hello its me again with another question this time on Purinethol(6mp). Went to my GI doctor appointment today at first he had me on 100mg Imuran but i got off of that due to side effects but today he decided to put me on Purinethol(50mg) its supposed to be the cousin(as my GI doc put it) of Imuran but a little bit milder......now if its the "cousin" of Imuran is the side effects the same?? is this one a cancer risk too?? im kinda scared to take it cuz of my side effects i had with Imuran........i asked my GI doc about taking Azulfidine and he told me that drug is not effective for Crohn's and at the end would eventually have to go back onto a higher dose of Predisone....so he wants me to try this Purinethol instead and if i have bad side effects on this one he'll try another drug that probably wont work........are these two drugs the ONLY ones that work for Crohns?? please any help on this drug thanx
Purinethol anyone?
- Thread starter minky23
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There are quite a few drugs for Crohns. I was on 6-mp for close to a decade and never had any problems with it. Unfortunately, it just stopped working.
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The way I see it the big cancer risk is due to inflammation of the colon. You have to balance the benefits of reduced inflammation with the hypothetical increase in leukemia from the meds. My MIL could not handle Imuran either but she does fine on 6mp. I am on Imuran for now and doing will but I would like to be med free in the near future.
After these are the 2 Biologics and an alternative LDN. You do NOT want to get stuck with being dependent on Pred to control the inflammation long term. Many people are in that boat and I have seen where it goes. My MIL who takes the 6MP has taken pred for 20 years now cant mange crohns without it, but has some other serious health issues due to taking it long term. Not to mention the emotional roller-coaster ride it provides.
After these are the 2 Biologics and an alternative LDN. You do NOT want to get stuck with being dependent on Pred to control the inflammation long term. Many people are in that boat and I have seen where it goes. My MIL who takes the 6MP has taken pred for 20 years now cant mange crohns without it, but has some other serious health issues due to taking it long term. Not to mention the emotional roller-coaster ride it provides.
fenway1971
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I've been on 6mp since last March. It's helped me. I was petrified of the cancer risk too, but was convinced the risk of colon cancer while flaring is much greater than blood cancer from this drug.
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I tried Imuran first, but I reacted to it, so then my doc switched me to 6MP. My doc said that they are similar drugs and may be tolerated differently by different people. Unfortunately, I guess I was one of the ones that couldn't tolerate either Imuran or 6MP. So now I'm on Humira. If Imuran and 6MP don't work, there are other drugs to try.
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I took 6MP for many years. I had very little side effects, and for a long time it controlled my Crohn's. But it wasn't strong enough for my disease and I was later bumped to Cimzia.
I researched the cancer risk with 6mp. Most Crohn's meds have some small risk, but while the relative risk is greater- the absolute risk is still tiny. I think the greatest risk comes from combining 6mp and a biologic like remicaid or cimzia.
What kind of side effects were you getting on Imuran?
I researched the cancer risk with 6mp. Most Crohn's meds have some small risk, but while the relative risk is greater- the absolute risk is still tiny. I think the greatest risk comes from combining 6mp and a biologic like remicaid or cimzia.
What kind of side effects were you getting on Imuran?
Crohn's 35
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I was on Imuran a few times and each time I got sicker.. last year was Mercaptopurine also called Purinethanol... just realized it was the same name and with in a week my liver was hurting me... Christmas time is hard to get hold of a gi so I went off and glad I did because it was his recommendation. Immunosuppressants don't like my body.
Thanx for the responses everyone 
. I haven't started 6MP yet still a bit scared of it considerin I had side effects of Imuran. Alex my side effects on Imuran was real bad sharp shootin pain in the upper part of the back of the neck where the scull meets nuttin would take it away I was real sick and had no energy couldn't even get outta bed I had muscle aches etc. I just think Imuran didn't agree with me and if these two drugs r the same why take it don't like these harsh meds my Crohns hasn't been bad I only have had real mild crampin and didn't have to run to the washroom a lot just a normal amount. I asked my GI doc bout Azulfidine but he told me it's way to mild and it's not effective for Crohns.
. I haven't started 6MP yet still a bit scared of it considerin I had side effects of Imuran. Alex my side effects on Imuran was real bad sharp shootin pain in the upper part of the back of the neck where the scull meets nuttin would take it away I was real sick and had no energy couldn't even get outta bed I had muscle aches etc. I just think Imuran didn't agree with me and if these two drugs r the same why take it don't like these harsh meds my Crohns hasn't been bad I only have had real mild crampin and didn't have to run to the washroom a lot just a normal amount. I asked my GI doc bout Azulfidine but he told me it's way to mild and it's not effective for Crohns.
