Azatioprine side effects

[eagel]

Hi i got a Question re Azathioprine, i was on 100mg, my Dr now asked me to increase to 150mg, when i first started i had side effects for about 8 weeks which made me feel horrible, like bone ache flu-like symptoms and dizzy feeling, has anybody increased there dose and got those symptoms side effects as well after their increase, do they go away and how long did they last?
Thanks

 

[DEmberton]

The worst I ever had was half an hour or so of nausea/dizziness after taking them, and that was the first week. Was that 8-weeks where you constantly felt like that - or just after taking them?

I've been on 150,100,125 and now 150 again. I do notice that if I take the three in one go it makes me feel a bit dizzy. So I suggest avoiding taking them too fast.

Hopefully once you've got over the side effects your body will remember and they won't return.

 

[tea and crohns]

I’ve been on 150 for nearly a year now and I would say after 8 weeks of the highest dose you will feel back to normal - for me it was dizziness and nausea but I found that if I ate something before taking it, the nausea was less intense and sometimes non existent. This is just a sign that your body is adjusting to the medication - it’s a strong drug but should help you in the long run. I was very anxious when I first started Azathioprine due to reading up on the side effects - but I can promise nausea, dizziness and fatigue are about it. It doesn’t last forever. I started feeling myself again after a month and distraction with work and just ‘getting on with it’ helped in terms of not over thinking it. I would say line your stomach properly before taking it and be kind to yourself - for a tiny pill, it’s pretty aggressive but gets the job done. X

 

[hawkeye]

I went up to 150mg per day from 100 mg daily a few years ago when I was on Imuran for one of my maintenance drugs. No noticeable side effects aside from leukopenia, which resulted in her going back down to the 100 mg daily dose.