User Reviews for Mesalamine (Lialda, Pentasa, and others)

I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 1999. I have been taking Pentasa since then. Started with 4 pills 4x a day and am down to 4 pills 2x a day. My insurance pays for the meds (active duty military) but don't know what will happen when I retire. Overall this medication works wonders.

I GOT MY APPETITE BACK AND WAS NO LONGER NAUSEAS R HAVING DIARRHEA, IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND I NEED TO TAKE IT TO STAY WELL, I HAVE NO MEDICAL INSURANCE AT THIS TIME

WHEN I TAKE IT IN THE MORNING AFTERWARDS I FEEL BETTER

I've now been on this drug for 5 months. I started on 2/day, then was raised to 4/day because I still had symptoms. Last month, my doctor dropped me from 4/day to 2/day and now I'm at 1/day and I still have no symptoms. It seems it takes awhile for it bring you into remission, but I've been there since! As for the comment about not feeling like you have go at all, that happenend to me when I was changing my dosages. Perhaps our bodies just need to adjust.

I have only been on this med for a week. 4 pill each morning. I haven't had any pain but I have not had the urge to "go" all week. Has anyone else experienced this. Oh yeah, my knee joint hurt (or locks) in the front now. This has never happened before.

was diagnosed 5 yrs ago.works great for me,but the cost is unreal. I was taking 800 mg twice a day. I tried taking 400mg twice a day.I have been doing this for 1 yr.seems to be working fine. Dr. says it is fine to play around with the dose a little. no problems yet, if so, i will see dr again

I was diagnosed with moderate left-sided UC about 3 months ago. The Asacol worked great the first six weeks and then tapered off. My GI doc supplemented Canasa suppositories in 2 week course. Whenever I stop taking the Canasa the symptoms start again. Also, notice that I have periods of moderate to severe constipation, followed by moderate to severe diherria, bleeding, muscous, etc. I am always very tired. Ocassionally have nausea, headaches, lightheadedness. Due for a followup in a few w... eeks. Probably will need a sig-flex to see if I've improved or worsen. Having another colonoscopy may push me over the edge. Read More Read Less

I was suffering from Diverticulitis. No drug seemed to touch the infection and ended up having major surgery and 18" taken from my colon. Pentasa is very costly and did not help me.

I've been on Asacol oral for over ten years (800 mg oral twice daily for most of the period) after being diagnosed with distal UC (last 10 cm or so, more like proctitis my doc says) when I was around 30. I'm 41 now. Since my UC has always been distal (scoped maybe 3 times in the last 8 years or so) I also use Asacol suppositories, which are less pleasant to take than just pills of course, and Asacol enemas, which are way less pleasant, during relapse phases (when I see blood or start needing... to go more than 2-3 times daily). I guess they work because they're right there where the trouble is. I'm in one such "relapse" phase now, seeing some blood and needing to go at bit urgently at times, but the pills + enema thing has always brought it back under control in the past and it's been at least 6 years since I've had to take any steroids or anything like that. So overall I guess I'm pretty happy with the Asacol, although of course you can't know if it's the drug or just a "nice" version of the disease. I've had essentially no noticeable side effects in spite of > 10 yrs on the drug, but it's not a miracle cure either: I've had nutrient absorption issues, no doubt exacerbated by the fact that I do an awful lot of sports and therefore need extra Mg etc, but also certainly due to having intestines that don't quite work at 100%. And I've always had a lot of gas, something the Asacol has never helped with. However it's never given me nausea or hair loss or any of the other side effects I've read about on other posts. I did have one major health issue about 5 years back, and it's never fully resolved: for some reason my muscles became what they call "hyperexcitable" (i.e. they twitched all the time, wanted to cramp etc). It even affected my heart (palpitations, with slightly irregular electrical conduction as in the other muscles). This is under control now but it was rough when I first got it in 2003. I've always wondered if it related either to the UC or the meds. Read More Read Less

has reduced my urgent bowel movements and gas slightly

This is my first day on this medication. My doctor gave me some samples to try and when I opened the first blister, I smelled a foul odor. I was just wondering if this was normal? Has anyone else experienced this?

I have had Crohn's for 10 years. Started Pentasa, one week later I was in the ER with chest pain. On exam of my heart I had a stroke from a blood clot. Stopped the Pentasa, no chest pain, started back on the Pentasa and chestpain came back. Bad News!

I have used it over twenty years, 12 tablets down to 5 tablets. No pain,retired no stress, normal bowels. Medication very expensive, needs to be more affordable.

39 and recently diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I have been using this drug for 2 months now and it has worked almost well, It seems to keep me at about 90% bowel quality. due to the cost of the drug I have cut my own dosage from 2/400mg 3x a day to 2x a day and have noticed no change in bowel function. So unless condition worsens I will save the money and stay at 2x a day. I did not experience any pain with this condition until I started taking the Asacol, now I have minor soreness in pelvic... section of my body when I bend or stretch, and I have experienced chest pain also. 1 severe headache lasting many hours. The benefits of this drug for me far outweigh the small amount of side effects due to the fact I have regular bowel movements, back to 1 90% good a day from 5 to 10 0% with blood. Read More Read Less

Put on Asacol for UC. It actually made me worse and I had to go to the ER. I had diarhea 14 times in one day. Was put on Prednisone and taken off Asacol. Uner control on Prednisone. I guess Im one of the unlucky ones is doesnt work on.

I was diagnosed with lower Ulcerative Colitis in 2003 and was on Colozal prior with no change. Once I switched to Asacol I noticed a difference immediately. I have constipation, the opposite symptom of regular Colitis, and this has helped wonderfully. Not happy with the co-pay of $530 for a 3 month supply, and noticing over time loss of hair and loss of sex drive. Was hoping to be off of medicine completely, starting when having a child hopefully in a few years, but was told by my doctor I c... an go off of it for the first tri-mester but would have to resume my dosage afterwards (3-400 mg pills 2xs/day). Works great- nothing is perfect! Read More Read Less

This medication has been very helpful in keeping my Crohn's in remission. I have been diagnosed with Crohn's since I was 21 and I have been on many different kinds of medication including Remicade. This medication has been the best as far as it being in a pill form for me. It is important to take it at the same time everyday to ensure that the medication remains in your system. It was hard for me to remember to take them at the very beginning because I am on 400mg which is three pills three time... s a day and I got in the routine of taking each dose at certain times of the day by setting my alarm on my phone. Other ways may work better for other people. I really don't think that any medication is going to cure you from all complications of Crohn's, but this medication does help prevent your Crohn's from going into a bad flare-up. Read More Read Less

I am a 32 year old woman. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease when I was 19. I started out taking Sulfasalazine, but was allergic to it. This is only my first flare with this disease since I was diagnosed. I manage my condition with exercise and diet, and all this time I haven't been on any medication. It was actually a birth control pill that caused this latest flare. I'm trying Asacol now because flares are serious, but once I'm back under control I'll drop the pills, I personally find that f... or me self management works the best. Read More Read Less