Sulfasalazine and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Hil...
• April 7, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I was on sulfasalazine after being diagnosed with PSA. My first arthritis medication. I was also experiencing reactive arthritis when first diagnosed. I started at 1 tablet 2 times a day. I had some quite adverse reactions to start, such as trouble sleeping and nausea. My rheumatologist suggested Humira. After reading up on Humira, I decided it was worth trying to soldier through a longer trial period with sulfasalazine before switching, eating plain food, etc., to minimize the impacts of side effects. I'm so glad I did. Now I'm at 4 tablets a day. All the side effects are now gone, and I can eat normally. Sulfasalazine has reduced joint inflammation to the point that I can exercise. I recommend giving sulfasalazine's side effects a bit of time to equalize."

• Anonymous
• February 29, 2012

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I never got to the full dosage of 2 pills twice a day. I was slowly increasing the dosage from one pill once to one pill once... that's as far as I got. The side effects were horrible. My mother, a breast cancer survivor, likened my side effects to chemo. My mind couldn't focus. I couldn't sleep, yet I was always drowsy. I always noticed that the side effects would ease about 6 hours after taking, then would show 30 min after taking. I finally gave up and changed meds."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 9, 2022

For Crohn's Disease "Diagnosed with Crohn's disease 11 months ago. Was on budesonide, then taper off and put on sulfasalazine 6 pills daily, 3000 mg total. Sulfasalazine worsened knee-down pain in both legs. Also experienced brain fog, anxiety, and depression. Have been off meds for 3 weeks now and feel clear-headed, happier, no depression, leg pain seems so much better. Do have insomnia now. Stopped medicine as new doctor feels I was misdiagnosed. Will find out later this week."

• 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."

• Pam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 23, 2023

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Dizziness, ringing in ears, insomnia from time to time."