Comments on Apriso?

Hello, everyone!

I've been on Lialda for about about five years now (diagnosed at 16, am currently 21). Lialda has worked for me since I started, but recently I got a letter from my insurance company saying in two months, they won't be covering it or the generic form (because they're jerks...). They recommended switching to Apriso.

I'm going to talk to a doctor before the 2 months is up, but I wanted to get some feedback from those of you who have taken it (and maybe people who have also take Lialda). Is it better than Lialda? What are the side effects like? In addition to UC, I've also been struggling with an eating disorder. I'm in recovery now, but I've heard weight gain is a side effect, and I'm scared that's going to hurt my chances of recovering from the ED. I also heard that hair loss is a side effect... Anyone ever have this?

The side effects are the same for all of the mesalamines (apriso, lialda, etc.), you shouldn't expect much difference. Apriso pills are also once per day but are much, much smaller. The effective dose is much lower, it's been proven to work just as well at lower doses than other mesalamines. Sometimes some have a reaction to one medication but not another, it's rare.

I cannot tolerate Apriso due to whatever is in it besides mesalamine & Aspartame. The capsules are pretty big, I'd say, & also contain some blue dye. Sorry to hear your insurance is giving you trouble over choice of med, but you're not alone in that. MNBeachgal posted recently that her insurance is dropping coverage of Colazal due to increase in price. I'm worried that will happen to me, too; my co-pay has more than tripled since last yr when a Canadian firm bought U.S. Salix Pharmaceuticals, makers of Colazal & Apriso, as well as Xifaxan. The insurers do NOT understand that UCers have heterogeneity of response to meds, and persist in thinking that the same 5-ASA med will help all of us. So, of course, they only want to cover the cheapest formula or generic when available. / Old Hat (35 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)