Get Informed: Pentasa

52

Patient Comments about
Pentasa

Active Ingredient(s)

Pentasa

What does it do?

Pentasa

This product is used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Its mechanism of action is unknown.

Last Text Update:
 2010-Mar-19 12:23 AM
Last Data Update:
 2010-Mar-18 9:01 PM

Other Names

  • Asacol
  • Pentasa
  • Asacolitin
  • Mesalamine
  • Lialda
  • Asacolon
  • Canasa
  • Rowasa
  • Apriso
  • Salofalk
  • Mesacol
  • Mesalazine

How Safe Is It?

Your Risk Rating
Please log in
Average Risk Rating
2: General
Pregnancy Category:
B
Black Box Warning:
No

Facts & Figures

Date Approved
24 Dec 1987
Est US Patients*
821,800
Generic Available
Yes
OTC Available
No

User Age Distribution*

8

< 21

19

21-39

40

40-59

33

60+

Age (Years)

* Estimated number of US people currently taking Pentasa or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.

Other Resources

Recent alerts for Pentasa

There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Pentasa during the past year.

Pentasa Safety Report

2: General

The iGuard risk rating for Pentasa is blue. It means that Pentasa normally has a low risk of serious or long-term side effects if used under normal medical supervision.

Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings

  • Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Pentasa interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.

What is Pentasa used for?

iGuard is currently tracking more than 5,400 patients that use Pentasa (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.

Disease / Condition % Average Severity
Ulcerative Colitis 93% 5
Irritable Bowel 4% 8
Other 4% 5

How well does Pentasa work?

iGuard regularly polls our more than 5,400 users taking Pentasa (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.

Average Satisfaction Score

(out of 10)

Average Effectiveness Score

(out of 10)

71 70
92%
of patients are confident that the good things about Pentasa outweigh the bad things.
11%
of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Pentasa.

Common Side Effects of Pentasa

iGuard regularly polls our more than 5,400 users taking Pentasa (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.

19%

19% of patients experience side-effects on Pentasa

3%

3% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Pentasa


Most Common Side Effects...

  • 10% Bloating/Gas
  • 5% Headache
  • 5% Itch/Rash
  • 5% Hair Growth
  • 5% Fatigue
  • 5% Drowsiness
  • 5% Hair Loss
  • 5% Diarrhea
  • 5% Abdo Pain/Cramps
  • 5% Mood/Behavior Changes
  • 5% Nausea/Vomiting
  • = 10%

Global Patient Feedback for Pentasa ( Post a comment )

Comments, Questions, and Answers
Show Newest | Oldest first

Question/Comment:

I have been on medication for Crohn's Disease since the 1980's and although the medication has helped to some degree during that time my side effects were becoming more aggrevating than the disease. I was spending half of my time or more in the bathroom with constant diarrhea!!!!! Without my doctor's advice I discontinued my medication and after a couple of weeks the side effects have ceased. It is such a relief to be able to go about my life without constantly seeking a bathroom!!!!! It could be that my disease is just in remission for the present and that I will eventually need some medication but for now I feel wonderfully free!

65 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-02-12 11:46:59

Question/Comment:

I was put on Pentasa in the summer as my first treatment for my UC. All went well for a few weeks and I seemed to be in remission. Then in a matter of a week the symptoms came back extremely quickly.. then I started to feel really ill, as if I had a flu. I was admitted to hospital (I was actually tested for H1N1 at first) and diagnosed with Pneumonia. Although not conclusive the staff thought it was a type of Eosinophilic pneumonia and blamed that on a rare but known reaction to Pentasa.

47 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-12-18 06:42:09

Question/Comment:

Hi All,

Just last week i was diagnosed with UC with the complete Colon.Am suffering from frequent bowel,urgency to toilet,blood in stools,diahrea some times.But i hope its completely curable in yoga.I was prescribed with tablet Mesacol.i have confident that we can cure it but we need to try it with proper diet,exercise,yoga at least for 6 months.

27 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-12-16 03:58:04

Question/Comment:

I went through a living hell for two years with my ulcerative colitis, which I have had for over thirty years, before my [new] gastro-enterologist put me on Lialda, which literally saved my life.
Asacol, after time, did nothing. The same was true for Colazal. I had to beg my former gastroenterologist for Prednisone. My new
gastroenterologist started me on Lialda right away, about 1-1/2 years ago, first with 2, 3x a day until my colon healed. Then down to three and now 1 a day for the past 6 mo. I lead a perfectly normal life. As far as I am concerned, Lialda is a miracle drug. I have zero side effects.

Posted: 2009-12-05 17:26:47

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Both Lialda and Asacol are mesalamine, so it is interesting that Lialda was so much better for you. Lialda tablets are 1.2 grams of mesalamine, and Asacol are 400 mg, so perhaps it was the higher dose that helped you so much.

Posted: 2009-12-09 11:14:15

Question/Comment:

i am 27 years old. developed chron's/ colitis when i was 16. took asacol for about 6 months and then was switched to pentasa- asacol would pass right through me. i lead an extremely normal life (whatever normal is) but worry about the long term side effects of taking a drug for the past 11 years... also, what am i supposed to do when i decide to have a baby?

27 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-11-04 09:55:16

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Mesalamine is in Pregnancy Category B which means that animal reproduction studies have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus but there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. You should always consult your OB prior to becoming pregnant in order to have the safest pregnancy. You will also want to work closely with your GI doctor to determine the available Crohn's treatment options and the possible risks to the fetus.

Your Crohn's disease is likely a condition which will require lifelong treatment. You should discuss any side effects or concerns with your doctor.

Posted: 2009-11-10 22:48:24

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