Taking Sulfasalazine for Rheumatoid arthritis

[stuartdenton]

Hi anybody taking the above. I was given it to take by the local hospital to treat Rheuatoid Arthritis Has anybody had experience of taking this on a longterm basis. I suffer from mild tummy upset and a sore throat.

[plover]

I take another drug for rheumatoid athritis and found it took a few weeks for sickness to no longer be a problem

This link shows sickness is common side effect of sulfasalazine
https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-info...

So suggest bearing with the drug.

[stuartdenton]

Hi Plover thanks for the reply,yes you are right I will stick with the medication. However I was offered other medication but that required reducing my alcohol intake which I want to avoid.

[CSLchappie]

Yes, but a long time ago. I went through 6-9 months each on Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and Leflunomide before finally settling on Azathioprine which I've now been on for the last 12 years. The first three all increased my liver count significantly, as for long term side effects I couldn't really say as I wasn't on them for long enough, from what I remember I don't recall having any adverse side effects with any of them during the initial start up period of taking them.

I'm fortunate that my condition (I'm mid 40's now) has settled down significantly to what it was in my late 20's / early 30's. I've been through several different consultants and they all had differing opinions on the effects of the drugs, my current consultant is very dismissive of the Azathioprine I take but due to the liver issue won't prescribe anything else, in her opinion it has little to no effect. TBH from my perspective the occasional co-codamol works wonders for me, especially at night if I've had a hip, elbow or shoulder flareup and am struggling to get comfy in bed.