Mesalamine and Bleeding: What Users Say

• Joh...
• August 5, 2011

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance "I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 17, had a colonoscopy done, and that's when I was prescribed Asacol. It was terrible, my diarrhea was just horrible, and it also came with a lot of blood. I started taking Asacol, about 9 pills daily. After about a couple of months, the diarrhea was completely gone. That's when I thought it was okay to stop taking them, so about 4 years later, the flares started happening again. So I don't recommend delaying the pills."

• Lee...
• August 28, 2019

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis "I was diagnosed with UC after lots of fluids when passing gas, loose stools including blood, and bowel incontinence. Within 6 months, I was in remission and could stop wearing incontinence pants. I'm thrilled!"

• Dow...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2019

For Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance "Mesalamine did absolutely nothing for me, but I’m sure it put some extra money into my doctor’s pocket. I told my sister (who is a teacher) about my colitis and the medication the doctor put me on. She told me to drink dandelion root tea because it’s a probiotic... CLEARED IT UP COMPLETELY IN ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF. I drank it every day during that time. I had been bleeding for a whole year before the tea (even during the Lialda)."

• LDi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2025

For Ulcerative Colitis "I’ve been taking two 1.2 g tablets for years. The first time I took this, after a few days, I went right into remission. About six months later, I quit, hoping my colitis was acute. Nope. I started bleeding again. Started them up and went right back into remission. Unfortunately, my greedy insurance company reclassified it in 2025, taking the cost from ten to seventy-seven dollars a month. Now what?"

• MS ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 9, 2013

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active "My daughter takes Lialda for severe Ulcerative Colitis. If the cost is a problem, talk with your doctor for a discount card through the company. When added to your insurance, it only costs about $10, with my insurance, it's $40. If no insurance, I believe it's about $40 a month, not sure, doesn't hurt to check out. The card is good for a year, and you have to call to renew it at no cost. She started taking 4 pills a day, and last summer her doctor dropped her down to 1. Since then, over a period of 5 months, it's back with a vengeance: severe bleeding and pain."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 24, 2020

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Proctitis "I was diagnosed with UC last year. I was both on Pentasa 8x500 mg daily plus daily Salofalk suppositories. I can’t say anything about Pentasa tablets, but Salofalk worked very well. Unfortunately, Salofalk is not available anymore and I had to switch to Pentasa suppositories, which are the worst. I am wondering if any of these drugmakers ever used Pentasa suppositories. I bet they didn’t! It is very hard to use, and I prefer bleeding a lot than being mentally depressed by using it (very irritating and very uncomfortable, plus it doesn’t dissolve and irritates the area badly). I am missing Salofalk a lot!!"

• cos...
• February 7, 2018

For Ulcerative Colitis "I started out using Asacol until they came out with the generic mesalamine. Although this medication has been a miracle drug for me and my ulcerative colitis, the cost, even with my BCBS insurance, is absolutely ridiculous! I am super happy that my colitis is in remission and has been for a while now, all because of this medication, but, good gravy, how can they charge so much for medication? I have often thought about coming off the drug all because of the price, but they have me. I don't want to go back to diarrhea and hemorrhaging. These drug companies are like vampires, they just suck the life out of you. I work 40 hours a week, just so I can pay for my prescriptions."

• Tir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2020

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active "I was on Salofalk enema for two weeks and didn't see improvement in my ulcerative colitis until day 13. By then, I was done dosing. After a few days, bleeding again. Doctor put me back on for another 14 days, same thing happened. Improvement on day 13 and then was done dosing. After 8 days, symptoms came back with a vengeance. I'm now on my third week to see if I'm responding to treatment but just need more than two weeks on it. I'm tired of it all. Been suffering since March. Doc doesn't think I need a colonoscopy. Symptoms are identical to colon cancer, yet he is so sure without any diagnostic testing that it's not cancer."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2011

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active "I was worried to be on a medication such as Lialda on its strongest dosage (4 pills a day). My doctor told me to have all 4 in the morning with food. The combination of the Lialda and Canasa suppository at night helped my symptoms within days. I was blood-free for two weeks but now notice some blood again. I'm really frustrated and hope this is just going to take more time and not mean that I have to try something stronger."

• Mr ...
• February 4, 2020

For Inflammatory Bowel Disease "I am 64, had a colonoscopy last July for a positive Cologuard test result. No cancer, but there was a small area of redness the doctor was concerned about. Ordered a CT scan, no definite results. After the exam, did not have a normal bowel movement-I was perfectly fine before the exam. By late August, had serious rectal bleeding, loose stool. Went back in mid-September, they ordered tests for infection/parasites-were negative. In November, I reached the worst point, where I was running to the bathroom almost hourly. I started taking probiotics, based on the recommendation of a friend, and that helped. By late December, started having somewhat solid stool again. I had an appointment with a gastroenterologist at the end of January-at that point, I was recovering quite nicely, and she prescribed mesalamine, which I have been taking for two weeks now, and I am practically back to normal. I don't know exactly why I began to recover on my own, but probiotics definitely help, and the mesalamine sealed the deal."

