Another question about Masalamine and Entocort

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Celie
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Another question about Masalamine and Entocort

Post by Celie »

Hi All,
One of the things the GI doc suggested is to move me from Entocort back to one of the 5-ASA drugs (masalamine). To do this, the plan is to continue to take 6 mg of Entocort and take masalamine for 4-5 weeks then reduce the Entocort and see whether I can maintain Norman on just the masalamine.

Is this a good plan? Has anyone done this?

Celie
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tex
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Post by tex »

Celie,

I'm not sure that it's a good plan, (strictly my opinion), but it's a commonly-used plan, and several members have been prescribed that treatment combination by their GI docs. I've never seen the reason to be using a second drug, (mesalamine), before the end of the Entocort treatment is near, (I can see the benefit in introducing it after the Entocort dose is decreased to 3 mg per day, for example). It strikes me as an unnecessary, (redundant), use of a drug, since the Entocort will be doing all the work of controlling the symptoms, until it is withdrawn completely, and the mesalamine does not have to be slowly "built up" in the body, the way that a drug such as Imuran would require. IOW, the mesalamine becomes available as soon as it is ingested, but it isn't needed, as long as Entocort is used.

That said, it shouldn't hurt you, unless you're allergic to sulfa drugs.

I hope your treatment works smoothly.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Celie
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Post by Celie »

Wow, thanks. I am allergic to sulfa drugs. That kills that! We are not doing anything until after the biopsy and the end of my semester. I guess we will be looking at Imuran.

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Post by Celie »

I do now see that some of the masalamine drugs are sulfa free. So, I may be able to step down. When I step down to 3 mg Entocort, the big D returns.

Thanks for helping me research!

Celie
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tex
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Post by tex »

Celie,

I apologize for misleading you with such an ambiguous statement. :oops: Actually, it is only some of the mesalamine enemas that contain sulfa drugs. As far as I am aware, all of the various brands of oral mesalamine capsules/tablets are sulfa-free.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Celie
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Post by Celie »

Dear Tex,
Your comments help me think and understand. And, after I posted my question, I noticed that some of those who had tried this plan discussed it in the other post on this topic. I still have a lot to learn.

Thank you!

Celie
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tex
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Post by tex »

You're most welcome,
Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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natythingycolbery
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Post by natythingycolbery »

*grabs her pentasa* yeah mine are sulfa-free, also, i dont know if this is because I stopped taking the tablets that where causing the D as soon as i went onto pentasa, but i became almost norman quite quickly, i mean norman hasn't fully returned, but i dont have to live near toilets anymore
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Gloria
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Post by Gloria »

Katy wrote:i became almost norman quite quickly, i mean norman hasn't fully returned, but i dont have to live near toilets anymore
That's terrific news, Katy! Pretty quick results, too! I hope it keeps up!

Gloria
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