Asacol

I was just diagnosed with ulcertaive colitis (UC) back in July. I've been taking asacolHD (1 800mg pill 3 times a day) for 6 months now and had only my 2nd flare up begin a couple days after Christmas. We relocated in September and I had to get a new specialist who commented that my dose is really low (they never prescribe doses that low, which actually had helped me for the past 6 months) and wants me to increase it. The doctor also said that you can take as much asacolHD as you want and nothing should happen to you. I increased it to hopefully reduce my flare up and nothing happened. Now I have this wheezing and a cough that I never had before. I'm not sick and don't have any kind of asthma. After reading some of your posts, I think my new doctor may be a pill-pusher and that this cough may be from the increase in asacolHD dosage.

I am currently taking 12 400mg asacol pills at 4 pills, three times per day, as well as pentasa enemas twice a week, to induce remission of pancolitis. Before this flare up, I was taking four 400mg asacol pills per day.

This year, in May 2011, I was diagnosed with pneumonia, after coughing since the previous October, so who only knows how long it was pneumonia. I took the antibiotic avaelox for a week, and it seemed to work.

This past month, I had the same cough again, but my doctor did not do an xray, and just prescribed 5 days pr prednisone, as well as an antibiotic. I thought it was all cleared up, but my lungs are very sore, and that cough is coming back again. The doctor has also prescribed symbicort twice per day, and also a rescue inhaler, which I use as needed, when I feel like I can't breathe, as he thinks I may also have asthma now, as well. (I am female, 48 years old, and have never had asthma before).

I am wondering about my long term use of asacol, which I have been taking for about 8 years. This is the highest dose I have ever been on, right now, as my ulcertaive colitis has now progressed to pancolitis. Can asacol hurt the lungs? Does anyone know?

I woluld appreciate any and all information that anyone may have. My only other options are steroids, which I don't tolerate, and Imuran, which to me, is NOT an option...this is sad and depressing...this horrible disease that ruins my life, and I think I got it from taking accutane four different times, in my twenties. No way I am taking Imuran, another drug that is a poison, and can cause cancer! There has to be some sort of natural cure for this disease. There just has to be...

I am taking 2 asacol three times a day and is very difficult sleep and my mouth is dry all the time.

After sterted with Asacol I had Pangreatitis

I went into my doctors with severe stomach pain and was diagnosed prior to this visit with severe ulcerative colitis.  Doctor said the pain was probably a flare up and put me on asacol EC 400mg 2 tablets twice a day.  After close to 2 weeks on it I had red swollen lumps all on my lower legs and my feet were so swollen I could barely walk.  I went back to the new GI I am seeing for trying to figure out what is wrong with me when I could hardly walk and she said let me see.  She looked at them and told me that was the first signs of Chrons up my dosage to 4 tablets 4 times a day.  I went home and made the decision to get off them.  I can walk, but I am still in so much pain where the bumps are.  They hurt really bad and still don't know the cause of my stomach swelling.

I was diagnoised with crohns and am taking 2400 mg per day for over a week with no real change in condition,I am in pain and depressed,will I improve soon?