HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Imuran: nausea and fatigue?

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/30/2011 5:57 AM (GMT 0)
I've recently had to up my dose of imuran from 150 mg to 200 due to severe joint pain. I've been on the new dose for about three weeks now.

I'm noticing a large increase in fatigue and overall malaise as well as frequent nausea and occasional stabby stomach pains. I don't think its my Crohn's because other than the arthritis, I don't have much in the way of symptoms, and while my blood work reflects some inflammation, it doesn't appear I'm having a flare.

I'm aware that these all can be imuran side effects, but it seemed to imply in pharmacy materials that nausea might be a side effect that goes away with time. Has anybody had this experience? I'm wondering if I need to go back down to 150 or break a pill in half to see if 175 is more tolerable. Before I try to catch hold of my doc, I thought I'd see what the experts here had to say.
Did the fatigue or nausea go away after a while?
Posted 1/30/2011 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard that within a few weeks it does get better. But I am wondering if a slower increase might be a good idea for you. Not a doctor, so not sure if you should do this without docs advice. But it does seem like maybe it won't be as miserable for you. Hugs!
Posted 1/30/2011 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
I can't help with imuran & fatigue, but I am on a relataed immunosuppresent drug, purinethol.

I was on imuran first, and believe it caused me extreme joint pain. I stopped taking it (with doctors knowledge) then restarted 1 week later. The doctor said she'd never had someone with this side effect and was skeptical that it was the drug. The pain started again when I started taking it. Stopped and started again (under doctor's knowledge) - same thing.

Doctor switched me to purinethol, and I haven't had those problems. 100mg/day. I don't recall experiencing fatigue when I started up with that one. Have to have blood checked every 3 months to monitor white blood counts, and have actually had to suspend once because my immune system was too suppressed. Went back on for a couple of years at 50mg/day, and about 2 years ago was bumped back up to 75mg/day.
Posted 1/30/2011 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
Are you taking the whole dose at once? Sometimes an increase in Imuran like that can cause nausea if you're not used to it. When I was taking 100mg of Imuran, it used to make me nauseous so my GI recommended taking 50mg in the morning and 50mg at night. It might be easier on the stomach.

If not, you can increase your dose gradually. Do a few weeks at 175mg, then up to 200mg. But check in with your doctor first and make sure that's okay...
Posted 1/30/2011 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
I can't take imuran...not only did it cause nausea but it made me very very sick...I tried taking it at night..nope...so I tried to split the dose...nope...my doctor changed the dosage..nope... I tried for a year on imuran and it just did not agree with me at all..I hope the nausea goes away for you as it works for so many people. 'just not me'
Posted 1/30/2011 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
I'll try splitting the dose morning and evening, and see if that makes a difference, and if not call my doc to see about something else. Thanks guys.
Posted 1/31/2011 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
I was on both 6MP and aza (imuran). After a short while, maybe a couple of weeks, the fatigue was so very bad I felt like I had a heavy lead blanket on me. The nausea never got better after 4-5 weeks and I felt sicker on the drug than off. So... I'm off. Done that sequence once with aza and twice with 6MP.

That said, many people do find that taking it at night helps. Also I understand that those symptoms wear off for a lot of people. Good luck with it! I think there is a blood test that the doc could do to check to see if that dose is the "right" dose for you. Have you had that done?
Posted 1/31/2011 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
I have, three times. And at 270 dollars a piece, with my insurance refusing to cover it, I hope I don't have to deal with it again. Its nice that they have these fancy tests, but man, do they have to be so expensive?
Posted 1/31/2011 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking it at 100mg for almost five yrs. Split the dose at first and after a couple months started taking both pills together. It took me at least 3 months for that extreme fatigue to fade and about the same for the constant nausea. My friends used to call me every morning after work and talk to me on the way home so I wouldn't fall asleep driving...It's been a good drug for me in conjunction w/ Remicade. I hope the side effects ease up on you, I imagine a higher dose would take longer to adjust to.
Posted 1/31/2011 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yes and yes! I was on 75mg. I was tired for months, I was sick for months, I would throw up at least once every day. Then when I had to stop it due to a dropped wbc I felt almost instantly better. Now I'm in remission, we think that the imuran was doing more harm than good for me. And I'm never going back on it again.
Posted 1/31/2011 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
It actually took about 4 months to get better for me...and yes! deffinatley take it at night. Good Luck
Posted 1/2/2012 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
This information is really helpful. After 10 years on Pentasa, I went into remission after only 6 wonderful months on Remicade -- but it caused liver damage and I was diagnoses with autoimmune hepa*** on top of Crohns. 1 month on prednisone, and am now just 2 days on Imuran (50 mg, 1 am & 1 pm) - but am having nausea and vomiting -- am very willling to stick with it, if it will get better, as some of you are noting it has for you after a few months. Thanks

For people trying Remicade - it was the best 6 months I've had in the last 15 years, and if not for the pesky liver damage, i would have stayed on it forever. It is high risk, but can have high rewards.

Healthy new year to everyone!
_________________________________________

Carmen Cassidy: formally diagnosed with Crohn's disease in July, 2001 thru colonoscopy at age 37
diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, secondary to Remicade, December, 2011
stomach ulcers, 2009, Nexium, 1 qd, dx thru endoscopy



Pentasa 10 years, Remicade 6 months,
Currently: Prednisone currently 20 mg daily, 100 mg Imuran daily, Nexium

FIGHT LIKE A GIRL, CROHN'S DISEASE AWARENESS!
Posted 1/3/2012 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
I can not take Imuran due to severe join pain that caused me to be admitted to the hospital for 3 days. Tried one more time after that and the same thing happened only after 1/2 the amount. The joint pains were so bad that I could not even walk without help. The doctors told me that I had a severe allergic reactio to the Imuran. Never again.
Posted 1/3/2012 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
Yes,definitely! I take 200mg a day and I find that I'm nauseous and tired all the time. I have been taking it for 3 months and have never felt so nauseous, ugh!
Posted 1/4/2012 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
I had nausea/vomiting every morning and fatigue the whole year I was on it. we never go above 75 mg as my wbc would drop. I also had constant stomach pains/aches. once we stopped the meds I felt wonderful a week or so later.
Posted 6/30/2013 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
OMG I am so sick of Imuran! I take 250mg everyday and have been for almost a year and a half and lately I'm so nauseous. I keep taking the Zofran and it helps a little, but every time I try to eat, I get really nauseous. I'm so tired all the time and all I want to do is sleep. I really need to get off of this, but I've been on it for two years now and am afraid if I do, all my symptoms will come back. I guess my next thing to try is a biologic,but I'm not sure which one.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply