Sulfasalazine and mouth tastes awful!!

[Rosie_rabbit]

Morning all. I’ve been on sulfasalazine for about a month now and I’ve developed the most awful taste in my mouth all of the time. I know this is a minor side effect compared to some but it makes me want to eat or drink the whole time to try and get rid of the tast … I’ll be the size of a house in a few months 😂

I don’t get a dry mouth with it but I am also getting headaches every evening, not bad ones but they aren’t slightly different from a normal headache. I take the SSZ before bed. I wondered if anyone else has had similar issue with it too please and anything helped? Thanks 😊

[Hidden]

Yes I got all those symptoms. Within 5 days I was useless the headaches were crippling and I was so dizzy. The bad taste in my mouth yuck!! You have done better than me a month .. I didn’t get to a week. I think a chat with your help line they maybe able to help x

[Madmusiclover in reply to Hidden]

Me too! 5 days was enough. Horrendous headache.

[Rosie_rabbit in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, the dizzy bit is interesting … I had a cataract replacement a week after I started the SSZ and I’ve been so disoriented since, I thought it was my eye - it still may be but I wonder if it could be the SSZ?? 🤔

[Hidden in reply to Rosie_rabbit]

Unusual to be dizzy for so long after a cataract op. Keep a diary as symptoms can come and go .🤞🏻it settles for you .

[Rosie_rabbit in reply to Hidden]

Yes me too!! It’s just over 3 weeks now since the cataract op - caused by steroid use as I’m 53! Anyway, I had a multi focal lens in just 1 eye and it’s not been great at all. I feel very disorientated and almost like I’m in a goldfish bowl particularly if I’m out in a large space like a supermarket or walking down the street. Near vision isn’t great either - I’m meant to be able to see distance and reading, the only way I can read is with my old prescription glasses which blur out the new lens 🙄🙄

[Hidden in reply to Rosie_rabbit]

Mmm 🤔 multi focal lenses even for spectacles can be hard to get use too but this must be a nightmare. 3 weeks for this op is a short time . Brain and eye coordination need practice. If you close your eyes are you still dizzy ? If yes I doubt it’s your eye . I’m not a medic this is just my opinion.x

[Boxerlady]

I get the strange taste although I'm not sure if it's the Sulfasalazine, Methotrexate or both because I increased Methotrexate as well as starting Sulfasalazine 🤔 I do also get a dry mouth although suspect that's the RA; my dentist commented on that and advised me to try to keep my mouth moist as the lack of saliva can lead to gum and teeth problems (another joy of RA!) so I sip water/weak squash/fruit tea and also suck sugar-free Polos which also helps with the taste. I haven't had any headaches though.

If it doesn't improve, I'd suggest ringing your rheumy nurse for advice - especially about the headaches.

[Rosie_rabbit in reply to Boxerlady]

Thank you. I hope your meds change works for you 😁

[AgedCrone]

SSZ was the first drug I took & having been told to try it for three months I did just that…never again……I was sick every day…..I don’t recall the nasty taste……..opposite to you…..even the smell of food made me vomit.Speak to your rheumy nurse & suggest you’d like a change……I’m certainly not advocating chopping & changing RA drugs at will, but constant headaches should not have to be tolerated.

[Rosie_rabbit in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you. I have tried quite a few and I’m not overly tolerant of them. I’ve tried a few biological and I’m on Abatacept now and have been for some years which has been great. I’ve just been quite wobbly over the last year so my consultant wanted to introduce something else. We tried hydroxy first, that was awful!!

[springcross]

Hi Rosie. I was on SSZ last year for a few months and bad taste was one of the side effects I had too - that and a dry mouth and nausea amongst other effects.

[Bookworm55]

Interested to see this post as I too have taken sulfasalazine for the last couple of years and often have a strange taste in my mouth - though stupidly I hadn’t linked it to the pills. It varies in intensity from day to day. I also suffer from mild headaches which I guess I can also put down to the sulfasalazine. Luckily for me mine are just minor niggles 🤞but I do feel for those with more severe symptoms.