How long does it take for Sulfasalazine to get out of your system?

[sportlover5]

Hi guys,

Early on this year I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis, I’m only 20 years old

Naproxen never worked, neither did steroids. I’ve not long had a steroid injection which massively helped and I’ve also recently been prescribed Sulfasalazine and am taking 4 tablets a day.

The first three weeks on them I was fine with no side effects. But this fourth week they have been giving me awful stomach pains so I have been advised to have a few days break from it. Do any of you know how long it takes for Sulfasalazine to get out of my system? I haven’t taken any since yesterday morning and am still suffering with the stomach pains!

Thank you in advance

[bubblyalex]

I’m on week three of Sulfasalazine. Three tablets a day. Going up to 4 on Friday. So far so good for side effects but my knees are complaining more and more and my wrist and shoulder have joined in too now 😔

[sportlover5 in reply to bubblyalex]

Oh no, poor you! I hope your wrist & shoulder start too feel better ASAP!

[cakenomore]

Hi, I took lower dose of sulfa. As soon as I upped it I got some nasty side effects. My doctor told me to stop taking it and it would take 6 weeks to completely get out of my system. The worst of the side effects eased off after 3 days then the longer I was off them the better I felt. I'm going to be taking methotrexate injections instead. It's better on the stomach . Hope this helps and you should feel better soon.

[sportlover5 in reply to cakenomore]

It was when I upped it too, when I started taking 4 a day. 6 weeks seems like such a time! I hope you get on better with the injections. Thank you for your help, I hope you feel better soon too

[Soreknees2016]

I’m having a similar experience - just starting week 4 on Sulfasalazine and everything was fine at first, but since the weekend I have had diahorrea and awful stomach pains, the like of which I have never experienced before. I don’t want to stop taking it as I understand it should get better over time, and my options for other DMARDs are limited due to other health considerations. So just getting by with Imodium for now - and being thankful that lockdown means I can avoid going out! 😜

I do hope someone here will come along and say that it will stop eventually! 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[Pinkypie2018 in reply to Soreknees2016]

I was like that at the start once I got to the four tablets. It lasted about a week and I'm fine now thankfully.

[Soreknees2016 in reply to Pinkypie2018]

That’s good to know - thank you! 😀

[sportlover5 in reply to Pinkypie2018]

Thank you for your reply. I had the stomach pains for a week so I wish I’d carry on taking them a little longer and might have been better now. Thank you

[bubblyalex in reply to Pinkypie2018]

You have to wonder why it changes at 4 so dramatically 😳

[sportlover5 in reply to Soreknees2016]

Exactly the same side effects with me, it is horrible! Hopefully your side effects wear off soon when your body is use to taking more of them. From what I have now heard hopefully the pain will ease the more often you take them and I believe that they are really beneficial and will for sure help in the long term. I hope you feel better soon. Thank you so much!

[Soreknees2016 in reply to sportlover5]

Hope things get better for you too! 😀

[bubblyalex]

Can I ask... do certain foods make things worse. I’m guessing following the BRAT principle might be worth trying until it settles??

[sportlover5 in reply to bubblyalex]

I haven’t noticed if it gets worse/better when eating different foods? Haven’t really thought of a way to find out? What is the brat principle? Haven’t heard of that before. Thank you

[bubblyalex in reply to sportlover5]

It’s for Irritable bowel sufferers and others ... Banana Rice Purée Apple Toast. Basically things that don’t race through so fast and are simpler foods. When my son was a baby if he ever had an upset tummy I moved straight off dairy and onto simpler foods. If I ever have a cold I shift off dairy until I’m better. It makes a huge difference to how bad my asthma gets when ill. I’m thinking ahead to Friday onwards when I hit upping to 4 pills and just wondering if I should prepare myself.

I’m seriously hoping I get my knees back and can keep dropping the Pred down. I haven’t bothered shifting down another notch this week because it’s been too hard.

I hope you will be able to make it through and the Sulfasalazine works.

[sportlover5 in reply to bubblyalex]

Thank you, I’m going to look into that and might give it a try. I think I should also not have dairy for a few days and see if that makes a difference as that would be interesting to know.

Another idea, when I was first diagnosed I had to take naproxen and was advised to take omeprazole which is a stomach lining tablet. If you’re able to get some of those, that might also help? I’ve only just thought about that🤷🏼‍♀️

I’m hoping your knees get better soon, painful/swollen knees really are one of the worse!

Thank you so much for all your help, stay safe 😌

[bubblyalex in reply to sportlover5]

That would be interesting... I am already on lanzoprazole which is basically the same although they might switch me over because apparently you can take a bigger dose of omeprazole.

Stay safe too 👍🏻

[sportlover5 in reply to bubblyalex]

Omeprazole is a 20mg capsule & its 1 a day!

[bubblyalex in reply to sportlover5]

Hmmm they must have got it wrong then. Maybe they got the two meds back to front. Thank you for letting me know.

[Jacey15]

I had an allergic reaction to sulfazalazine and the pharmacist told me it can take up to 2 weeks to completely get it out of your system.

[sportlover5 in reply to Jacey15]

Oh no, poor you. I hope you didn’t suffer too much. Thank you, hopefully it all eases off sooner than 2 weeks. Thank you!

[Jacey15 in reply to sportlover5]

My face swelled up and I was covered in hives. I had to take several antihistamines when it first happened but after that only one or two a day. I seem to remember after a few days I had no symptoms but kept taking the antihistamine for the 2 weeks recommended by the pharmacist.

[Hidden in reply to Jacey15]

I too reacted to sulfasalazine. Within an hour really bad headache told to preserve 4th day very dizzy still told to preserve day 6 swollen tongue, hoarse voice, lips tingling then throat got tight. Took loads of antihistamines called NHS hotline who called an ambulance. Took just over 2 weeks until things settled down