Is Azathioprine side effects really that bad? (newbie)

[Hayleyberry]

Hello! I'm new to the forum. My doctor wants to try me on Azathioprine. I've been told by the doctor an a few other people that being on Azathioprine won't be easy as the side effects are not nice and I'll feel worse before I start feeling better. Is it really that bad?

 

[ekay03]

Hello and welcome Hayleyberry, I have been on azo for a long time know. I have never had any side effects. For me it has been nothing but good.

 

[~Manders~]

I have been on azathioprine off & on for the last 7 years & regularly for the last year. I have never had any issues with side effects. Quite the opposite has been the case - I have never felt better in the last 10 years! Good luck!!

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

For me Azathioprine is really good for my crohn's symptoms. However, it is difficult becuase it changes my blood counts quite a lot and so I had to come off it for a while. You have to make sure you have your blood tests as regularly as the doctors tell you, because they can change dangerously without you feeling any different.
I also have a TPMT deficiency, which is an enzyme which helps to metabolise aza (I think, people correct me if I'm wrong!) which means I can only take small doses.
Good luck!

 

[~Manders~]

Good poing LMV...I go for bloodwork regularly as well.

 

[stratford]

This thread shows how different we all react to drugs.
With Azathioprine i had severe fatigue,vomiting,nausea24/7,colds i could not get rid of,extreme muscle ache.
On my worst day on Aza i vomited all day long and it varied by colour every time.
My white blood cell count was reduced to a dangerous level.

When i told my Dr of the side affects she accepted the WBC problems without a problem.
Her reaction to all the other problems were 'It can't be that bad!'
The usual clueless arrogance i found with so many Dr's.
I felt like shoving that poison down her neck.
Sorry for the rant!

 

[Angrybird]

Hi Hayley, when I was on the Azathioprine I never actually felt bad and it gave me the longest remission out of all the meds I have been on. They had to quickly up the dosage to 200mg to get my symptoms sorted initially but that was it. It was the routine bloods that showed that my white cell count was going dangerously low which is why it was stopped. It's a shame as even then I didn't have side effects and would have stayed on it if I could have.

 

[Artificial]

Hi Hayley,

I've been on Azathioprine for about 4 months now and although it hasn't helped much yet I havnt really had any side effects either apart from feeling sick every now and then.

Good luck!

Rachel x

 

[Hayleyberry]

Thanks everyone for replying! Im starting Azathioprine 50 mg tomos for a week then go up to 100mg and going from there! Thanks again! xxx

 

[Feather]

Hello! I took 6-MP (similar to azathioprine) for about a year and a half and didn't experience any severe side effects, but I did notice that it made me tired. I had to stop taking it recently because it kept lowering my white counts, so definitely make sure your doctor is monitoring your bloodwork carefully.

 

[lollypop]

hiya,i was azathioprine last year 2010 for my crohns but after a few doses made me feel really sick and not really with it, so after a couple of weeks i had to come it without knowing if it would work or not for me....:-(
hope you have some joy with it..good luck!