Azathioprine

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violetcreams

violetcreams

Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
795
Hi all, I know that the literature states that azathioprine takes 6 to 12 weeks to have beneficial effects. What have your experiences of this drug been? How long was it before those of you taking aza began to feel better & see a reduction in symptoms? This is a nasty med. Omg - the increased risk of developing certain cancers! I have a strong family history of cancer & this worries me a lot. I need to get into remission but I wouldn't want to be on aza long term. I am starting this drug as opposed to methotrexate because I don't want to mess with fertility (I'm 35 & would like to try for a baby next summer, providing my health is ok....this is a minefield in itself as my partner is on methotrexate for psoriatic arthritis. Basically, I think this would be an IVF situation, but that's another story). How do other people on here feel about these issues? Any advice would be appreciated.

Love.
 
Can't help sorry as haven't started taking this yet (there are a few Imuran threads on here which is the same thing), but just wanted to say good luck with it.

I'd be interested in hearing how it is working for you, side effects etc as I am supposed to start it soon but fighting against it at this point!

Apparantly it can reduce fertility but not permanently - this concerned me too as I am 38 (yikes!) and have hoped I am still not too old to have kids - now just need the parner!

I hope you are soon well enough to stary trying for a baby
 
I was on Aza for 3 weeks @50mg/day before it started to make me feel ill. It did seem to be doing something as blood tests showed my ESR to be dropping, and joint pain was definately easing a lot.

Personally I'm be more afraid of not treating this disease seriously enough than the side effects of the drugs.... and I'm on MTX!
 
It probably took about 12 weeks for aza to start working me. I've had only good results and no side effects that I'm aware of. Currently have blood tests every three months to check how I'm going.

Don't want to stay on it forever, but I have to take the view that if it makes me feel OK today, then I'll go with that and try not to worry about tomorrow!
 
I have been on the aza for a week. At first I was concerned about the side effects but I have heard so many positive stories about the effectiveness of the drug that I'm not too worried anymore. It can always be stopped if you have any negative side effects. Also, everything causes cancer these days :p
 
I had been on pred for 9 mos and then went on 6mp/aza. Can't say there was a lag period as I was on pred for first 3 mos of 6mp/aza. I was able to get off pred and stay on this without any change in symptoms (i feel great). However, my body rejected >50mg so I'm stuck on 50mg/day. Good experience so far, 6 months and counting.
 
I've been on aza for nearly three months and it does seem to be slowly working. I have been on it previously and it took 3 months to work, but when it did it was brilliant, I was completely symptom free and enjoyed my life as it was before I had crohns. I could almost forget about it. I was taken off it because I was admitted to hospital with what we later found out was glandular fever, but my white cells were so low because of the aza I was put in protective isolation and taken off aza.
Was put back on it when my crohns flared a few months ago, having blood tests every 2 weeks to be on the safe side. Only side effect I've had this time around is nausea and vomiting but it only lasted a couple of weeks.

xxxx
 
I've been on it since the '90's. No side effects at all for me. I do have my blood work done these days, but only once a year. Since it doesn't bother me at all, I'm probably not the one to ask. :=)
 
Thanks everybody. I'm not feeling any benefits from the aza yet but it sounds like it's still early days for me! I've only been on it for less than a month (50mg a day). I'm seeing my consultant & having blood tests tomorrow. Am really hoping that my body can cope with the aza & that it starts to kick the inflammation into touch ASAP! I haven't noticed any side effects so far. Cross your fingers for me!! x
 
Good luck Nicci! I hope this thing works for us both. I'm seeing my Dr later & I think he might increase mine too. My symptoms are quite nasty at the moment.
 
i have been on Azathioprine for just over a year now. I think it took a little while to start working. I was terrified about the side effects of the drugs, but then i thought, well the doctor knows what he is doing, I just have to try and trust him. The frequent blood tests were also reassuring. When I next see him I think I might ask him about coming off it as I am on such a small dose I wonder how much difference it is actually making...
xxx
 
i was on it for about 3 weeks this time last year and i ended up in hospital with an abcess so was imeddiatly taken off it and havnt been back on it since, but then 2 weeks ago got admitted to hospital (story on another thread)
 
My aza dose is now 100mg a day & my budesonide has been whacked back up to 3 a day. Hope this will kick this thing into touch! Still taking 9 pentasa a day & 3 mebeverine too. So many pills!!!
 
Wow, that does seem like a lot but I guess everything else will be lowered or stopped when the aza kicks in? I've been on 150mg for a few days now and I haven't had any negative side effects.
 
Yeah, the plan is to reduce the steroids if & when the aza does it's thing. I start a new job on October 5th so this thing needs beating to a pulp ASAP!!
 
My Hubby has been taking aza and pred for about 20 years now every time they try to reduce this he is rearly ill. So carry on he dose aza 150mg daily and pred 10 mg daily, although this keeps him stable if he feels unwell he can and dise increase the pred to 20mg a day. this suits him, I think you have to find your own level, Our GI doc agrees with this as he has had CD for a long time 30years. So he knows we know what we are doing with these drugs. Peggy
 
I'm on aza (150mg) pred (just tapered to 10mg) and Humira (biweekly)

I'm good for now, but I think I can tell I'm tapering... lol
 
Im have been Aza for 5 years and although I have still had bad flares, they dont last nearly as long and it has kept me pretty well, up until now that is. I have also had one baby on Aza and I felt so guilty about what it could do to the baby. My aunt is a nurse and she helped to re-assure me alot and my little pest of a son is nearly 3 and very healthy. When we are healthy they are happy so I weighed that up and just decided to keep taking it.

looks like ill be looking for an alternative soon but it definately did me well for a few years.
 
UPDATE....Advice needed!

Hi all. Well I increased the azathioprine to 3 a day (75g) a week ago, on the advice of my gastro Dr. He wants me to increase this again to 4 a day (100mg) in a week's time, assuming my fortnightly bloods are ok. On the third day of raising the dose from 2 to 3 tablets, I began to have a really dry throat (not so much a sore throat as a dry one) & a weird circle thing (??) on my tongue. It looks kind of like the rash I get on my body (the one that my gastr Dr thinks is related to the crohn's). I told my GP about the throat & showed him my tongue this morning but he didn't seem particularly interested. What do you reckon? I feel like I should see how I am in a couple of days & if things are still a bit weird, maybe I should phone my gastro Dr???? Waddaya think?

Thanks in anticipation!
 
Oh, by the way, I'm thinking that maybe the fact that I'm not eating anything other than the odd slice of white bread a day may be a factor??? Do you think? I'm making sure I take plenty of fluids though. Mainly mint tea.
 
Wow! the post I was commenting to disappeared....
...found it on a new thread.
 
Last edited:
That is very interesting. It looks very painful. Thanks for the great photo's by the way, we can really understand what you're talking about. Yikes!
 

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