Sulfasalzine

[lostblonde86]

Okay so started sulfasalzine 3weeks ago today, now on 1000mg per day for arthritis. I also inject for psoriasis.

Is there anyone taking this who maybe able to give me an idea of what to exspect?

Swelling in my joints is a LOT worse and also pain wise is worse, should I be concerned or is this all part and parcel of the meds starting to work?

Thank you anyone who can give me some advise

it's very slow acting, can take up to six months but has been magical for my morning stiffness. I'm also on methotrexate.I found dude effects completely wrote of after a month or so.

Thank you panic, glad to hear it's helped you with morning stiffness etc.
I guess it's just a case of things getting worse before they get better in that case.

I reacted so I wasn't on it for long but the main thing I found was that it killed my appetite.

I took it for about a week. Reacted badly and moved on to hydroxychloroquine which I was allergic to. Finally settled on methotrexate which was rotten at first but I'm now used to.

These drugs are quite a rough ride.

OP do you have psoriatic arthritis? Me too, but I never meet anyone else with it and no one has ever heard of it so I end up telling people I have rheumatoid as it's simpler.

Pancakes, yes I do have PA, how long have you had it? I know what you mean, hardly anyone knows what it is, but I do explain it.

I also have stelara injection every 12 weeks. Was on MTX, but didn't agree with me along with cyclosporine etc.

Hopefully I'll get another rhumy appointment shortly.

I have had vague joint problems most of my adult life, and skin psoriasis since I was a teenager. I had my first proper flare up after my first son was born, 8.5 years ago, and was diagnosed a couple of months later. It was grim - I was exclusively breast feeding and had to co sleep because my hands were too stiff and sore to lift him out of a cot.

It's more under control now with the mtx but I still have bad days and the invisible disability thing is quite hard sometimes. I once got horribly shouted at on a bus by man of about 60 who said that "when I was your age I would have given up my seat for someone your age."

Most of the time though its fine. I have a nice rheumy at Guys and the clinic is always full of people much much worse off than me, which makes me count my blessings.

Mine took around 5/6 weeks to work and got better and better, stabilising around 6 months. It's been magic for me. I have RA

ps hope you get an appt soon and the drugs work out.

I have ankylosing spondylitis and take sulfasalazine. I found it took around 8 weeks to start working then I felt much better once it kicked in. Unfortunately you won't know if it works for a while yet but I hope it helps you. Good luck!

Hi lostblonde :)

I have PsA too and have been taking sulfasalazine since august. Swelling has improved kind of, but pain and stiffness are no better. Just had my dose upped to 3g (I think? Will check) in the hope that makes a difference. Only side effect I had was vague nausea in the first few weeks of taking it. Have just been officially diagnosed with HMS too, so rheum is wondering if that is causing current pain, which would explain meds I currently take not helping!

There seem to be quite a few of us on Mn with it, though I don't know anyone in RL with it either. I'm on the spooners thread a lot if you want to pop in?