My medical history predisposed me to auto-immune illness, possibly Crohn's. Have had all the "other things" (iritis, arthritis, osteoporosis etc) and just one bowel flare up 20 years ago. A few months ago I started experiencing diarrhea so I thought I should get it checked. I'm told it's UC. At diagnosis - the diarrhea seemed to be getting better so the Doc said we wouldn't treat it. 2 weeks later it took a turn for the worse. Called the doc who ordered up Asacol 2 pills twice a day. It wasn't working after a week so he upped the dose to 3 times a day. Still not working - I'm going an average of 15 times a day - totally liquid. Will Asacol just stop the frequency or will it harden things up too? And - am I expecting too much too soon?
Q: What does Asacol do & how long does it take
Hello Col-lou,
Welcome to HealthCentral's IBD site.
With regards to your question about Asacol and how it works - it sounds like you need to discuss your continuing symptoms with your doctor again. Are you seeing a gastroenterologist who specializes in IBD/UC? If not, it would be to your benefit to find one that does.
I'm not a doctor, I'm a UC patient, so the information I can give you is NOT medical advice, nor should you increase any medication doses WITHOUT talking to your own doctor. My first serious flare-up was 10 years ago and I was having 15-30 diarrhea BMs per day, was losing weight, etc. A colonoscopy confirmed a UC diagnosis and I was given a prescription for Asacol, 3 tabs, 3x/day (so 9 per day). None of the 5-ASA drugs, the family of drugs Asacol belongs to, are fast-acting, meaning they aren't going to settle down a flare in a matter of hours or days. They are drugs meant to reduce the inflammation in your colon and it can take weeks or months to really have an effect. It took me nearly a year or more to get my symptoms remotely under control with Asacol, major diet changes (you might want to read some of my older Shareposts here about diet, etc.), and major lifestyle and employment changes. I now take 6 Asacol/day as a maintenance dose which helps in keeping my symptoms under control. You may need to talk to your doctor about increasing the dosage until this flare calms down.
Or, it may simply be that the Asacol isn't going to work for you. It works well for some of us and not at all for others. You might need to try another IBD medication like Colazal. Again, talk to your doctor about the treatment options and also look into your diet - what I eat makes a huge difference to how I feel and my symptom level.
Good luck,
Elizabeth
Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of The HealthCentral Network. The HealthCentral Network does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hi Elizabeth,
I am a UC patient also, and I am interested in some dietary changes. Have you found a good diet to follow? Are there some foods that you avoid at all costs? Are there other foods that help?
Thanks,
Melissa