitis User Reviews

• Anonymous
• December 16, 2016

"My husband died from taking Lialda. He had been taking it for 3 months, and it totally depleted his white blood cells. When he was admitted to the hospital, he was taken to ICU isolation on a Fri. and died Wed. Autopsy confirmed he died from the Lialda!"

• Luc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 26, 2020

"I started taking Lialda in April 2015, 4 tablets a day for my ulcerative colitis. After being sick for many months and in and out of the emergency room, I was ready for something that would help me get my life back. I was having diarrhea with blood multiple times a day, along with abdominal pain and cramps, and down to 106 pounds. Lialda started working almost instantly for me. Within a week, I was no longer having any loose stools, blood, and my pain level was down 80%. I had some side effects such as headaches, chills, fatigue, and dizziness; a small price to pay for how much Lialda helped me and saved my life. I was able to slowly decrease my dose to 2 tablets a day, then 1, and now none. I gained weight and started to feel more like myself again. For me personally, it was a great experience that was worth any side effects that eventually went away after my body was used to the medication. I would definitely recommend Lialda; maybe it can help you like it helped me."

• Sug...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 30, 2018

"Lialda put me in remission for over 12 years. I never experienced any side effects until a few months ago when Lialda almost killed me. It gave me pancreatitis. My lipase was at 10,000, the normal is 0 to 90. I am extremely lucky."

• MAG...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2019

"I have been taking Lialda for 8 weeks. I fought getting started on a prescription as I prefer holistic approaches to healing, but there was way too much stress in my life to be able to focus on that. So I finally attempted a medication and am glad I did. It took about 4 weeks of using it daily. I take 4 tablets in the am with food. After 3 to 4 weeks, the bathroom frequency went from 6 to 8 visits per day to just in the morning. Since then, I have gained 5 pounds, so am thrilled about that as well. At first, the only side effect was sinus-related, but that went away after a couple of weeks. The only thing I have since noticed is my hair more easily breaks when washing my hair, but thinning hair for now sure beats 6 to 8 bathroom visits. It is still a journey to healing, but trying to focus on reducing stress has helped a lot as well. I use a calm app and love it."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 15, 2018

"Initially, when I started taking Lialda, it worked. However, I ignored the side effects because the medication was working well. I pushed aside all the warning signs in my body until my symptoms became severe. I had loss of hair, muscle weakness, fatigue, anxiety, and the final straw was the rash that overcame my body. The doctor did not believe it was due to the Lialda because I was on it for 4 years, however, I know my body better than the doctor and chose to stop taking it. After 2 weeks, I felt like a new person. I am now on Balsalazide Disodium, and for now, it seems to be working fine. Listen to your body despite what the doctor says. Ignoring the warning signs my body was experiencing was ignorance on my part and will never happen again."

• Pea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 3, 2020

"I’ve been taking Lialda for 6 years. I started on a very high dose but have reduced it over the years. I do believe it gives me gas, stomach aches, and I often have soft stools and mild cramping. I spoke to my doctor about it, and he agrees it is probably the Lialda, but I didn’t want to switch in fear a new drug would not be as effective. I can deal with the side effects I have, but I definitely don’t want another flare-up. With that said, it works for me, but with annoying side effects. Also, the price is ridiculous! For a while, I could use coupons, but they aren’t available since a generic was introduced. Thank goodness I have insurance, but it’s still high."

• Car...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 3, 2018

"It worked for me initially, but then stopped working. I didn't really notice any side effects. Have been on 4 pills daily, but will need to be switched to something else. I was getting my medication shipped free to my house through the manufacturer. If you qualify for their program, you get approved within 2 days."

• Lor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 6, 2017

"After years of being told I had IBS-D and it was all in my head, I was finally diagnosed as having UC. I was so sick at that point I was considering going on disability. After two weeks of Lialda, I started to improve and soon could live somewhat of a normal life, although with a very restricted diet. A routine blood test 11 months later showed that my kidneys had been damaged by this anti-inflammatory. I got off Lialda immediately, but four months later my creatinine level is still too high. I never had any kidney trouble before taking Lialda."

• No...
• May 31, 2013

"I have been on several ulcerative colitis medicines for the past 10 years. Lialda has been amazing - I feel like a normal person. Asacol worked for me, but I could never remember to take it 3 times a day. Lialda was 4 pills (a bit big) once in the morning. Lialda has been my life changer. I heard it is outrageously expensive, but with good insurance it is very manageable."

• Tom...
• February 23, 2014

"This is the only mesalamine formulation that prevents my symptoms (with an anti-TNF medication), and since it's taken only in the morning, it's much easier to manage. Zero side effects. Very, very expensive. Sign up for the prescription copay card to make it as affordable as the generics. Note that while the active ingredient is available as generic, the delayed-release action of this brand makes all the difference in my experience."

• Ver...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 19, 2016

"After taking Lialda for 2 years, my hair is very thin. It has not controlled me from going to the bathroom a lot. I started noticing, besides my hair getting thin, having severe headaches. Had to have a blood transfusion, and my urine started getting darker and darker. The straw that broke the camel's back was my tongue and lips swelled, and I had hives all over. They were so severe that I didn't get any sleep, they caused me to have blisters. After 3 trips to the ER, they finally found something to help the hives. I haven't eaten a full meal in over a year due to the fact that my mouth and lips were so sore and painful to eat. When all the side effects started piling up, I just quit taking it and called my gastroenterologist and will see him in 2 weeks."

