Sulfasalazine experience

[MyBy]

I am presently on 6 tabs of 500 mg sulfasalzine and it has done nothing for my Psoriatic Arthritis.

I started Otezla on Oct 16th so I will see if this is effective then I can then decrease Sulfasalazine.

The enthesitis Achilles Tendon is the most debilitating and frustrating because it makes it very

difficult for me to walk. I have had two knee replacements in order to walk and now I cannot walk

because of the enthesitis.

[dwsurquhart]

I hate seeing people suffer on meds that don't work. I was on sulfasalazine 4 pills per day, no relief, Rheumy told me to go to 6 pills for a week and report back, no change, then told to go to 2 pills per day and report back. No change. He then said that those pills were not working and then we tried humira (weird skin lesions) so stopped it, started Anakinra (daily sub q injections). Did not work. Started on tocilizumab infusions 6 years ago and still on it. Works to keep all my symptoms in check. Wish I could have started on this as I would still be working. Too bad it took 3 years of damage to find the drug that works.

Hope you find some relief from your symptoms.

Scott

[Jackie1947 in reply to dwsurquhart]

Normally this is one of the starter drugs and if they don't do anything you then progress up the ladder. NICE have to approve biological drugs (UK) so you have to prove Sulphzasine isn't working or makes little difference . I've been on Sulphasazine for 16 years and only last year progressed to Benipali .

[rmros]

It's really hard to treat the tendon problems of PsA with medication. Once you're stable medication might help prevent future flare-ups, but you need to see a podiatrist/biomechanics specialist who can give you exercises and possibly other treatments for your Achilles issues.

I had laser therapy with limited success, then was offered shockwave treatment but didn't have it because they insisted on 12 weeks of supervised gym physio first and I have a full-time job so couldn't do it.

I had to stop sulfasalazine due to intolerable side effects and it was only marginally helpful for my joints. Sorted out a lot of my bowel problems though.