Terrified of Azathioprine

What are you on now?

Have you considered a biologic?

It may have made you feel rotten, but Azathioprine is one of the weaker medications for Crohn's. It gave me pancreatitis, but that is a pretty rare side effect. Most people take it and have zero problems with it.

I don't blame you. I was scared to death to take that one, and sure enough a few weeks in I got pancreatitis. Landed me a 4 days hospital stay and that was the most painful thing I've ever had. I had to try it though, because what if it worked great? So, kinda a catch 22.

My advice if you're going to try it. Keep a close eye on your symptoms. Nausea, severe pain in the middle upper stomach. Get a hold of the doc real fast, or ER. Keep up on the blood work, mine happened so fast the blood work didn't show it when I first started feeling bad.

I'd much rather take Remicade or another biologic then that stuff. Thankfully I'm able to tolerate Methotrexate better.

Thanks Jen77 & Beave. Last time I tried it I only lasted 9 days as I felt very run down and queasy so I feel very apprehensive about starting it. Very much a catch 22 situation, bowel seems to be fine at the moment its just all of the other symptoms that I am having that are bothering me and I'm scared the azathioprine will amplify this.

Will just suck it up and try again, fingers crossed.

Ask to try 6MP instead - some people who cannot tolerate azathioprine tolerate 6MP better, partly because (as my GI explained) it's a 'cleaner' drug. Start on 25mg (halve a 50mg pill) and take it at night. Move up to 50mg when the nausea disappears.

If that doesn't work, then I don't think the thiopurines (aza, 6MP) are for you. Me, I tolerate them fine, but there was that initial nausea to get through first. Wasn't that bad though and it was completely gone after a week.

if its got you that upset, (i know because i was very fearful of these meds too but they are the only thing that got the crohns under control) then you really need to talk to your doctor or an IBD nurse about. I am on a half dose of 6mp because it made me too nauseous (combined with remicade), it made the thought of food seem utterly revolting. I found with starting new things that have me unnerved, its easier to take it one day at a time and each day make a goal to check in with yourself about how you feel. If it doesn't work, then you can move on to humira.

I know, its a vicious cycle with stress. Its good that you have spoken to your team about it. finding the right med is challenging. Even now, for me I'm coming up on a year on Remicade, it is undeniable that it helped the crohns but now I have other intense sick aching that follow no pattern sometimes helped by the remicade sometimes made worse. Its very frustrating the only thing that helped me get through the uncertainty was having frequent doctor appointments at first to try to sort out the cause and give me goals to make it to when i could reevaluate the decision to continue on the med. Im happy with my choice so far but still frustrated. But the meds are still a chance at a more normal life as a posed to no meds and low quality of life.

wow, 3 months is a big stretch when you're starting something new. I remember you said it was tough because he is the only one around and its quite a distance but how are they on answering questions over the phone if you have a problem? I had a lot going on this past spring/ summer I was lucky if i could get through a week with out having to call or go in for an appointment while figuring out the right dosages of meds and sorting out symptoms. Hope it goes well for you!