• Sch...
• January 11, 2013

"I used Lialda for approx 1 month after a relapse of my Ulcerative Colitis. My doctor gave me samples of it. It worked very well. I had been on sulfasalazine for many years and was happy to find something else to take since I didn't have to take as many pills with Lialda. That said, after the samples ran out, I was given a prescription, and when I went to fill it at the pharmacy, I was shocked to see it was going to cost me over $300 for one month's supply, and that was AFTER my insurance paid more than half of it. I normally have a $5.00 copay, so needless to say, I am back on sulfasalazine and dealing with flare-ups again. (I got a discount card from Shire so the prescription would only cost me $120 a month, but that's still too much)."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2020

"I have UC and have switched from Apriso to Lialda this year because of the price, been using it for 7 weeks now and have muscle fatigue and acne. It does seem to be starting to work, having fewer trips to the bathroom than when I switched. Every time I eat even a handful of chips, I have an urge to poop. Hope that goes away. Do plan on going back on Apriso next year after building up HSA funds back up."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2013

"After 8 weeks on Lialda, it did not clear up the blood, still had abdomen tenderness, and caused me to have diarrhea. I did get a discount card, which brought the cost down to $10. If you like this medicine, you should go to their website and see if you can get this card. I got it from my MD."

• Lov...
• April 16, 2015

"****Helpful information**** Search the web for Lialda coupons to get Lialda for $10 a month! I am a 24-year-old who has been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis since age 11. I started on Colazal when I was first diagnosed; but it only continued to keep me in remission for a few years. I was prescribed many other medications that didn't seem to work for me either. Finally, once I was prescribed Lialda, my health and quality of life improved greatly! Lialda is such a lifesaver for me! (Although I still have occasional flare-ups, things calm down when suppositories are used in conjunction with Lialda.)"

• Cor...
• March 9, 2015

"I was diagnosed with UC at 18 years old. After a week in the hospital, they came up with the final diagnosis, and after a few tried meds, they landed me on Lialda, and it worked great for me for 7-8 years, only experiencing flare-ups if I were to drink too much alcohol and lose sleep, which was rare, but in that case, I would need to use prednisone to get back into remission. Healthy diet, sleep, exercise, and Lialda kept me normal! I am 26 now, and I feel my body has built up a tolerance. For the past year, I have been on a low, going to the restroom more than five times a day. Up until now, Lialda was perfect. With the Shire card and health insurance, it was only $10 a month."

• vnd...
• September 1, 2016

"Works fairly well on the ulcers, but the side effects are terrible. Two days in, my knee swelled to twice the normal size, and I can't stand on it. Fever and headache constant. Ache all over. Eyes hurt. Going back to Colazol."

• Dud...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2021

"PT 1: Took Lialda after being diagnosed with UC in 2010, with visible ulcers in the ascending and transverse sections of the colon. I was having severe bleeding with stools, frequent abdominal cramping and gas after meals, frequent diarrhea, and BMs with constant urgency. I took it for 3 years, and in combination with adjusting diet, it cleared the UC symptoms and got me back to normal. I didn't have any severe side effects, it might've made me feel lethargic and overweight at times, which is why I wanted to get off it as soon as I felt better. I had remission for 5 years after I stopped taking it. PT 2: Microscopic colitis came back in the lower colon, and I’ve had no luck with Lialda (generic and brand versions) or Apriso. Had to go on Prednisone twice for flares and have had constant gas, bloating, constipation, and urgency issues for 3 years now. Looking at switching to a biologic pill like Zeposia or Imuran because Xeljanz is now on FDA watch for blood clots."

• Anonymous
• August 28, 2022

"This caused gas, bloating, cramps, and slight nausea. I have no idea why this med didn't work. I figured at 76 years old, who needed the extra pain and agony? Oh, I also had diarrhea, that was not good either. It never stopped."

• SZ0...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 4, 2024

"I love Lialda. I live as if I do not have UC (when I exercise the self-control to properly modulate my diet and habits). I am incredibly grateful."

• Jim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2014

"I have taken Lialda for a month, and my symptoms have stopped. I have side effects of leg cramps. My Dr. did not know about this side effect. Makes me wonder about him."

• syn...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2013

"I have taken Lialda for 3 years, and it works very well for me. The company that makes Lialda has a discount card, so that the cost is $10.00 per month for me after insurance."

• Anonymous
• March 18, 2012

"I have been on this medicine for approximately one and a half weeks, and it has improved my colitis immensely so far, but I don't think I can continue to use it because of the cost."

• gri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 12, 2016

"Took Lialda and was fine for 3 months. No bleeding and had normal stool. Then suddenly I had a skin rash and acne."

• Roo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 28, 2022

"Took Lialda for years, worked great until my insurance would only pay for the generic brand. Started having flare-ups and had to switch to basalamide. Generic Lialda doesn’t work well for me."