What SAAZ DS is used for?
- SAAZ DS are used to control the flare-ups of ulcerative colitis. They may also be used at lower doses to prevent more flare-ups of ulcerative colitis
- SAAZ DS are used to control the flare-ups of Crohn’s Disease
Warnings & Precautions
Tell your doctor before taking this medicine, if you:
- are allergic (hypersensitive) to sulphasalazine any of the ingredients of SAAZ DS
- are allergic to salicylates or sulfonamides
- have a disease known as porphyria
- have any problems with your liver or kidneys
- ever had asthma or arthritis
- If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine
- You should avoid breast-feeding while taking this medicine. There have been reports of diarrhoea or blood in the stools of babies of breast-feeding mothers taking SAAZ DS
- SAAZ DS are not to be used in children under 2 years of age
- SAAZ DS are unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machinery
Tell your doctor if you are taking the following medicines as they may interact with this medicine.
- Medicine used to management of high blood sugar/diabetes,
- Methenamine, an antibiotic for treating urinary tract infections
- Digoxin, used to treat heart failure
- Folate, sometimes taken during the first few weeks of pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, e.g. Spina Bifida
- Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine, drugs used to help to suppress your body’s immune response in organ transplantation and certain chronic inflammations (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
- Methotrexate, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis
- The tablet should be taken with a glass of water and should be swallowed whole
- Do not crush or chew the tablet
The usual doses for the following conditions are:
Ulcerative Colitis
Adults and the Elderly
Severe Flare-Ups
- 2-4 tablets four times a day, with other medicines such as steroids
- Do not leave more than 8 hours between the evening and following morning dose
Mild/Moderate Flare-Up
- 2-4 tablets four times a day, but not always with other medicines
Maintenance dose to control your flare ups
- Once the flare-up is controlled the dose is slowly reduced to 4 tablets each day. Your doctor will tell you how to reduce your dose. This lower dose may be continued for some time to help stop other flare-ups
Children 2 years of age and over
- Your doctor will tell you what dose your child will need to use. This will be based on your child’s weight
How long you use these tablets depends on how well the tablets suit you.
For Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
- The tablets should start to work in a few days
- If they work well, you may be using them for some time because inflammatory bowel disease may be a lifelong condition
- Don’t stop using the tablets just because you feel better without talking to your doctor
If you take more of SAAZ DS
- If you take more this medicine than you should, contact your nearest hospital casualty department
If you forget to take SAAZ DS
- If you forget to take a dose, just take the next dose as usual
- Do not double dose the next dose to make up for a missed one
If you stop taking SAAZ DS
- Your doctor will advise you how long to take this medicine
- Your condition may return if you stop using this medicine before you are advised
- an allergic reaction such as sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting the whole body)
- bruising, fever, rash, pallor (paleness), a severe sore throat or tiredness
- dizziness
- difficulty sleeping
- headache
- changes in taste
- abdominal pains
- being sick
- ringing in the ears
- blood shot eyes
- inflamed mouth (stomatitis)
- cough
- itching of the skin
- joint pain
- feeling sick (nausea)
- fever
- depression
- fits, jerky, uncontrolled movements
- loss of balance
- shortness of breath
- hair loss
- hives
- puffiness around the eyes and face
- inflammation of the lining of the brain
- severe diarrhoea
- other blood disorders including anaemia, enlarged glands (lymph nodes)
- blood vessel inflammation
- loss of appetite
- hallucinations
- changes in mental state or smell
- inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart or heart muscle
- bluish tint to skin due to poor circulation
- lung complications with breathlessness
- inflammation of the salivary glands on either side of the face
- kidney inflammation and kidney pain
- liver disease (hepatitis)
- rash, reddening or blistering of the skin, eczema,
- tingling, numbness, pain in hands and feet
- blood in urine
- temporary infertility in men. Fertility returns when treatment is stopped. Normal contraception should still be used
- permanent staining of extended wear soft contact lenses
- Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory disease which affects only the large bowel (colon and back passage). The lining of the bowel becomes inflamed (red and swollen) and symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhoea (which may contain blood and mucus)
- Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease which may affect any part of the digestive system from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the last part of the small bowel and the first part of the large bowel. Symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhoea (which may be bloody)
- Keep out of the reach of children
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date
- Store your tablets between (15-25°C)
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