Recently started Sulfasalazine

[oKerrio]

Hi all first post here after months of reading all your posts it’s a very supportive place to be, now I’m the one who needs advice!

Started Sulfasalazine tablets at 1 a day for a week and gradually worked up to 4 a day for the foreseeable, after being diagnosed with RA a few days after starting on 3 a day I picked up a middle ear infection was given a weeks worth of clarithramycin for that to not touch it, went back to doctors to be given another week of oxytetracyclin and osteoporin ear drops again after a week still totally deaf can’t hear a thIng in left ear, went back to doctors who referred me to a ENT doctor said I should be seen within a week, got a call from Referal service who quoted October 17th!! Took myself to A&E as I felt so bad to be told you have fluid trapped behind your ear drum go back to GP first thing Monday to get referred quicker as you can’t leave it, I have now gone back to my Gp and he can’t seem to get through to an oncall ENT after trying for 2 days on the trot. I’m at my wits end feeling terrible can’t eat due to sick and dizzy feeling which in turn is making it worse taking Sulfasalazine. I have taken every steroid nose spray under the sun to try to release some of the fluid trapped in my middle ear, I really don’t know what more I can do other then wait it out, all the while I’m feeling 105 and I’m only 35! I also have Spina Bifida What with swollen joints back ache and now being deaf life’s just rubbish at mo!

[Elswick]

So sorry to hear your suffering I was on sulfasalazine for about 4 weeks it made me so sleepy lost appetite sickness I rang nurse and I had to come of it straight away I am on methotrexate now been on it 12 weeks slowly getting their I do hope you feel better soon tc hugs

[Hidden]

Sorry to here about what your going through, it must be awful, ear infections are the worst. I’ve been taking sulfasalazine now for 3 yrs, with no side effects, it works great for me. The only thing I can say is for the first few weeks of taking it had a bit of an upset stomach and nausea, but after about 4 weeks it settled down. Another thing is makes your urine turn yellow, but this is perfectly normal. Hope this helps and you are feeling better soon.😊

Lady B

[Amhoarten]

So sorry your having a rough time. I have been taking sulfazalzine for almost two years and been really lucky and not had an issue. I would say if your not already take with lots of water with it. It often takes a while for things to settle but if your struggling with it then maybe it's just not for your. There are other options. I can't tolerate mtx but many can. We are all different. Hope things get better for you x