Has anyone tried azathioprine? Concerned with Immune System Side Effects.
- Thread starter cedmonds
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I has also just been prescribed it and have been on it for 3 days now. The side effects can be pretty severe I think but there's a low chance of getting the worst ones. If his crohns is very active this wont really help in the short term. It can take up to 12 weeks to start working and as far as I'm aware it is more to make flare ups less frequent and heal the inflammation and ulcers but not to relieve symptoms in the short term. Hope he gets better soon 
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I used it for about 12 months a few years ago. It takes a while to kick in, but once it did kick in it worked pretty well for me. The hospital kept track of my bloods so that if you're lympocyte count (white blood cells) get too low then you either stop or reduce the dose.
I had to stop taking it because my count got too low and as I lowered the dose to counteract this, the smaller dose didn't control my crohns well enough. I think the next step after aza is things like humira shots or infliximab. For me it was infliximab which was great for me, however it was very expensive. I managed to get it on the NHS but not sure how some people who use insurance manage.
I had to stop taking it because my count got too low and as I lowered the dose to counteract this, the smaller dose didn't control my crohns well enough. I think the next step after aza is things like humira shots or infliximab. For me it was infliximab which was great for me, however it was very expensive. I managed to get it on the NHS but not sure how some people who use insurance manage.
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Azathioprine did nothing for my UC, and was useless for RA too. At too high a dose, I suffered severe migraines.
I was on it for a couple months as well and it did nothing for me. They kept waiting for it to kick in but never did. I was hospitalized twice while I was on it because it kept nothing under control and the side effects only made me feel worse. I was getting horrible nausea and headaches, which was either from the Azathiporine or the Crohn's.
Anyways...they ended up switching me to Remicade which is working better.
I hope it works out for your husband!
Anyways...they ended up switching me to Remicade which is working better.
I hope it works out for your husband!
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Unfortunately, it gave me pancreatitis and I was hospitalized. I have read several comments however how much it has helped others. I am allergic to 6MP, Humira and Remicade. Just also tried Thalidamide/Thalamid and after 3 days, the Dr. asked me to stop due to too many side effects. I am one of those people that seem to get a lot of side effects from meds. We are trying to find my next move. Possibly Tysabri or a Ustekinumab (Stelara) trial study. I wish you all the best of luck!!
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rygon
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Ive been on it for 3years now and never had any side effects. Although it wasnt strong enough and had to go onto remicade infusions I still take it as a background maintenance drug and im better for it.
by the way Aza has been used for quite a logn time so the effects are widely recognised and you shold be monitored well when on it (blood tests every week at the beginning going to every 3months when everything is looking good)
by the way Aza has been used for quite a logn time so the effects are widely recognised and you shold be monitored well when on it (blood tests every week at the beginning going to every 3months when everything is looking good)
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I've been on it for 4 1/2weeks now and the side effects are pretty bad, I get extremely nauseous, headaches, very tired! I changed to taking it at night before bed so I could sleep off some of the side effects which helped SO much! It does take a long time to help (mine has yet to help) so I'm waiting for some relief since I refuse to go back on the evil pred again! I hope this helps!
The side effects are pretty bad for me as I've already had a chest infection and continue to be lethargic, sore, headaches, short tempered, sick with shivering with a high temp.
Been on it for 2 weeks.
Emohn, I think I'll try taking it before bed in future now. Hopefully it'll help a bit.
Been on it for 2 weeks.
Emohn, I think I'll try taking it before bed in future now. Hopefully it'll help a bit.
I have been on Azathioprine before and now I am on 6mp, which is the sister drug. (My new GI doctor has a preference for 6mp.) It took 4 months for the Azathioprine to work and I had to go on Prednisone until the Azathioprine kicked in. Once it did, it worked well and I had no side effects. When you are on these medications you need to get your blood tested frequently to check your blood count and your liver function. I hope your husband can persevere and the drug will help him. If not, then it will be wise to consider one of the biologic medictions -Remicade, Humira, or Cimzia.
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Hi you may like to check out the thread in the treatment section for Aza etc. It contains a wide range of topics about the drug.
I have been on it since April but I am now on it with Humira as well. I do 100mg Aza and 40ml Humira.
Check out what your doctor thought about in terms on injections there are a few drugs there Methotrexate, Humira etc and again have a look on the treatment section of this forum.
Best of luck with it all
I have been on it since April but I am now on it with Humira as well. I do 100mg Aza and 40ml Humira.
Check out what your doctor thought about in terms on injections there are a few drugs there Methotrexate, Humira etc and again have a look on the treatment section of this forum.
Best of luck with it all
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Unfortunately it didn't work well enough for me, and the neasea was too much along with my other side effects (I was vomiting 3+ times a day which never stopped for 10 weeks). I switched to MP6 because of it, didn't get the neasea but did get other severe side effects that also landed me in hospital so I'm off that now too.
That said, I know someone with active Crohn's who has lived on it succesfully for 10+ years.
That said, I know someone with active Crohn's who has lived on it succesfully for 10+ years.
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DS was on 6-mp for 8 months no real side effects other than raising his liver numbers so we stopped it.
It worked a little for his crohn's but not enough.
It worked a little for his crohn's but not enough.
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I have been on it now for about 2 1/2 years. I am currently taking 150 mg daily along with Cimzia mthly. I have never noticed any bad side effects except when I first started it. At that time I would develop bronchial issues but it seems my body adjusted and all has been well since.
Hi, ive been on it for nearly 2 years now. It took around 12 weeks for it to fully kick in and did give me flu like symptoms. Only up until 6 months ago have we got to the right dosage, i weigh under 7 stone and am on 100mg, every time they changed my doage i got flu like symptoms and felt like every muscle in my body had ran a marathon by themselves!
Has the drug worked for me?... intially yes but i then had flares which meant i was either going to be operated on or started on infleximab infusions. I went down the infusion route and with this and the aza i went into remission again..only up until recently!
It does lower your immune system so ensure he has his yearly flu jabs and stays away from anyone with contagious illness when possible, esp people with chicken pox!
i hope he finds something that works for him, as with any medication there are going to be side affects but until you try them you wont know if the benefits outway the concerns!
Has the drug worked for me?... intially yes but i then had flares which meant i was either going to be operated on or started on infleximab infusions. I went down the infusion route and with this and the aza i went into remission again..only up until recently!
It does lower your immune system so ensure he has his yearly flu jabs and stays away from anyone with contagious illness when possible, esp people with chicken pox!
i hope he finds something that works for him, as with any medication there are going to be side affects but until you try them you wont know if the benefits outway the concerns!
