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Imuran and back pain? stop it for few days?

scooby100

scooby100

Hi,
My daughter is on Imuran for 3 weeks, and last week started to complaint on severe upper back pains and upper abdominal pains (on top of more regular symptoms that we noticed as fatigue, nausea etc...). At the beginning we thought of constipation as the root cause, but in fact she had few bowel movements since then, but pain remained or kept getting worse. Stopped for 1 day Imuran, symptoms disappeared...Contacted GI - since were concerned about Pancreatitis, run immediately blood test - and all normal, including Pancreas enzymes.
GI suggested to restore Imuran and if needed focus on preventing constipation (even though - not clear the relation, since after stopping imuran for 1 night and having the 'same' constipation - all disappeared...).
What are your thoughts? Was thinking on splitting the dose twice daily (50Mg each) and monitor again to give Imuran another shot

Thx!
 
Beach bum

Beach bum

I had terrible back pain when I first started and indeed did cure it by moving round my dose. I was taking it last thing at night and moved to the middle of the day and found my symptoms eased almost straight away. Splitting up the dose might also help.
Good luck.
 
alex_chris

alex_chris

I have been on aza (imuran) many years and never had problems with it. What I know is that imuran should be split, that is taken twice a day, if possible even three times per day, but I am not sure whether this will really decrease those side effects as described.

Has your daugher's GI told you about 6mp which does the same thing as imuran, but many people who have problems with imuran don't have those with 6mp.

General question, why imuran alone? Why no combination therapy biologics and immunosuppressives (which is the new "gold standard" since 2010).
 
scooby100

scooby100

Beach bum - thx! sounds similar side effect, even so with my daughter its mainly on upper abdominal / upper back

alex_chris - will check - but as a child, 15, the doctors are trying a conservative enteral nutrition + imuran. Enteral nutrition done, imuran started late and currently in 3rd week. We will start probably SCD next week as well
 
H

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
I'd try splitting the dose. Haven't had the sore back as a side effect, had it when the disease was active and I was first diagnosed though, but wasn't on the Imuran then.
 
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