Generic Azulfidine
Sulfasalazine 500mg

Medicine for Ulcerative Colitis

Try to wrap your mind around this: within the borders of the United States, half a million people are suffering from a medical condition known as ulcerative colitis disease. A disproportionate number of these people are female. The disease isn’t entirely understood, so it is hard to point the finger of blame at a particular cause, but doctors and scientists continue to research it. Yet some things are understood: namely, how certain medicines are able to help. There are a variety of medications currently available on the market, but when deciding which one to prescribe to you (if you have this unfortunate condition) the doctor will take inventory of your general health, consider your history and then try to make a judgment call on just how severe and advanced the ulcerative colitis disease is.

At any rate, at least one popular medicine choice is called aminosalicylate. That is the generic, medical name; it sold under different brands at different pharmacies. A second option is called sulfasalazine, which is used primarily on mid-level, non-severe cases. When used, it serves a primarily preventative function, mitigating the effects of the disease and making outbreaks and flare-ups less likely to occur. Other drugs that are options are mesalamine and balsalazide.

There is no easy cure for ulcerative colitis disease. When you have it, you have it all the time, for the rest of your life – unless you subject yourself to surgery which removes all or parts of your colon. And even then, coping with the effects of that surgical procedure is not a simple thing. So for some people, effective medicines like those listed above provide the best option – a steady supply of relief. Indeed, surgery is usually only recommended for extreme cases, while others depend on medications to put them into a state of remission (free from the ulcerative colitis symptoms).

There are side effects. Most of them are common: nausea, headaches, other assorted aches and pains, etc. Others are less common but are important to acknowledge. One of them involves sex; azulfidine makes sperm less plentiful and viable. If you are trying to conceive, you may need to avoid this drug, or accept the diminished odds.

Because current medical knowledge does not have the perfect solution, some have opted to look out of the box. Some people have described relief when taking certain vitamins and supplements, particularly with aloe and omega-3. Massages have also helped, along with a reduction in consuming known aggravators, such as caffeine and alcoholic beverages.

Remember that you shouldn’t skip through medications and treatments all on your own; instead, have ongoing consultations with your doctor for best results.