Octasa 800mg giving me problems???

[TriGirl]

Hi. Currently flaring with UC. I have had 2 short pred courses off GP Feb and Mar waiting to be seen but ended up on IV Steroids 4 days coming home on 10week pred 40 mg taper. My stools have formed slightly and blood not as bad but the mornings 're much worse since I have started to try and eat better. Urgency and bad colic. I feel that I am worse after taking Octasa 800mg . I have recently started this drug again and I'm sure it is making my symptoms worse. Anyone else experienced this? When first diagnosed I had Asacol 800mg and don't remember these symptoms.

[bantam12]

I took Asacol for 15 years and no problems, changed to Octasa and they give me terrible reflux/indigestion, luckily my uc has been in remission for many years so I hope the Octasa isn't going to change that !

Octasa are supposed to be exactly the same as Asacol but obvious not 😕

[MacColl]

I was unexpectedly taken into hospital in autumn 2015 with U. Colitis (and sepsis).

Was very ill, but once discharged, I used BUPA for follow up consultations, and the one I chose is a very reassuring consultant GE.

He put me on Octasa 800 as soon as the steroids had tapered off. 3 capsules per day initially, and after a year, just 2. He said if things threatened to flare up again, I could increase the capsules up to 8 per day if necessary, and not to worry. (Stress being a major contributor.)

I haven't see him for over a year now, and still on 2 capsules each day, as he felt that I'd benefit from remaining on them for maintenance of remission.

They actually seem to be one of the few pharmaceutical drugs that I can take without much in the way of side effects.

He also recommended Ranitidine if indigestion/reflux got too troublesome.

I do get a bit of indigestion now and then, but nothing much, and I do follow the diet guidelines carefully ...no way I want that to come back if I can help it!