Sulphasalazine/Prednisone anyone?

[BabyJoy]

I am taking these drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and just wanted to know if anyone out there has also taken either drug and if so, what side effects they had.
I have had some nausea and migraines, my pee is fluoro yellow and there's been some ringing in my ears.
I have been taking the sulpha for over four weeks and still not feeling any better for it... does it take a long time to "kick in"?

[Miss Moppet]

I'm not pregnant, but am taking both of these drugs at the moment as well as Remicade - for IBD though not RA. Id certainly be interested to hear from others who have been on them while pregnant as it's something I certainly need to keep in mind!

From experience, Sulpha usually takes at least a couple of weeks but can be up to 3 months. I get constant niggling nausea and yep, my pee is fluoro yellow too! Like highlighter yellow - I was really worried until I worked out it was the tablets! Pred can cause nausea if it's taken on an empty stomach, I find taking it with a big glass of milk is better than taking it with water. It can also cause headaches, and it's worth keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels if you're on a high dose.

Hope that helps!

[BabyJoy]

Hi Catie, thanks for your input. I always take my meds while having dinner and breakfast and that helps the nausea a bit. I have read it can take three months for sulpha to work, and I'm only one month along, so I guess it's going to take a while with me. I am really really really hoping that it starts working before the baby comes as I am not in any state to take care of a baby at the moment.
(That is a very frightening thought).

Are the drugs helping your IBD?

[babyureed]

hi babyjoy & catie,

babyjoy i m also taking these medicines,sulphasalazine & prednisone for rheumatoid arthiritis, & yellow pee,ringing in ears.
while taking sulphasalazine,You will feel better within 6-12weeks.
its 11yrs now i m suffering from RA:hair:.
i m on ttc.my first pregnancy through ICSI (male factor infertility) ended with ectopic.

i m taking sulpasalazine (2000mg/day) & prednisone(10mg/day).

i want to ask, that u didnt stop taking these medicine in pregnancy?
i heard prednisone is safer in pregnanacy but i dont know about sulpasalazine:confused:.

Can u describe me in detail abt ur medicine of RA while having pregnancy?

Dose u r taking in pregnancy?

Cheers.

[Motyl]

I also have RA and am 25 weeks the pain has not gone away but steadily increased I'm only taking pain killers panadine forte and endone Im thinking of prednisone as dont want to be on painkillers when the baby is born. But prednisone is so scary on so many levels I've been reading that it may go through to bub? Is that true? When I was first diagnosed they put me on suphasalazine I had the bright wee and the runs every day it worked a little but didn't take it away (what does??) then it started messing up my bloods so they took me off it but I was not pregnant. I just wish I could feel like I did my first pregnancy my daughter is now three and when I was pregnant with her I was in shock when I kept having good mornings and then days and then months what an amazing feeling of freedom that was!!!! I was hoping it would be the same this time and I think I'm in reverse shock because it's just getting worse :(

[shaakti]

Hi, the only light I can shed on your question is that that people on Sulphasalazine sometimes have folic acid deficiency. There are conflicting reports about the benefits or otherwise of Prednisolone, but the best thing to do would be to discuss this with your doctor as I'm sure the doctor would be outweighing the risks with the benefits before prescribing these medications to a pregnant woman. At least with Prednisolone, your baby's lungs should be well matured for birth.

[babyureed]

I also have RA and am 25 weeks the pain has not gone away but steadily increased I'm only taking pain killers panadine forte and endone Im thinking of prednisone as dont want to be on painkillers when the baby is born. But prednisone is so scary on so many levels I've been reading that it may go through to bub? Is that true? When I was first diagnosed they put me on suphasalazine I had the bright wee and the runs every day it worked a little but didn't take it away (what does??) then it started messing up my bloods so they took me off it but I was not pregnant. I just wish I could feel like I did my first pregnancy my daughter is now three and when I was pregnant with her I was in shock when I kept having good mornings and then days and then months what an amazing feeling of freedom that was!!!! I was hoping it would be the same this time and I think I'm in reverse shock because it's just getting worse :(
hi motyle,
according to my Rheumatologist ,prednisone is safer in pregnancy.but i took Kenacort in my pregnancy with some pain killers.
although i had pregnancy only 8 weeks but i felt no pain at all just like ur first pregnancy.
can u give me answers of my few questions.
now u r 25 weeks pregnant,

what medicines u r taking from the begning of pregnancy till now?

i heared that sulfsalazinee should be stopped before 3moths of pregnancy.....................
is it true?
Bcoz i m still taking sulfasalazine & also taking injections for my 2nd ICSI.

may prayers.
CHEERS.

[Motyl]

Nothing at all except pain killers some days are worse then others so I take half tablets if it's a better day or nothing if I can manage some days the painkillers don't work that is really tough but I don't want to keep taking more and more so I just am using heat and stay in bed which can be hard with a 3yr old but she has always been so helpful and understanding she will play quietly in my room or snuggle up with me such a sweetheart!! But that is just not possible every day so it's easy to be stuck prednisone works for me only in high dose that is why I'm very reluctanct to go on it it also does not work completley and I feel horrible on it. Sulphasalazine I can't take because it drops my white blood count too much so I havn't taken it in years. Best wishes for your pregnancy I hope u stay pain free it truley is a wonderful time and worth it. :)

[BabyJoy]

Hi ladies... sorry for not replying sooner. Since my first post, I've been taking 2000mg of sulphasalazine and 10mg of prednisone, plus regular doses of panadol osteo, every day. All are safe to take when pregnant. And last week, I had my baby and she is perfect!
I had a few larger doses of prednisone while in hospital to combat any post-birth flare, but am now back to 10mg per day and feeling really good.

I am very different to most women in that I flare worst when pregnant. Most women with RA will go into remission when pregnant and flare after the birth.

I took larger doses of prednisone with my first pregnancy, and it messed with my head which meant I had to change medication and stop breastfeeding, so this time I'm not going any higher than 10mg. I didn't know about sulphasalazine until this pregnancy, and while it did take about two and a half months to "work" ... I have to say that I'm feeling so good in my joints now that I am confident I can breastfeed a lot longer than with my first baby.

Good luck to everyone! :goodvibes:

[babyureed]

hi baby joy,

First of all congratulations:yelclap:.

thanks for ur reply,i m starting ICSI#2,& very confused about RA medicines.i have few questions,

which medicines u were taking befor the pregnancy?

Are u taking sulphasalazine from the first trimester(begning) of ur pregnancy?

According to ur rheumatologist sulphasalazine is safer in pregnancy??

cheers & keep in touch.:shakehands:

BEST REGARDS.