ASACOL Reviews (MESALAMINE)Average Rating: 3.0 (439 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ASACOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Age oldest to youngest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 |
More on ASACOL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ASACOL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Ulcerative colitis | Extreme hair loss after l month | I found the package insert re:side effects very inadequate. There was no mention of possible hair loss. I quit cold turkey and after 10 days am still losing handsful of hair. | F | 83 | | 10/6/2009 | 3 | UC | bad hair loss. Dry mouth and eyes at night. Restless sleep, joint pain, gas. | I am 75 and had diarrhea for about a year. I kept thinking it would go away. Was afraid to go anywhere for fear I couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough. Finally had a colonoscopy in August 2010. Doctor rec. 400mg of Asacol one in the Am and one in the PM. Did this for 2 weeks and only helped for a couple days at a time, He increased it to 2 tablets in the morning and 2 at night. Which has helped and the diarrhea has not returned to the way it was. I feel secure in going out now. He told me I really didn't have to change my diet and I don't recall him mentioning kidneys but he did say to come back in several months for a blood test. Although I haven't changed my diet, I feel pretty certain it would help. Along with the worry of kidney damage the hair loss has increased significantly in the last 2 weeks. The dry eyes, mouth Etc are easier to put up with than the hair loss. | F | 75 | 4 months 400 mg 2X day | 12/9/2010 | 5 | proctitis/diverticulitis | fatigue. but being my age I cannot blame asacol for that I think, | although I am newcomer using this drug it has worked really well so far and all the problems that have been described by so many people on this site did apply to me for eight months, I was admitted to hospital eventually allowed home and used Predfoam canister to inject into the rectum, followed by Asacol canister after two months on Predfoam,At the same time using these injected foams I was taking Asacol at 3200mg per day which I can only say have greatly eliminated bleeding,gas,diarhea etc but during this eight month flare up I have lost 8.5 kilograms. at the moment I do not eat as much as i used to or any junk food at all so I hope to stay at a non obese level of weight which is well within the safe weight area for my bodies build.I have other health problems like angina and C.O P D but reaching 74 I cant complain but I want to wish all sufferers my best wishe to all of them and hopefully they will get relief somehow for all their suffering. | M | 74 | 3 months 800 3X day | 9/29/2010 | 5 | Lymphocytic colitis | None until a month ago when I began to experience diarrhea again without any warning, also gas, so I was in constant need of location of a bathroom. No change in diet so I thought it may be something "going around." | It was the saving grace for me and I would not be enjoying life without it. I swim laps 4 times a week for exercise. Dr. started me out on 2 pills, 3 times a day. Took 2 months for complete bowel movement satisfaction to one bm a day and this has lasted more than 5 years. I gradually moved down the Asacol to 4 pills daily, then to two daily and this worked well for me. Now am increasing the Asacol again in view of diarrhea again in my life, to 2 pills twice daily and will call Dr. for an appt. and maybe colonoscopy. I am in excellent health with no other symptoms except for some sleeplessness, and I use Lunesta. | F | 74 | 5 years 3X day | 3/5/2010 | 1 | colitis | fatigue, diareah, fever, loss of apetite, confusion, shortness of breath that became congestive heart failure. | After taking the medication for 6 weeks I was advised to stop taking it, ended up in ER and was admitted to hospital with congestive heart failure. No previous heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes or other illness. | F | 73 | 6 weeks | 12/22/2008 | 5 | colon inflamation | None | M | 72 | 3 years 800 2X day | 9/28/2015 | 2 | Collagenous Colitis | I had reached full remission of sympotoms, and was on a tapering dose of Entocort when GI Physician suggested we try to change to Asocol for continued maintenence. After about 7 days bowel activity started to increase again, and progressed to full out diarrha in less than 3 weeks -- even while continuing on low dose Entocort. Asocol was DISCONTINUED, per Physician. He commented that appx. 5% of people are intolerant of this drug. So, I'm really not anxious to try any of the other 5-ASA's either! | I experienced something of what I considered a full court press from either drug's mfg and/or the pharmacy (I couldn't tell which) with heavy additional advertising and urging me to continue with this drug when it came time to renew the prescription. NEVER HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE!! ODD!! Reported this to Dr. who shook his head. ??? | F | 71 | 21 days | 7/25/2009 | 1 | crohns | Terrible hair loss,itchy red scalp | I would like to know how to stop the hair loss. I quit taking asacol a month ago and my hair is still falling out. I don't have much left. | F | 69 | 2 months | 2/14/2009 | 1 | Lymphocytic colitis | Developed high fever 5 days after starting. Quit taking after developing nausea with the fever. Fever subsided and I returned to normal . Resumed taking medication and knee bursitis started along with resumption of high fever. During hospital stay, diarrhea worsened and dosage of Asacol was increased. Fever subsided, but I left hospital with painful knee bursitis. Started taking medication for bursitis, but since it caused nausea, I stopped taking Asacol. My knees got better and I resumed taking Asacol after being off it for one month. Started taking Asacol again and high fever returned along with more diarrhea, loss of appetite, and severe dehydration. Entered