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6mp

Hello there,
Im new to the forum, but not the disease, and ive follwed the forums for the last couple of years.
I was first ill 27 years ago, i had a scope in 1997, which i never really asked about, and after that i was fobbed off with bugs and anxiety, somatic pain etc etc.
Wasnt until informed a nice stricture diagnosed with ct, that i got anywhere.
I feel often that i prefered life before diagnosis, and all it is is a battle.its taken its toll on me now.
But there we go and i already sound moany!
Ive been prescribed 6mp, but im terrified to take it.
Just wondered if anyone else has tried it or your experience of it?
 

Lady Organic

Moderator
Staff member
Hello, I have been on 6mp for a total of about 10 years now. No known side effect, hoping to stay on it. Do not wait to take it even if you are still on prednisone, unless prescribed otherwise. 6-mp takes a while (2 to 4 months) before being effective and you dont want to risk relapsing after you prednisone intake. Be confident, you'll be good:)
 
Hello, I have been on 6mp for a total of about 10 years now. No known side effect, hoping to stay on it. Do not wait to take it even if you are still on prednisone, unless prescribed otherwise. 6-mp takes a while (2 to 4 months) before being effective and you dont want to risk relapsing after you prednisone intake. Be confident, you'll be good:)
Hi there! I'm brand new to this group and was just fumbling my way through and noticed you are a 6MP 10+ years patient as well. I was advised by my gastroenterologist to join this group to do some research of my own. She advised me that there are some risks to taking 6 MP long term. The biggest risk is it can cause malignant lymphoma. Although she still advises I stay on it as it has worked wonders for me over the past 10 years now and she has never had any of her patients on this medicaton develop anything along those lines. She said my other alterntive would be Remicade as it falls in the biology line of medicine and could be considered safer but there is no guarentee that it would work as well for me either. I would really hate to change the way I feel today as I've been in remission for well over 5 years. Has your doctor ever said anything to you about 6MP long term use and its effecta?
 

Lady Organic

Moderator
Staff member
hello Magoo78 and welcome!

Both 6-mp and Remicade have possible serious side effects. Remicade also increases risks of cancers. Overall this risk is very low, for both medications. Remicade is a new medication (15-20 years) and the risk of long term side effects are yet to be fully covered and known in my opinion. It is not worth changing a medication that works well for you and risk of relapsing and having difficulty to return to remission. My GI who specializes in IBD would say the same thing as your GI, stay on 6-mp if it maintains your remission:) Moreover, in order to get remicade, you would have to be in a flare for a matter of being covered with the insurances, unless the process is different in Alberta, but i doubt it.
Are you on 50mg or 75mg/daily?
 
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