Sulfasalazine and Headaches: What Users Say

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I've dealt with joint pains and swelling of my joints that on and off forced me to use crutches at only 22 years old. (And several other symptoms) Prednisone was the only medication helping me deal with the worst of my pains. My doctor suggested I start taking sulfasalazine about 5 months ago and I was shocked at my results. I haven't felt this healthy in a very long time. Sulfasalazine helped me get my life back, and I am so grateful for my results. I've had no side effects that I've noticed except for the headaches I got when I started taking the medication."

• Pus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 17, 2016

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Initially caused severe headaches upon waking. The headaches responded well to Tylenol. Took months to become effective at all, and after that, my rheumy doubled my dose, which took even more months. Total time to achieve a tolerable level of inflammation was 7 months. I finally feel like a more 'normal' person again. It is not 100% effective, but I am satisfied as I do not need to take anything else like an NSAID or other pain meds anymore. I'm glad I didn't give up on it as it is working and is considered one of the more benign DMARDs available. I suffer from inflammatory arthritis (nonspecific/not RA). Check into turmeric (golden paste) to help with inflammation. Praying for a cure for all!"

• the...
• June 25, 2011

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 18 months ago, been on sulfasalazine all time. First 2 months felt sick and headachey, but okay since. Found ringing in ears relieved by having high pillows, i.e. two good ones and a very soft lesser one. Visit Rheumatologist every 6 months, with blood tests every 3 months. Carpel tunnel was very bad prior to taking sulfasalazine. Much better now; keeping well."

• Mog...
• February 26, 2015

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "My reaction was unusual! After the second week, I began to get daily severe headaches and a raised temperature. After the third week, my temperature was quite high and I still had severe headaches. The doctor thought it was an infection. Blood tests showed extremely high CRP, ESR, and raised liver enzymes. I also had extremely low blood pressure. I was taken off sulfasalazine and treated with antibiotics. I improved quickly. I recommenced the medicine, and had exactly the same reaction within a week!"

• Cbs...
• January 22, 2018

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I’ve been on sulfasalazine for RA for about 10 weeks. I increased the dose gradually over 3 weeks. Once I reached the full dose (2000 mg/day), I started noticing side effects. Mostly headaches and nausea. I decided to try to stick it out, and I’m so glad I did. Eventually, side effects went away as I adjusted to the med. Over the past week, I’ve felt better than I have in years! Still have joints that are sore, but the symptoms I have are very mild compared to what they once were. Hoping this continues to improve over the next few months."

• Peg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 10, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I’ve been on the good injection for years, which has been amazing. Due to it not being sold anymore, they have put me on sulfasalazine. I’m on 3 a day now and have constant headaches, pain in my neck, no energy at all, and loss of appetite. I’m dreading taking 4 next week. I just hope my body can adjust to the medication and no side effects."

• aus...
• June 9, 2016

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been on these meds for 6 weeks now. I started with one pill a day, then increased weekly to four pills a day. It has greatly helped with my pain. I'm sleeping better at night and especially within the last week, I have been able to go about life almost how I did pre-diagnosis. So for that part, I would recommend giving it a go. As for side effects, I've been fortunate enough to not experience any type of stomach upset or headaches or anything like that. I have, however, been losing a lot of hair. I can run my hand through very lightly, no tugging whatsoever, and end up with about 20 strands. I can run my hand through continually like this and the same thing happens. No pain from pulling, just falling out. :( Choosing to tough it out for now."

• Tol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2016

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I started on sulfasalazine three months ago. The first four weeks were difficult as I experienced headaches, palpitations, and felt exhausted. I also had severe mouth ulcers and required antibiotic therapy. I found that increasing the dosage weekly was too intense, so I reduced the increase to four weekly and found my body tolerated the increase better. I am now on two in the morning and one in the evening and am starting to see improvement in swelling and flare-ups. I noted that once a flare starts, it is time to increase the dose. I started feeling aches all over this weekend, so I plan to increase to two in the morning and two in the evening. I will update on my progress. NB: I'm in the UK."

• Bec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Diagnosed with RA 9 years ago. Have been on hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate - had liver problems, so have had to come off the metho. Started this drug 2 and a half weeks ago. Mild symptoms at first, nothing too bad, but 3 days ago I upped the dose as prescribed and have had intense head and neck pain since. Pain has been so bad I was taken into the hospital last night. They gave me codeine, oromorph, diazepam, and it was still bad, eventually, I had anti-sickness and IV fluids and was able to sleep for a bit. On waking, I felt improved, although head and neck pain is still there. As yet, I have not taken today’s dose as I’m actually scared the intense pain will return. Confused as to what to do, as very little guidance from specialist or GP! Frustrating."

• pai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I thought my head was going to explode. I started at 2 a day, then went up to 4 a day. I've been on it for about a month now. But not taking it anymore, I've been unable to go to work for 3 days now. Run, run - do not take - it is too much."

• db6...
• July 23, 2017

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Was put on sulfasalazine 2 weeks ago! I've had methotrexate, plus injectable Meteject, leflunomide, and now this traumatizing, horrible stuff. Every single DMARD has had horrendous effects on me. Started sulfasalazine 2 weeks ago and have had continual, nonstop pressure, headaches and sweats, nausea, and feel bloody awful... so, so, so bad. I went away for a week on holiday and I've never felt so ill! It completely ruined my family holiday. These headaches are ruining my life! It feels like someone's got a clamp around my head and has turned the heating up to full blast in my bones and body! Not happy at all. :'("

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2012

Sulfasalazine for Ulcerative Colitis "Upon taking sulfasalazine, I experienced a severe headache, dizziness, bruising on my feet and legs, chills, bloodshot eyes, pain in my joints, hives, and swelling in my face and neck. The headache became so bad I could not get out of bed."