hospital and was taken off all medication while being treated for symptoms of kidney failure. After rehydration via IV solutions for three days, I was discharged from hospital. No long taking Asacol and I am completely free of knee pain, fever, and have regained lost weight and normal strength. Colitis has been remedied by Entocort. | If you take this drug, be sure to have your kidney function monitored very closely. The drug has the potential to ruin your kidneys. | M | 69 | 2 months | 2/6/2005 | 5 | crohns | none | this drug has helped me a lot.I have been feeling great with no side effects | F | 68 | 15 years 400 3X day | 5/8/2010 | 5 | UC | runny nose, headache, slight hair loss | I've suffered from UC for over 20 years, but was diagnosed just 3 months ago. Bowel movements have decreased from 10-12 times daily to just 3 or 4. It's marvelous to have some freedom again. | F | 68 | 3 months | 4/16/2009 | 4 | colitis | some itching of skin sometimes i dont take the recommended dosage but then I have a flare up recently some neck and head pain but may not be related to asacol I take 12 tablets a day | F | 68 | 11 years | 2/26/2009 | 2 | to help relieve intestinal pain | tiredness which was aided by starting on small dosage and increasing gradually. weight gain. | secondary indication for gut pain- supposed to work 50% of the time. i took it for 4 months and it didn't do squat. costs a buck/pill. $9/day at the end. had it helped it would have been worth $25/day, although i don't know where i'd have gotten the money. | M | 68 | 120 days | 5/8/2007 | 1 | ulcerative colitis | A plastic anemia | After taking this medicine my husband got a plastic anemia he was healthy except ulcerative colitis | M | 68 | 3 years 30 | 6/8/2016 | 4 | ulcerative colitis | cramping abdominal, diarrhea, bloating | 67 | 2.5 years | 4/29/2001 | 3 | Ulcerative Colitis | I think it is hard to say which came first, the colitis or the bloody diarrhea. I have U.C. for about 1 year now, and have been on various doses of asacol for about that long. Frankly I was shocked to find out that a side effect is bloody diarreha. I am now taking 1600 mg (4 pills) 3 times a day. I also take Prednisone (10 to 60 mg) every day. | I feel tired most of the time and have very little energy. I still have lots of pain, diarrhea, blood, urgency, & 9 - 14 potty trots a day, most of them at night. Needless to say I am not a happy guy. As/If things change I will update this comment. | M | 67 | 1 years | 9/12/2003 | 2 | collagenous colitis | diarrhea and gas | I was diagnosed with collagenous colitis 4 1/2 month ago. Six weeks ago I was put on Asacol after I called my doctor in desperation due to a weekend of non-stop liquid diarrhea...several mishaps where I did not get to the bathroom in time and I actually lost 4 pound in two days. I was also put on a prednisone regime at the same time. I seemed to improve for a few days and then things got bad again (although not as bad). I recently noticed that one of the side effects of Asacol is diarrhea and gas. I asked the doctor if the Asacol might be contributing to the problem. He suggested that I stop taking it for awhile, which I did three days ago. This has been the best three days in four 1/2 months. My stool is almost back to normal, visiting the bathroom just twice in the morning, and I feel well for the first time. I am hoping that this turn around lasts. I am on the prednisone for three more weeks. We'll see... | F | 66 | 6 weeks 400 mg 6X day | 4/11/2011 | 4 | collagenous colitis | hair loss, chest pain | initial response to med was good--15-20 stools/day started to decrease. Night sweats that were part of my colitis symptoms subsided. After two weeks, developed greatly increased diarrhea, low grade fever, recurrance of night sweats, episodes of severe chest pain with radiation to arms, neck pain. these symptoms persisted about 2 weeks, after which they gradually began to subside. Marked improvement with somewhat normal bowel function after 3 months & almost complete return to normal after 6 months. During the 2 week period of severe reaction to the med, also developed pneumonia noted on x ray and higher blood pressure....not sure if these developements were related to Asacol. Can eat most foods now except extremes. | F | 65 | 6 months | 1/20/2010 | 4 | UC | More muscle cramps. Very painful. Sleeplessness, but may also be due to muscle cramps. Cramps everywhere. Legs, back arms hands. Wish I knew if it was the asocal. It is the only medication I am on daily. I do have arthritis and have had both hips replaced. UC was terrible, but I now have trouble only about every two weeks. I thought it was a miracle drug, but NOT if it is causing my cramps. | F | 65 | 1 years | 9/15/2008 | 2 | Non-specific inflammation | SEVERE burning with bowel movements. I'm taking 3 pills a day and this started the 2nd day. I don't take any other medication, so I know this is what's causing it. I dread going to the bathroom because the burning is so severe. My doctor told me it could take at least 3 months to have relief from my pain, but the "cure" is far worse than the condition. The asacol was expensive enough I hate to not take it, but I have a call in to my doctor to see if I can at least reduce the number of times I take it. I can't tolerate it! | F | 65 | 6 days | 11/4/2008 |
ASACOL (MESALAMINE): Mesalamine (also known as 5-aminosalicylic acid) is used to treat certain types of bowel disease (distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis, proctitis). It does not cure these conditions, but it may relieve mild-to-moderate pain and decrease the frequency of diarrhea/bloody stools caused by irritation/swelling in the colon/rectum. Mesalamine is an aminosalicylate anti-inflammatory drug. It is believed to work by blocking the production of certain natural chemicals that may cause pain and swelling. FDA Approval Date: 1992-01-31 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)