Azathioprine users

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pauline57

Joined
Apr 17, 2013
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I was diagnosed with Crohn 's disease in 1996. I have had two bowel restrictions. I am due to start taking azathioprine in a couple of weeks. Would like to hear from other people who have had experience of this drug (good or bad)
 
I am also likely going to take this and look forward to hearing dosages and version of Aza. Are most on the brand Azasan or Imuran or generic?
 
Bad! Very bad. As in rushed to ER, crippling pain, and an extensive rash. Despite having taken all precautionary blood tests. Pain dissipated within 48 hours of being taken off it by ER docs... seconded by primary GI. Rash took almost a year to fade away. And, since, I have had 2 close brushes with cancer.. doctors were watching for it after toxic reaction. Doing the every 6 month follow-up afterward was nerve racking. Thankfully, I've passed the last of those just recently.. now on yearly follow-up. Hoping I progress to the 5 year phase without incident. I think mine was an exceptional case.
 
No problems for me so far - touch wood!

Been on Aza for 9 months. I take 100mg each evening (I weigh about 65 kg). Apparently the ideal dose for me should be 125mg, but as my bloods seem settled and my symptoms are resolved it was decided to stay at 100mg rather than risk messing about with it.

My tablets are a generic form of the drug.
 
I am on 150mg a day, 100mg in the am and 50mg at bed time. I've been on it (Imuran) for 3 1/2 months now and things are starting to turn around for the good now.

In regards to bad side effects, the chance is about 5-7 in 10,000 that that will happen. You would be taking blood test each month so they can stop any bad side effects before they start. The one post of going to the ER for a bad reaction and rash is a Rare thing, that does not happen very often at all. The chances of that happing to you is wat less than getting into a plain wreak.

I hope this helps. I was also kinda freaked out about the side effects when I first started taking it but as time passes you will get use to it. No treating the crohns is way worse than taking Imuran. Untreated crohns can take your life.

Jim (Pops)
 
No issues through 20ish years at varying dosages (75, 200 and 150 mg). I am also on Salofalk. My aza is the generic made by Apotex
 
Oh I have quite a bit to say about this drug! Well I have had Crohn's for 7 years and not to long ago I was put on Imuran. I'm sure you know this but every 3 months I have to get blood taken to:
1: make sure that the dose is working(it never has)
2: make sure the thing is not wrecking my liver.

The whole time I have been on Imuran I have noticed no improvement whatsover. The only true improvement I got is following Jini Patel Thompson's protocols and reading her books.
I am hoping to soon get off all of my medication(especially Imuran) because I feel the only thing it is doing is destroying my liver.
I did have a scare early in January where I was taking more tylenol because I was getting persistent headaches and I had bloodwork around the same time and the combination of Imuran and tylenol on my liver was bad so they had me do alot more bloodwork to make sure I was ok. Thank goodness it settled itself out but I do not want that to happen ever again!

I hope you have more luck on Imuran and it will hopefully do something about your symptoms. My doctor says that once you are on Imuran you really should never stop. Well I don't believe that and I WILL prove him wrong! :p I wish you the best health!
 
On it 3 and a half years, it's used as concurrent drug for me as I also take Humira. But Imuran on it's own worked for about 1 year before I needed prednisolone again. No side effects, blood work always nigh on perfect.
 
My son has been taking azathioprine for 4 weeks now, 75mg a day He has had no problems at all. Reading all the side effects is frightening, but this is working for him, so it has to be worth it.
We have started on weekly blood tests, which will go to two weekly, then monthly gradually over 12 months.
 
IAmTheWalrus said:
On it 3 and a half years, it's used as concurrent drug for me as I also take Humira. But Imuran on it's own worked for about 1 year before I needed prednisolone again. No side effects, blood work always nigh on perfect.
Click to expand...

hey,
ill be going on the same combo shortly. im glad to hear its working for you.
ju
 
I have been on aza since 2003 with a two year pause from 2008 to 2010. It's an effective drug for many, altough after so may years on it I can say it alone can't keep you in remission, diet, sport, stress relief, vitamin therapy etc. has to go along with it.

Also, the dosage is key. For the first two years I was on just 100mg and at my body weight back then 70kg) that was just not enough. I am at 150mg today and that's at the lower boundary for me (I currently weigh 77kg).

Never experienced any side effects. The 8 weekly blood tests are the only thing that is required as checks.
 
I have been on aza since last November. It took about a month or so to work for me.

At first I was nervous about the side affects since I am a small person, wanted to start a family,etc.

I also liked my wine too.. However, it got to a stage where nothing was working and it was either aza or further damage to my insides, so I took the plunge!

Apart from the odd tired day, I seem to be fine. My blood work is up and down but manageable.

I am on 100mg per day.
 

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