My 1st Azathioprine dose

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SherryLynn

Joined
Jun 16, 2012
Messages
104
Ive just taken my first dose and my stress is out of the roof! I was suposed to take this thursday but put it off until today (monday). I have worked myself up into this pethetic person. Im trying hard to think of people who have things worse then me, im trying to be humble but I just can not give up the pitty party and the fear!
 
Hello SherryLynn,
Welcome to the forum.
So you are past the first post and heading for the long haul.Congratulations.
It does take a while for the Aza to establish itself and take full effect.
Most people seem to breeze through it all and here's hoping you are one of them.
I can understand your nervousness at the unknown---most of us will share that feeling.
Some people find it better to take the drug before bedtime to avoid unwanted effects.
You will find lots of helpful information on the forum and there is a sub forum called
Treatment Imuran/Azathioprine/6MP ---it appears on this page---just click on the title to bring up the information.
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha
 
I stressed myself out for nothing. I am doing fine on it. I dont have any side effects from it, only from the Prednisdone which I really hope that Im being tapered off of it soon.
 
SherryLynn, what dose of Aza are you on? Great name, by the way, lol! Mine is Chery Lynn though, at least when I was young I was called that.
 
I just saw a study that the Mayo Clinic did on Azathiaprine treatments and Remicade. It was worth checking out. Could be a good discussion to have with my GI doc.

Glad you are doing well. I will take my first dose tonight.
 
I'm taking 150 mgs every evening with my supper. I do feel tired, but no real other side effects to complain about. My rbc is low, but my iron level is good, so it's not an iron deficiency. Probably why I am tired, guessing it's due to the Aza, but my GI doesn't seem worried at all.
 
My recent labs showed my white count down, so I am a bit nervous about taking the Aza, of course I will have labs again in a couple weeks. I just need to trust the Lord.
 
I started with 50mgs. It was increased last week to 75mgs. I have an appt on the 3rd and I am assuming she will go higher then assuming my lab work is still doing well. When she increased this she also Decreased my pred from 40 to 30. My understanding is also that I will have a blood draw every few weeks while adjusting, sounds the same as your doctors plan.

I dont really feel tired but im noticing a bit of weakness in my strength. This could be of my own doing though as I have spent a few months not being as active. I am very moody (grumpy) but im pretty sure thats the pred and not the aza.
 
InChristAlone said:
My recent labs showed my white count down, so I am a bit nervous about taking the Aza, of course I will have labs again in a couple weeks. I just need to trust the Lord.
Click to expand...

Well, the Aza has my white count down very low, but I believe that's what the doctor wants. I didn't count on the rbc going low too, which had the mcv and mch counts messed up as well. But, since my general practitioner and the specialist neither one seem fazed by it, I decided to do what you have decided, give it to God and trust him to take care of it.
 
I will be starting on 100mg and going up from there if my labs look good. I am going to take it tonight because I have Bunco at my house and don't want to take a chance on not feeling well, although I guess I take that chance constantly with Crohn's anyway...well don't want any effects that I have not had before.

Thank you guys for sharing. I feel better about starting it now.
 
Got the results from my bi-weekly blood draw. Looks like im on hold at 75mgs until the next blood draw. She told me that my liver enzymes are slightly elevated.

Hmm so if I stay the on the same dosage I hope the enzymes dont keep increasing. Im doing pretty good. I sure hope it doesnt give me pancrentitus (sp)!
 
Oh no! I will pray for you right now! I go in for my first labs on Thursday. I just started back to work last week (teaching). I am super tired! I start to come out of it in the evening and then it's time to take my meds again. Praying that it goes away. My stomach feels pretty good right now, so I will take the sleepiness.
 
ive read in a few places that this med can make you tired. I dont think it had that effect on me but seems many do have that. I hope all goes well for you on your labs.
 
Oh my goodness, you guys are terrifying me! I am on Humira every other week and steroids and if things don't settle down after I reduce my dose on Sunday they are putting my on azathioprene with the Humira. Bad thing is, I will be on the steroids ALSO until I taper off of that but I have to do it that way because I keep having bowel obstructions AND it takes a while to build up in your system. I'm surprised you didn't know about the reduced blood marrow production, that is the first thing my doc mentioned to me. However, she did say that it would be a safer option to take azathioprene with the Humira because it will be a 1/2 dose of the aza instead of a full dose if I were taking it alone. She said it would be much safer than going on the Humira shot weekly. All I can say is that it doesn't comfort me much, and I scared sh*tless (no pun intended) and not at all happy about it but it is what it is. All I can do is pray at this point.
 
