Sulfasalazine and Indigestion / Weakness

[jillbarnes]

I started taking sulfasalazine a few weeks ago but am getting unpredictable bouts of tiredness, weakness and awful indigestion. Has anyone else experienced these side effects and any advice appreciated.

[RAexperiences]

Hi, I can’t remember if it was indigestion but I had to stop if due to nausea and occasional vomiting. Way too hard on the tummy…

[jillbarnes in reply to RAexperiences]

Thank you for your reply - at present it is just indigestion and fatigue / muscle weakness with only one bout of sickness - but side effects not good.

[RAexperiences in reply to jillbarnes]

That’s hard…🙁

[bpeal1]

Speak to your rheumatology team. If you don’t tell them they’ll assume everything is fine. They can give advice whether it’s likely to be the sulphasalazine causing it or something else. They can also advise whether to continue trying, reduce the dose or try something else.

I’ve taken sulphasalazine for 15 years and never had any problems with it at all (despite having horrible side effects to other things) but a friend of mine ended up in hospital for several days due to side effects from sulphasalazine. We are all different so seeking medical advice is the sensible thing to do. If you have a nurse helpline call them. If not phone the main hospital number and ask for either your consultants secretaries phone number or email address.

[jillbarnes in reply to bpeal1]

thank you for your reply - I will try the helpline today

[Hidden]

Make sure they are ‘coated’. As above, write down any side effects & inform your Rheumatologist.

[jillbarnes in reply to Hidden]

thank you for your reply - they are the coated ones but I will let the rheumatology nurse know.

[Green230461]

Ask for omeprazole to help your stomach 🏋🏻‍♂️

[jillbarnes in reply to Green230461]

thank you I will press ahead and ask for that.

[Green230461 in reply to jillbarnes]

it has helped me for five years👨‍🔬👩‍🔬

[jillbarnes in reply to Green230461]

that is good to hear - did the omeprazole give you any side effects

[Green230461 in reply to jillbarnes]

no it is wonderful no sickness or acid reflux at all 😃

[jillbarnes in reply to Green230461]

thats brilliant - I have got a GP appointment Friday to ask for it

[Green230461 in reply to jillbarnes]

😁

[AgedCrone in reply to Green230461]

That was how Omeprazole affected you…..I found it of no help at all…we are all different & we need to speak to our doctor or rheumy nurse for advice.

[Angjoplin]

Sulfasalazine gave me terrible acid heartburn. Ask either your rhuemy or GP if you have access to one for lansoprazole or similar. It worked wonders for me. The tablets reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. I felt dizzy and naff too when I started taking them, but it wore off as my body for used to them. I took Sulfasalazine for years and it got me into remission for some time. Good luck.

[jillbarnes in reply to Angjoplin]

Thank you that is really helpful and good to hear the dizziness and felling yuk wore off.

[Geordieland]

hi ! I took sulfasalazine for 6 weeks ( alongside 5mgs of Pred ) and had to stop taking it as it left me feeling nauseous all the time ☹️ I’m now on leflunamide and so far 2 weeks in and no sickness 🤞🤞🤞 Had a blood test this morning so also hoping my ALT levels are ok ( methotrexate sent it rocketing from 12 to 327 😩 ! ) we all react differently but this this helps x

[jillbarnes in reply to Geordieland]

thank you great to know if this carries on I can try something else

[Mmrr]

Sulphasalazine increasingly made me very fatigued with heartburn and a wheeze everytime I increased the dose as instructed by rheumatology.

I asked my GP for advice about the increasing wheeze, and how unwell I was feeling, he told me to increase my sulphasalazine. (This was in the early days of my RA experience).

But, knowing the wheeze and sulphasalazine dosage were related I contacted rheumatology who told me not to take any more until seen.

I was given an emergency appointment next day, was seen by my rheumatologist who examined me, listened to my wheeze, diagnosed a salicylic acid allergy and discontinued it immediately.

Lessons learned, always contact rheumatology for advice on the meds they prescribe.

(I'm fine eating foods with salicylic acid in them, it was the high dose in sulphasalazine that was the problem. Although I did get strawberry rashes as a child, when I gorged myself on them).

[jillbarnes in reply to Mmrr]

thank you for the reply - I am due to see GP at end of week so fingers crossed

[Mmrr in reply to jillbarnes]

Take care about advice given on rheumatology issues.

I have had several episodes of poor advice from GPs on rheumatology queries.

[Lovetodanceto]

Hello there yeah all of the above I had to come off it, well I then went onto Methotrexate. I really really would talk to your Team really didn't agree with me. Really hope that helps you. Take care.

[jillbarnes in reply to Lovetodanceto]

thank you I will get in touch with the nurse specialist

[Lovetodanceto]

Welcome take care 🙂