I’ve been on Sulfasalazine for many years while I was on Humira. Frankly, it never seemed to do much, and I’ve had to increase the dosage from one 500 mg pill twice a day to two twice a day to now three twice a day. The only things I’ve seemed to get from it are major hair loss and burning if I am in the sun for any amount of time. I am now switching to Cosentyx because the Humira no longer seems to work after using it for about 5 or 6 years, and I am thinking maybe since I am no longer going to be on the Humira, I have an excuse to say I want to stop the Sulfasalazine? Is there a good substitute for the anti-inflammatory effects it is supposed to have? I would like one that works. Does anyone have any good experiences with any anti-inflammatory pill?
It was my impression that we normally should take methotrexate alongside biologics to extend their life, not SSZ. I’m just about to start my first biologic (etanercept) and my rheumy nurse has advised me to start reducing my SSZ but stay on mtx. So may be worth asking about it?
I’m about to start my first biologic. A bio-similar for enbrel. I could never tolerate mxt so that’s never going to be an option for me. I did however do really well on 6 tabs a day of sulfasalazine until it inexplicably decided to stop working so well. I’m being told to stick with it when I start the biologic.
But if you’re looking for an anti-flammatory there’s loads other to try than just sulfasalazine. Regardless of well it worked, I couldn’t tolerate many days without naproxen in addition.
And in starting a new drug regime you should also demand your doctor reviews everything anyway and if you think one drug is causing more ill effects than positive ones, I’d always ask to get shot of it. It could though of course be the mxt that’s causing the hair loss for you too. My hair has got better on sulfasalazine. I was only thinking that the other day, how much it’s improved during the last year.
Hello,
I am due to start Cosentyx on Monday. This will be my first biologic so trying to approach this new treatment with an open mind. Before I got to the biologic stage I have tried most medication regimes, I’m in the UK and the NSAIDs that I know we have available to us are below. I have tried them all (with the exception of indometacin) at varying dosages. But like all drugs there potency does tail off eventually.
Good luck with finding a replacement for your anti-inflammatory and with commencing Cosentyx.
Nicole x
naproxen
diclofenac
celecoxib
mefenamic acid
etoricoxib
indometacin
My insurance said no to Cosentyx, so I have to take Simponi but the doc hasn’t put me on it yet. So far, I’m now on nothing at all. Things are going pretty bad right now. Still on Sulfasalazine. Turns out the hair issue was a thyroid problem. I would like to be on something as my condition is definitely not getting better.