Hi nancerini,

Im actually feeling great today. This is the first time I have felt "normal" in months, so that means the meds are working. They just need to finish tapering me off the prednesdone and see what happens with these liver enzymes, but it sounds like they are close. My dr mentioned a few weeks ago that it was her intention to go higher on the aza based on my weight but If im feeling good and seem not to be having symptoms I cant help but wonder if she might hold it at 75mgs. I will have to wait until my next blood draw to find out, which is the 17th. I will get the results the week after that.
Tommorrow I step down my prednesdone from 20mg to 10mg. I stay on 10mg for a week then step it down again to 5mg for the last week, then hopefully I will be off the prednesdone.
The prednesdone did its job but since Im already overweight I will be so happy to be done with it. I had lost about 25lbs being sick, gained back almost all of that from the prednesdone. Hoping it will come back off when Im done!
 
I got my labs back and things look good. My tiredness is gone, but for the last couple of nights I have had terrible stomach pains and nausea. I thought perhaps a blockage, but now I am wondering if it is the Aza. My GI wants me to go up to 175 mg, but I'm going to tell him about these pains and see what to do.
 
yes plz keep us posted abt that. I go friday for my blood draw but may have to go sooner. I have an eye thats looking and feeling irritated and a runny nose, not sure if Im getting sick or not.
 
Both of you be sure to call your doctor to tell them how you are feeling and what's going on. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to being ill and taking immunomodulators. I'll be praying for both of you guys! I started on the azathioprene on Saturday and I've dropped down 10mg on the prednisone so that is good. I've been having problems with depression and anxiety while on the pred this time and it hasn't helped much since I'm already concerned about taking the azathioprene. My husband looked online for info about the clinical trials regarding this med and 2.5% got cancer, some was breast, some lung, skin, etc. However, there were people on the study that smoked so who's to say they weren't going to get lung cancer anyway or that the people who got breast cancer were going to get that anyway. Only .00976% got lymphoma so that is a really low percentage and that helped me settle down about it. Anyway, it is what it is, the steroids aren't working, the Humira isn't working so if I want to stop having bowel obstructions I have to try this. nancy
 
Yeah, that's why I'm on the Aza is to prevent an obstruction, but the way I felt the last couple nights had me wondering what the point was. I also started back to work this week teaching students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders. The kids come on Thursday, but I am not on top of my game at all! But no matter what it looks like, I will trust the Lord Jesus! The dr. Has not got back to me, so will wait for that.
 
UPDATE: Got the results from my new blood draw ( I get them every 2 weeks) My liver enzymes have spiked even higher so the dr has dropped my dose from 75mg back to 50mg. When the nurse called to give me that news she mentioned that the dr wants to see what it looks like again in 2 weeks and that she is thinking of a whole new plan. I had been tapering off of my prednisdone and today was my last dose. I am pretty much symptom free of the crohns.
I have other issues however. I feel tired and weak, a bit dizzy at times. My cronic back pain has almost all returned. While on pred I felt so good that I actually thought maybe it got better.. bleh no such luck, I could hardly get out of bed this morning!
 
I am just finishing my first day Pred free. My stomach has not felt good for about the second half of the day. Could my stomach pain really return that fast after tapering after being symptom free for, I think its been about a month.
 
Flu-like symptoms, about to statrt Az...thingumy soon

Hey folks. I was dx in July past, and am now reduced to 6mg Budesonide p/d, then in couple of weeks 3mg, then on to Azathioprine. Have had next to no symptoms until last night, when started getting dull aching cramps (I had been at a stag-party on Sat [bro-in law] and stupidly I drank lots.) Anyway today I have the very occasional cramp, which usually precedes a noisy gut, then goes. Just went to toilet, yup, lots and lots. Mostly properly, but diarrhea at end.
Whats confusing me is I feel like Im coming down with flu symptoms! Sore eyes, joints (esp pelvic when stand up but also neck) and fever.
Seein doc on thurs, and doubt Ill make work tomorrow.
Any thoughts? Flu-like symptoms -could it be the flu, or is the fact that its accompanied by cramps, and 2days after drinking session mean that its Crohns?
Thanks!

PS my name's Gareth. Regretting choosing this username!:sign0085:
 
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