• Tdc...
• February 26, 2017

Sulfasalazine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Nasty stuff. First had extreme tiredness, then stomach pain, diarrhea, headache, fever, chills, rash. Went to emergency. Was on it total of 3 1/2 weeks. Stopped it two days ago, still not well. Maybe go back to methotrexate."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2017

For Ulcerative Colitis "This medicine has completely turned my life around! Just when I was losing hope, I started this medication 1000 mg 4 times a day. I went from having severe gas pain, blood, mucus, a lot of BM, and an uncomfortable distended stomach after I ate to EVERY symptom GONE after the first month of taking this medication! The only side effect I've experienced is that in the first few days of starting the medicine, I had really bad stomach upset, but after day 4, my body started to adjust, and I had my first normal BM in almost a year! I also get headaches randomly, but ibuprofen always knocks it out. Totally worth giving it a shot!"

• Wsw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2022

Sulfasalazine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Taking for 3 weeks. Such severe headaches ended up in the ER. Doesn’t matter if it helps joint pain if the headache is continuous and unbearable. This is a vile drug and would not recommend it to anyone."

• Ven...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2024

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "In the beginning, I had ringing in ears, numbness and tingling in lower extremities, headaches while taking 2 tabs daily - but the swelling and pain of RA decreased significantly. My doctor said he had never heard of this. Well, it's clearly stated in the side effects. I wanted to try again, so I am on 1 tab daily. I sometimes have upper epigastric pain. We will see if I'm able to progress to 2 tabs daily."

• Ana...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2021

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Been on sulfasalazine now for 7 weeks, along with methotrexate. Started off at 1 daily, increasing to 6 daily by week 6. Feel rubbish, nausea, headaches, night sweats, poor sleep, and generally exhausted. RA pain has improved but not at this cost. Need to find something else."

• Sel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 28, 2022

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "After being on sulfasalazine for 7 weeks, I had continually bad headaches and a spinning sensation. I went to the doctor's, who performed neurological tests. I failed each one and had to go to the hospital. I got worse and was unable to walk. After spending 8 days in the hospital and stopping sulfasalazine, I was able to walk out of the hospital, no headaches, no head spinning. I'm awaiting test results from having an MRI scan, CT scan, and lumbar puncture, but I feel back to normal."

• Ric...
• January 13, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I was recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis at the age of 45. Very early stages according to my doctor. He placed me on sulfasalazine. Started 1 pill per day for 2 weeks, then 2 a day the next week, then 3x per day the following week. When I made it to the 3x per day, I had a terrible reaction: severe nausea, headaches, and sensitivity to light, and I noticed I felt weak and was about to go to the emergency room. I stopped immediately and felt better within days. I'm diabetic and tested my blood sugar and did notice a massive drop on this medication. The symptoms I was having could have been low blood sugar. The sulfasalazine may have reacted to my metformin to cause low blood sugar. I was switched to Plaquenil."

• Mrs...
• March 15, 2018

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Diagnosed in 2010, lots of medications, and wore ear muffs daily. In 2017, I began methotrexate and became ill, along with Neurontin and 2 Tylenol 2 times a day with ear muffs. Now, after week 1 of just the sulfa, I stopped the ear muffs, but when I got to week 2 and added the hydroxychloroquine, I needed the ear muffs again. My head hurts bad, constipated, and with hair loss and more pain. So, I stopped the hydroxychloroquine. Today, I took a pill called Ultimate Immunity along with sulfasalazine, 2 pills 2 times a day, 1 prednisone, 1 folic acid. I make a mustard pack and put it under my feet at bedtime and 1 fiber capsule, no ear muffs. The moral to this is finding what works for RA and how to treat the side effects. I put mustard on a paper towel and put it in the pit of my feet at night for the headaches. The fiber is for constipation, the Ultimate Immunity is for the immune system, and the rest is prescribed for the RA and hair loss. I'm 2 months in and LOVING IT. In my opinion, hydroxychloroquine stops the sulfasalazine from working."

• Pus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 11, 2016

For Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis "Sulfasalazine initially caused extreme headaches upon waking, extra strength acetaminophen worked for those. It took months to begin to work, and I eventually got to 4 pills per day. It took an extra six months for it to work well. I still have low-grade inflammation, but at least I am not miserable anymore, can sleep through the night, and get up fairly well. So it did work, but for me, it took a super long time to do so. My CRP dropped to normal (2 from 16.5) well before I felt close to normal."

• Was...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2014

Sulfasalazine for Inflammatory Bowel Disease "In remission, all labs and inflammatory markers normal. No side effects other than a headache once in a while."

• BAD...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2016

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I don't recommend this med... Just two days of taking this and a severe headache every time. Gonna see my rhumy to change this med..."

• Jin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2015

Sulfasalazine for Ulcerative Colitis "Severe headache (seems like my head is gonna explode), nausea, and vomiting."

• che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2023

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I had difficulty sleeping, a mild headache, and nausea, and found it hard to concentrate."