ASACOL Reviews (MESALAMINE)Average Rating: 3.0 (439 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ASACOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from shortest to longest duration (reviews with no time reported listed first). 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 |
| 5 | IBD | M | 36 | | 1/13/2003 | 4 | ulcerative colitis | Hair loss | F | 47 | 2 800 mg 3X day | 9/13/2010 Patient History | 4 | Ulcerative Colitis | NO side effects -- except that during my third flare, when we couldn't get the diarrhea under control using both prednisone and Asacol, it turned out that the Asacol was actually causing the diarrhea. So now it will have to be a crap shoot - who knows whether it will be a silver bullet, ending the diarrhea, cramping and pain and giving me back my life, or something that keeps me stuck at home, unable to risk moving far from the john. | I took 4.8 G / day, divided into either 2 or 3 doses, my choice. During my first bout with Ulcerative Colitis, Asacol was a miracle in a bottle - it completely stopped the endless cramping and diarrhea. I took the full dosage (12 - 400mg tabs/day) for several months, then tapered off very slowly and maintained remission for three years. I had a flare, went right back on Asacol and voila! nearly instant remission. Again, tapered off after taking it for a couple of months, but remission was short-lived. Now for the bad news: the next flare, the symptoms were only marginally controlled, even though I was taking both prednisone and Asacol. I was getting desperate, and finally, my GI suggested that I stop the Asacol, which apparently sometimes causes diarrhea. To my shock, within a day or two, the diarrhea stopped. Unfortunately, I have not stayed symptom-free, and 4 months later I am still on prednisone and struggling to get control of this disease. Bottom line: when it worked, it was like a miracle drug. How ironic that it then began to cause the very symptoms it had been surpressing! I wish I could find something else as good. I had no other side effects. No nausea, no hair loss, or anything like that. So the question each time I flare will be: does it work, or does it make things worse? And that will be determined by trial and error. | F | 55 | 4.8 G 1X day | 9/12/2011 | 4 | no diagnosis yet | I have been very fatigued and have noticed about a 5 lb weight gain in 3 weeks of taking asacol. I also have more headaches. | I do notice when I miss a dose that the pain returns, and have frequent soft stools. | F | 23 | | 8/9/2005 | 4 | | 8/13/2005 | 3 | uc | Dry eyes with recurring pink eye, dry mouth with recurring thrush, decreased sense of smell, jt pain, freq. urination, flatulence... | I've been on asacol for 5 years but recently the thrush and pink eye boughts really got me upset, but at least it prompted me to this website so I now know about the deadly kidney failure side effects and WILL NEVER TAKE IT AGAIN...I am going to go with probiotics! | F | 51 | | 5/11/2008 | 3 | UC | extreme hair loss, frequent urination at night, fatigue, mild headaches, lower back pain at times | was using it with prednisone and canasa for about 3 months. now just with canasa for an additional 2. does anyone know how to deal with the hair loss? | F | 14 | | 3/17/2009 | 2 | Ulcerative colitis | Acne, hair loss, dry eyes. | Although its side effects aren't as bad as predisone's, Asacol's were still annoying considering it didn't work for me. I later found out I didn't need Asacol or any drugs at all. Although my doctors told me, as if it were a matter of scientific knowledge, diet doesn't matter, for me, diet does matter. Diet is the only way I was able to get my disease in remission--avoiding sugars, especially artificial sugars, not eating processed foods, avoiding dairy as much as possible, eating less meat. Probiotics are also a great help, and did more for me than any drug. | M | 19 | | 6/5/2008 | 2 | ulcerative colitis | Headaches,neck pain,joint pain, fatigue, worsening bloody diarrhea. Today I woke up with swelling and pain to my left lower eyelid. | Tried Pentasa first for three weeks. Thought I was going crazy with the side effects. My GI switched me to Asacol...thought I might tolerate it better since it is designed to be absorbed more in the colon and not in the small intestine. Having same problems with Asacol | F | 53 | | 1/8/2007 | 2 | Crohn's | I was just diagnosed with Crohn's after a colonoscopy. I don't believe I have any symptoms other then some small ulcers in the colon. The Dr. wants me to start on asacol, but without symptoms why should I? It appears that there are alot of side effects that are worse then the symptoms I don't have. Any advise? | F | 49 | | 8/18/2007 | 2 | Crohns | Acne, and pain passing the emply shell | I have been on Asacol for almost 1 year now, I am not pleased with it at all. I have never had an acne problem in my life and not my face, chest, and back is covered. Its terrible my self-confidence isn't the same. Also passing the empty shell is very unpleasent. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor soon and I am hoping I can be switched to a knew drug, or none at all. I have only had one flare up since I started taking the medicine but I can't handle the acne! :( Any Suggestions?? | F | 21 | | 12/4/2007 | 1 | UC or Crohn's | hair loss, depression, acne, dry, red eyes; nausea, vomiting, headaches, profuse sweating | M | 32 | | 8/5/2008 | 1 | crohn's disease | joints swelled up - very painful - unable to walk! | nothing noticed but only VERY briefly on... | F | 26 | | 3/23/2003 | 1 | UC | Hair loss, cystic acne, bumps all over body. | M | 31 | 1200 4X day | 4/13/2010 | 1 | colitis | hair loss, acne, red eyes | it didn't work. | | 8/24/2008 | 1 | colitis | severe shortness of breath, interstitial pnumonia diagnosis. Death occured from this drug use | dont use it. | F | 61 | | 4/14/2009 | 1 | UC | I think it's probably safe at low doses, but at high doses, Asacol can be a very dangerous drug. If your doctor wants you on mega doses, I'd find another doctor. The large doses probably have more to do with your doctor's small penis--and giving his patients powerful drugs at large doses makes him feel big and powerful--than your disease. Even the pharmaceutical company that makes Asacol doesn't recommend the mega doses that some doctors give their patients of this... | M | | 6/15/2009 | 1 | UC | Hair loss, became incontinent (wasn't before and went back to being normal after stoppping asacol, so I am pretty sure it wasn't working right for me...) | M | | 6/21/2009 | 1 | Ulcerative colitis | | 6/23/2009 | 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 |
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)