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Good things about Aza?

So I'm on the cusp of being diagnosed. I'm probably not going to be diagnosed with crohn's or colitis but a more generic 'inflammatory bowel disease' and now unfortunately ankylosing spondylitis.

As such I'm due to be going on azathioprine after I have a spine/pelvis MRI. If there's inflammation on the MRI I'm going on sulfasalazine and if there's none I'm going on azathioprine. My rheum has run the TMPT test so I know he's serious now :eek2:

I've heard every horrible story about azathioprine but I don't hear any good and I'm freaked out about going on it. My doctors attitudes haven't helped much either.

Has anyone had any good experiences with little to no side effects and complications? I am hoping it's just that you only hear the bad and not the good!

Thanks :)
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
I've been on it since 1991 with no side effects. Varying doses over the years, now at 150 mg/day.
 
Hawkeye,

My teenage daughter just began 150 mg dosing. I hope you don't mind me asking a personal question...did you conceive that beautiful baby on Imuran?
 
The only side effect I got was slight hair thinning. Of course it might be doing hideous things to my insides but we won't know until I have my next blood test, lol. I'm on 75mg daily and it's brilliant, it's kept any nasty symptoms at bay apart from the odd gut ache which is usually caused by unsuitable food.

I'd read all the horror stories too and when I started on it I was like, omg, what is this stuff going to do to me? So far so good though. Fingers crossed!
 
My hubby has been on it for 8-9 years with no side effects and has had only a few minor flares. He has been on 150mg. My son was on it for about 2 years with no side effects and it was pretty effective in his case as well.
 

Catherine

Moderator
My daughter has been on aza for 22 months, she has no side affects from aza.

Her hair had starting fall out and had stopped growing before starting aza. Her hair is now healthy and very long.
 
Been on it since 1995. Most of time at 100mg a day. Only problem I noticed with it is at the 150mg a day I get headaches, but seem ok at the 100 dosage. Best of luck
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
Hawkeye,

My teenage daughter just began 150 mg dosing. I hope you don't mind me asking a personal question...did you conceive that beautiful baby on Imuran?
Greypup, Yes, not sure what the exact dose would have been but it was at least 75 mg/day.
 
It seems that Azathioprine is a drug to which people react to very differently. My own experience was terrible, after only a month of treatment all of my joints were so stiff and the ache was almost unbearable, to the point where getting out of bed was a ridiculous struggle. Being only 20 at the time I felt as though my body had aged 70 years in one month!

Having said that, your own experience might be entirely positive! Best of luck to you mate :thumright:
 
I've been on it since 2010 and have had no side effects apart from a weaker immune system. I take 100 mg twice a day. I noticed improvement after a couple of months of being on the drug.
 
It seems that Azathioprine is a drug to which people react to very differently. My own experience was terrible, after only a month of treatment all of my joints were so stiff and the ache was almost unbearable, to the point where getting out of bed was a ridiculous struggle. Being only 20 at the time I felt as though my body had aged 70 years in one month!

Having said that, your own experience might be entirely positive! Best of luck to you mate :thumright:
Interesting you've said that, my joints have been really sore past week or so and I've been on it for a month, but I actually assumed it was a coincedence and my Psoriatic Arthritis was flaring.
 
Did you start it lsgs, and how are you making out? I've been on it for about a year and a half now. No noticeable side effects, and I'm pretty sure it's working at least some.. I'm actually really surprised to be honest, I expect the worst and kept waiting for some nasty side effects to pop up but I've pretty much given up on that (thankfully)!
 
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