6mp, Mercaptopurine, Purinthol and constipation

This is all the same med, just different names so wanted everyone to know what I am talking about. I have seen a couple posts where some people believe this medicine could cause constipation. My daughter is experiencing it now and we have done an elimination trial of supplements all but her 6mp. Does anyone else feel this could be a symptom of 6mp, the constipation?

Thanks.

Post Edited (Margie63) : 5/11/2011 8:08:28 AM (GMT-6)

I've been on 6MP for over 13 years and I wish it would cause constipation for me. But we are all so different, that who's to say that it isn't a problem for your daughter. Pentasa causes D for me, but others have no issues with it. You just never know. But if it is keeping her disease in check, you might be better off treating the constipation and keeping the 6MP than trying to switch to a different maintenance medication.

Thanks everyone for commenting. What do you do for your constipation and how long have you been on 6mp? What dosage are you at and do you have severe hair loss?

Thanks.

I was on 6mp for about a year, but stopped it because it wasn't helping and my liver enzymes were elevated, and we knew it could be from the 6mp.  I didn't have any hair loss or any other side effects other than the liver enzymes.  I wasn't on folic acid with the 6mp, but took it with methotrexate and didn't have any hair loss with that either. 

I took stool softeners for a while, and then just resorted to taking them when I really had to, because I'm on so many other meds.  I've tried dulcolax, but it gives me horrible intestinal pains.  The stuff I used before was the generic Walmart stool softener and it didn't seem to bother me.