Advices to take Azathioprine

You have a confirmed chronic and incurable bowel disease that should be treated at all times. Azathioprine aka Imuran is a good med and it and its sister med 6mp have helped people to stay in remission for over 10+ years.

I would take it. Not taking meds at all will just allow the disease to simmer in there and continue to do its damage without you even knowing it until one day you wind up with emergency surgery. Thats what happened to me.

You can use natural supplements and diet, but these should be considered as complimentary of each other along with Crohns meds.

You want to stay mild, then take your meds. good luck!

I'm not familiar with the meds used for CD but if I am not mistaken Budeson is a steroid yes? Long term steroid use is not ideal as it can cause many complications such as adrenal fatigue, bone loss or bone necropsy. By being placed on AZA, you will be able to get off the steroid (or should be able to). AZA works by slowing the immune system (suppressing).

I've been on 6mp (similiar to AZA) for almost 5 years now. I have had no issue from it other then side effects from the initial start up. But once my body got used to it, it started working in about 7 weeks. This is not a quick med. It takes time to build up in your system.

It might be wise to wait after your trip, if you can. The most common side effects are headaches, fatigue, nausea and mild hair loss. I had all of that but after my body got used to it, they subsided. I still have headaches but not nearly as bad. Of course, you may NOT get side effects. It just depends on how your body is going to respond to it.

Entocort is used to quiet the initial flare down, and is NOT a maintenance med. Imuran and its sister med 6mp are considered maintenance meds. They are the same med just process differently in your body.

I had side effects from Imuran and switched to 6mp and started taking it at bedtime and had no further issues or side effects. Taking additional folic acid will help stop the hairshedding. Good luck!

3. I would love to not have to take any medication, but the doctor warn me that it is not prudent. Is anyone not taking medication or doing some alternative medicine things? Is it so tempting considering that I am asymptotic...Frankly, I am a bit scared to start this new medication.

Crohn's can sometimes get worse to the point that it becomes a serious disease requiring hospitalization. So nobody is going to recommend 2nd guessing your doctor whether we take meds or not. But I believe your question is are there CDers out here who do not take medication. I don't take medication. I am allergic to the safer 5-ASAs and am scared to death of the stronger corticosteroids and biologics. There are others out here but I suspect that if diet and lifestyle induced remission then there may no longer be any reason to participate in the forum.

Many veterans of this disease, even some of the strongest proponents for taking meds, also watch their diet and try to avoid triggering foods. And many find taking complimentary supplements to be effective, among the most popular are probiotics, vitamin D, and soluble fiber such as psyllium. But supplements can vary for each individual as much as meds do.

You could ask for a 2nd opinion from another medical doctor, perhaps one well versed in functional medicine. There is no such thing as too much information. There are some Crohnies who like you are cautious about the stronger medications and therefore turned to LDN. Many threads about LDN on this forum. I have never had to try it (yet) but it supposedly has few side effects. But I suppose that you do not have anything to lose by following your doctor's advice and taking the recommended meds.

I suppose western trained doctors are taught this way

It sounds like you are intrigued by alternative medicine. If that is your question then Functional Medicine by medical doctors is the fastest growing field in medicine. There are links to more information about Functional Medicine at the end of this story:

www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/is-there-a-cure-for-autoi_b_756937.html

Post Edited (BabeintheWoods) : 7/7/2011 6:56:50 AM (GMT-6)

Hi there!  I just wanted to throw my experience in there.  I have just started Imuran after being on Budesonide (Entocort) for 1.5 years.  My doctor told me that Entocort can put some people with mild Crohn's into remission and since you've only been on it for 3 months, I'm not sure I would rush to go to an immunosuppressant.  I have been on Entocort too long as it was clear after 6 months that it was helping my symptoms but certainly not inducing remission.  Long story short, that was because of a crappy first doctor -- I am now being followed by a wonderful Doc. 

My opinion (I am no medical professional, so you can take this with a grain of salt) is stick with the Entecort for a few more months... that is IF your doctor is giving you the choice.  If she/he feels Azathriopine is your best bet and feels strongly about it, then there must be a reason.  A second opinion is never a bad idea too.  Entocort is a steroid but it is packaged so that it's not released until it reaches the terminal ileum, therefore systemic absorption is greatly reduced.  It's one of the safest Crohn's meds out there (according to my doc) as long as you're not on it for a crazy amount of time.... like me.  After a year, some folks can start to show symptoms similar those you can get while on prednisone.

Anyway -- it just seems to me like your doc hasn't even given the Entecort a fair shot.

As for Azathriopine, I've been on my introductory dose for 2 weeks now and just upped to the next higher dose as bloodwork shows I'm tolerating it well.  I did A LOT of research before starting this med because I was terrified of it.  I've found a few different doctors who have said although it's a serious med, most people tolerate it very well.  It's been around for many years and that makes me feel better. 

Not sure if I helped, but I hope so. 

Kmflutist,
Thank you for the details. My doctor is willing for me to continue with Bedusonide for up one year. She would rather see me take Azathioprine, but left it up to me. I have a prescription for additional three months, and will continue while I do further research. The point that I do want to make that I have never suffered from any symptoms. CD was uncovered by coincidence in a coloscopy. So, it is fear for me to ask, why I am taking the medication? Would you not agree?

I was reluctant to start Azathiprine but haven't any problems with increased infection, hair falling out, etc.  I think it might even have improved my hay fever and joints not that either of these were more than very mild.

It's also relatively cheap at about $50/month although you have to take a lot of blood tests initially.

Erwin, none of us like taking meds. But if you have Crohns disease, with or without symptoms, you should take meds.

Imuran has been around long enough that med professionals all over the world have enough data to determine its safety.

Trust the professionals who have been collaborating and building medical information for decades.

I have been on azathioprine for 17 years with a one year break which was the worst thing I did. I had been in remission for 6 years thanks to the azathioprine and so GI recommended I stop it in autumn 2009 to see if I could tolerate without it. Bad idea. Last summer things strated to go badly wrong and had the worst flare I had ever had and had to take 4 1/2 months off work. Previously even after surgery had only ever been off for 5 weeks maximum so was pretty annoyed.

Anyway started azathioprine again and will stay on this for life and also have to take Humira at present which is causing me no end of problems and hope after I see GI on 20th will be able to stop as it has done job it was supposed to do, get CD into remission whilst we waited for azathiorpine to kick in, it can take up to 3 months for it to start to work which is why people normally keep on the steroids until then.

The only side effects I have from azathioprine are that I tend to pick up colds/viruses easily. Apart from that never had any problems with it.

I think you have to keep in mind, as I think Nanner's may agree but not sure, a lot of the technology that have today to diagnose and see the disease was not around when she was first diagnosed, and really wasn't around or practiced. The information we have now about the disease was not known so the doctors probably weren't thinking to preform test as precaution like that if Nanners wasn't feeling any symptoms.

I just started taking Azathioprine about three months ago, and am currently on Humira. I have no side effects from the Azathioprine, I think I would definitely give it a try, maybe talk to your doctor about starting the Azatioprine while you are still taking the steroid until the new medication kicks in.

Good luck !