Sulphasalazine

[RivieraSun]

Hi Everyone. I have been taking 500mg twice a day for around 18 months. Although medication works reasonably well, with few side effects, I have raised heartbeat and palpitations at some point most days. Have mentioned this to my rheumatologist who said the dose is too low to be the cause but I am not so sure. Anyone else having similar problems?

[AgedCrone]

I do think your rheumy knows what he,s talking about….. I’m sure if they’re the was slightest doubt he would’ve sent you for some tests.

[RivieraSun in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you, I really hope so.

[AgedCrone in reply to RivieraSun]

If you still have these symptoms …..have you thought of having a discussion with your rheumy nurse? Often a consult with a rheumatologist can be more concerned with what tests say….rather than what you say….you might get more help & more time with your nurse? After all the symptoms you mention might be caused by you worrying & getting stressed …not by the SSZ?

[RivieraSun in reply to AgedCrone]

I don't have a rheumatologist nurse to contact, just a consultant. This is my dilemma really, not sure how much anxiety and worry plays a part with this, but I know it's not helping. Seeing GP this week so will discuss further with her but my gut feeling is that the medication is definitely adding problems. Maybe time to change to something else, but was offered lefluminide, which I don't fancy at all reading leaflet. Already had methotrexate which caused other problems. Thank you for your thoughts.

[AgedCrone in reply to RivieraSun]

If you are seeing a consultant in the UK…his rheumatology department will have rheumy nurses…just give the department a call & asked to speak to one of the nurses. It probably won’t be that easy. You will probably have wait for a callback….but once you have found your way round the system it will become easier, & a rheumy nurse will definitely be more use than your GP.

Good as your GP is she probably won’t have very much knowledge about Rheumatology drugs and in fact most of the drugs …Biologics which are usually the way forward now….she can’t prescribe - only your Rheumatologist can prescribe those.

So get in to the system & then you will have some support to discuss how to move forward……I hope it gets sorted soon…but as you have probably gathered by reading posts here, nothing happens in a hurry with RA medication.

[Wannabeabago]

I had the same issues on the lowest dose as well as insomnia. I live in Australia and drove 13 hours from my place to my parent’s house that was 1100 kilometres away in a day… I was wired!

I stopped after that.

[RivieraSun in reply to Wannabeabago]

Thank you, that's really interesting. In my experience I think these medications mess with your head and heighten anxiety. Hope you are doing OK at the moment.

[Wannabeabago]

Yes I’m totally fine and was very soon after stopping that med which I did on my own and then told the Rheumy about. They just do have to accept what you tell them. It’s your body amd you know what’s happening to it! They will just give you a knew med.