• And...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 24, 2022

For Ulcerative Colitis, Active "I have been taking mesalamine for over 2 years. I don't believe it's actually working. I have taken it every single night without missing a dose. I have bleeding while going to the bathroom every time I have a bowel movement. I have off-and-on urgency, as in needing to go right now. My bowel movements are between 3 and 6 times a day. The medication is doing nothing to put me into remission. What has helped me: fresh vegetables, 2-3 cups every day, NO MATTER what, I exercise 4-5 days a week for 1 hour, and drink at least 2 glasses of water. Doing this has helped me stop going to the bathroom multiple times a day. Now I go less than three times a day. Changing my lifestyle has had a huge effect on my symptoms, way more than mesalamine. When I stop eating vegetables, I go back to 3+ bowel movements. I still have bleeding, but the vegetables help all the other symptoms. After two years of taking mesalamine every day, I decided to stop. There was no difference in my symptoms with mesalamine."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2022

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis "I just was diagnosed with UC recently. My doctor has me on 1 g 4 times a day. Everything was going great for the first couple of weeks. No immediate need. Normal-looking stools and no blood. After the first 2 weeks, however, the bleeding has come back, and I'm using the toilet more than ever. Will be reaching out to my doctor to see if we are overdosing."

• Rea...
• February 6, 2020

For Ulcerative Colitis, Maintenance "Supposedly diagnosed with segmental colitis, and after my colonoscopy, I was started on Lialda. Now, 6 months later, I have seen no improvement, however, I think I am experiencing bloating, knee pain, and I am still bleeding. My doctor suggested prednisone. At this point, my trust in her is gone, and I decided to stop the medication. 6 months of bleeding, numerous calls to her office/visits, and a ton of blood work, and nothing has changed. Side effects can be increased bleeding."

• Boy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 20, 2017

Mesalamine for Crohn's Disease "71 y/o male, been on Apriso for 17 months. Was on Asacol, PRN, since 1st dx of 'Crohn's colitis' in '03, refined to Crohn's, with stricture @ splenic flexure (caecum) in 2013. In June, drove 4000+ miles without a butt cushion and have exacerbated hemorrhoids with minor bleeding X3 mos. Saw anesthesia yesterday, and ECG looked better than 40 years ago, but worried about H&H (rectal bleeding), liver and kidney enzymes (long-term NSAIDs) and C-reactive protein (indicative of autoimmune antecedents). If labs are OK, will go next week for UGI endo (1st time), and bottom peek, with possible repair of hemis. My Apriso co-pay went from $47 to $169/mo. (donut hole), and I wonder if we might switch back to Asacol?"

• gar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2023

For Ulcerative Colitis "I am 77 years old and had been very healthy until three months ago when I had a very bad flare-up of UC. I experienced diarrhea, very bad cramps, and lots of mucus and blood. I was on the toilet over 10 times a day, sometimes for half an hour. I was that way for over a month. It was a horrible experience. My first G.I. prescribed me mesalamine, 1.2 grams, two times daily. After four days, I seemed to get worse, so I quit taking it for three days. I started to feel a little better, but I was in so much misery that it was hard to tell. I decided to try it again, but after a few days, it definitely was making me worse. The bad cramps were the worst part, and lots of blood in my stools was also scary. My first G.I. told me to come back in six weeks, so I decided to find a better G.I., and I did. My current G.I. took me off the mesalamine and immediately put me on a regimen of 40 mg of prednisone. He also ordered me to be tested for a C. diff infection, which I had. He then ordered 125 mg of vancomycin, four times a day. After a couple of weeks, I was feeling much better. I am weaning off steroids now and feeling good."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2022

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Proctitis "I have a stoma now due to a blocked bowel (diverticulitis). I now have proctitis. Pentasa suppositories definitely stopped the rectal bleeding, but as soon as I reduced then stopped, it came back. The doctor has put me back on it."

• Mar...
• March 25, 2021

For Ulcerative Proctitis "This is the second time I have used mesalamine in 2019 and 2021. The first month I took mesalamine I thought I saw some improvement. I have asked my doctor for refills. After 10 days, I started to feel pain in the lower part of my abdomen. I have now been diagnosed with high blood pressure. I started to have rectal bleeding as well."

• Haw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2015

Mesalamine for Crohn's Disease "It caused severe cramps, nausea, and more bleeding. I went on a vegan diet with no processed foods and took aloe vera juice, instead, my ulcerative colitis cleared up within a few months."

• Ron...
• October 30, 2014

Mesalamine for Crohn's Disease "Didn't work for me. In fact, it made things worse. Caused bleeding at a time when that was no longer an issue for me."

• Bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 17, 2017

Mesalamine for Ulcerative Colitis, Active "The medicine seems to work well, but still bleeding, so doc put me on Canasa and prednisone. Seems to work better."