New Member - 6 MP Question

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum! I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's and have a mild case luckily. I have ulcers in my colon and thickening in the small intestine. I have no stomach pain, however i have been bleeding for years when going to the bathroom (not very much) and finally decided to get it checked out because it was getting worse and more painful. I was told I had Crohn's after several tests (colonoscopy, MRI). I was put on Asacol then switched to Apriso. Neither of which made anything better, in fact things seemed slightly more painful.

I was put on 6 MP last Friday and am worried that my doctor isn't having my liver checked more often. From what I have read about others on 6 MP, you get your liver checked on a regular basis, right? I'm having my blood counts checked once/week for 4 weeks and my liver checked once at the end of the month. There are no future blood or liver checks after that (I am not scheduled to see my doctor again until June). This concerns me as it seems like others have their liver checked on a more regular basis. Please let me know if this is "normal".

Thanks!

When I was first put on 6MP, I think I had my blood checked twice the first month (I believe both included liver tests, as well as the Prometheus test to make sure I was in the therapeutic range). After that he has scheduled bloodwork for me once every 3 months.

Son is on Azathioprine(which I believe to be similar type drug) from what I can recall his blood/liver tests went something like once week for first month or so, then fortnightly for 6 weeks and now he is tested every three months.

6MP is also known as azathioprine I think, if that's correct then it is the drug I have taken for past 14 years and I have my blood tests done every other month to check FBC and liver function and kidney function. The liver problem can occur at any time, same as some people suddenly develop problems with Remi/Humira after taking them for years.