Imuran/Prednisone Side Effect Help!

[BFoster]

Hi everyone,

I'm new the forum and I have a problem with my medicine. I am seeing my GI next week but it would great to hear if this has happened to anyone else?

I started taking 100mg of Imuran and 30mg of prednisone (along with antibiotics due to my abscess) at the beginning of July. Earlier this week I got a terrible fever - in the 102f range and knee, back and abdominal pain - complete with a headache. So I went to the ER. They thought I had the flu.

So, I came home, made an appointment with my GI and headed on to the internet. Then I saw that Imuran can cause similar reactions. So I stopped taking it for two days. Started up again and I could barely walk 5 hours later. My knees and back were killing me and as I type this I am feverish and sweating.

I hate discontinuing medicine without my doctor's go ahead - but this seems right doesn't it? I find it really difficult to rationalize with doctors about medicine. They really just think you need to take what they say when they say - but they don't all prescribe the same way, it drives me crazy.

But back on topic. If you have had this kind of reaction from Imuran or predinsone for that matter please respond. I would love to hear that I am not going crazy.

 

[Patricia56]

sounds like it might be serum sickness, a rare side effect. I've never heard of anyone getting from imuran but it is listed as a very rare side effect.

I agree with you about stopping it. And I would definitely call the GI's office first thing with details and tell them you are stopping the imuran.

fortunately, as I understand it, the immune system effects of imuran last for several weeks so you should have a little breathing room to figure out what to do instead.

If it is serum sickness then the pred may be helping keep the sx milder than they would be otherwise.

 

[BFoster]

Thanks Patricia, I looked up serum sickness and it sounds right on the money. I won't take that medicine again. Just my luck to get the weird side effects.

Thanks for taking the time to send me a note.