Sticking to Your Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

If your doctor has prescribed medication to help control your ulcerative colitis (UC) symptoms, the most important thing you can do to improve your health is to take your medication as your doctor has prescribed. That means:

Not skipping any doses
Taking each dose on time
Not stopping your medication before your doctor tells you to

Even if you feel better, Lialda^® (mesalamine) may still be working to reduce inflammation. If you stop taking Lialda, your symptoms may return. One university study has shown that people who did not stick with their UC treatment had a 5-fold greater risk of relapse (a new UC flare-up). Lialda was not one of the treatments in this study.

Once-daily convenience

Lialda is easy to fit into your schedule, because you take it just once a day. You can take Lialda in the morning, leave your pills at home, and get on with your daily routine.

Tips for taking your ulcerative colitis medication

We’ve put together some tips to help you establish a solid routine for taking your ulcerative colitis medication. Some of these tips come from people just like you who are living with UC. Use the ones that fit best with your personal style and your reasons for not always taking your medicine as prescribed.

If you often forget to take your UC medication

Try setting an alarm on your mobile phone, wristwatch, or computer
Place your medicine in a safe but easy-to-see location
Use a calendar-based pillbox reminder
Ask family and friends to help you remember
Find out if there’s a simplified dosing option that’s right for you

If you neglect to get your UC prescription filled on time

Ask about an automatic refill reminder service at your pharmacy
Set an appointment on your computer to refill your prescription

If you are concerned about side effects of your UC medication

Discuss with your doctor if there are ways to manage side effects
Let your doctor know if you do experience side effects

If you are unsure about the benefits of taking your UC medication

Learn how and why your medication works to control your symptoms. Find out how Lialda is designed to work
Learn about the benefits of your medication by discussing UC with your doctor

If you don’t know whether your UC medication is working

Talk to your doctor
Discuss your expectations for symptom relief with your doctor
Get support from other people living with UC to learn from their experiences
Keep a record of your symptoms so you can tell your doctor how you are feeling
Use a flare assessment to track your symptoms

If you feel alone in managing your UC symptoms

Let family and close friends help you develop ways to manage your UC
Get involved in a support program to help you stay on track

“If I could give one piece of advice to every UC patient, it would be to always take your medicine as it’s prescribed.”

— Dr. Scott Plevy, Associate Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine

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Lialda is approved for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. The safety and effectiveness of Lialda have been established in 2 eight-week clinical trials.

Important Safety Information

You should not take Lialda if you are allergic to salicylates (including mesalamine or aspirin) or to any of the ingredients of Lialda. Tell your doctor if you have a stomach blockage or are allergic to sulfasalazine. Mesalamine has been associated with a syndrome that may be difficult to distinguish from an ulcerative colitis flare-up. If you experience cramping, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, fever, headache or rash, talk to your doctor immediately. Some patients taking mesalamine have reported heart-related hypersensitivity reactions, such as inflammation of the heart muscle and inflammation of the lining of the heart. Tell your doctor if you have problems with your liver or kidneys.

In worldwide clinical trials, Lialda was generally well tolerated. The most common adverse events were headache and flatulence. As with other medications, some serious side effects may occur. Less than 1% of patients experienced inflammation of the pancreas, which led to discontinuation of therapy with Lialda.

Please see Lialda Full Prescribing Information

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