Sulfasalazine side effects

My husband was newly diagnosed over 2 weeks ago and has been in a bad flare since last summer. The doctor initially gave him a prescription for melasamine. When we found out we couldn't afford $500+ a month and a week of back and forth with someone in his office, the doctor finally put him on 4000 mg. of sulfasalazine. After a couple days of taking it, my husband has horrible stomach pain and nausea. Another few days of back and forth with people at the doctor's office, they told my husband that since he didn't want to be on the more expensive mesalamine the doctor says he needs to take the sulfasalazine for at least another week. I realize many side effects can ease up a bit after a couple weeks, but I don't know how a med can stop being hard on your gut if your gut doesn't tolerate it. I had previously asked about some of the rectal foam and didn't get any answers. We are so frustrated with this doctor and clinic and feel ignored and like we are a problem to them. In the meantime my husband has horrible stomach pain besides all the normal UC flare symptoms. Can anyone speak to their experience in switching meds? Is this typical behavior for doctors to be so impersonal and intractable?

There is an enteric-coated tablet form of sulfasalazine that might help your husband to avoid stomach pain. I took that decades back and was spared stomach discomfort, but found that med irritating to my eyes, and it is known to increase photosensitivity, especially in midday glare outdoors. One needs to drink a lot of water while taking sulfasalazine to mitigate side effects.*** Did you check the Rx drug formulary of your husband's health insurance plan to see if it covers other forms of mesalamine? Some plans will cover at least part of the cost for Asacol-Delzicol or Lialda, if he has pan-colitis. For left-sided UC, check on coverage for Balsalazide (generic of Colazal), and also for coverage of generic mesalamine enemas that treat sigmoid, rectum-anal canal regions of colon. *** Depending on your location & health insurance network, try to link up with a medical center that has gastroenterologists treating IBD. Some of them might accept your insurance. You could also check Website ccfa.org for such physicians in your area. / Old Hat (40 yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

I second getting a new GI.