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Pancreatitis and Imuran...

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/2/2008 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
I'm hoping someone who has had this can help me out.... I've been on 100mg of Imuran for about 6 weeks now and although it has done next to nothing to help my colitis symptoms I've definitely been feeling the side effects. The latest and greatest I'm feeling is really scaring me and I'm not sure if this the pancreatitis or not.

I take the 100mg in the morning and every single day at about 4:00pm I start to get this pain in the middle of my rib cage. It starts off pretty mild. Then I eat dinner and usually about 1/2 or so after dinner the pain greatly increases in intensity. Then I suffer for about an hour or so and then the pain is gone?? During the time of highest pain intensity I have a pretty rapid heart beat and shallow breathing. Even though I've been on the Imuran for about 6 weeks I only started to get these pains in the last few days or so.

I have an appointment to see my GI next Thurs and I've had some blood work done but I'm really wondering what this might be.

Can anyone who has had pancreatitis please let me know what symptoms they experienced and at what pain level should I be really concerned?
Posted 3/2/2008 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
I've been there! I actually had an even more acute case on 6-MP (which works/gets metabolized in the body the same way as Imuran). After 4-6 weeks on 6MP I randomly woke up at 5:30am with severe pain (high up, at my ribcage), thought maybe I needed to go to the bathroom, took some pepto, and about 15 minutes later was vomiting bile and blood. Proceeded with that for a few hours, then was left with the pain. I could barely stand up straight! I called my GI doc right away (tracked him down on a Sunday) and he immediately said it was acute pancreatitis, and was a rare side effect of the drug. He told me to stop taking it right away, I took it easy on food for a few days, and felt a whole lot better! The pain went away after a few days.

Your description definitely sounds like pancreatitis, given the timing. The only other thing I can think of would be a gall bladder problem--but they both are involved with digestion of a meal. If you're still taking the Imuran and haven't spoken directly with your GI doc, I'd really recommend having a secretary/operator page your doctor if you can't reach him/her otherwise and ask if you should stop taking the drug. Plus, given your other side effects, it really sounds like time to discuss the pros vs cons of taking that medication. There are definitely others out there! I've had NO side effects on Prograf, and there are others on this site who take Cyclosporine (also in the same family).

Good luck--and definitely call someone!!
Rachel
Posted 3/2/2008 4:53 PM (GMT 0)

After everything I've read on the net it certainly seems like pancreatitis but the only thing I don't understand is that it only affects me for a few hours around dinner time.  Outside I've that I don't have any chest type pains throughout the day?

If anyone has gone through this before is the pain constant 24/7 or does it come and go throughout the day?  I have an appointment with my GI on thursday where I'm seriously going to discuss getting off imuran.  I've been on it for 6 weeks and all I've noticed so far is some nasty side effects.  There has been no benefit to my colitis.  In fact I was dealing with the flare up better before because it was all I was dealing with.  The rest of my body felt pretty good, now I feel worse then I did 2 months ago!!

Posted 3/2/2008 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
I would stop taking the Imuran for a day and watch what happens.

After 5 weeks of taking it I had the sharp pain and the vomiting, usually starting a half hour after taking the pill and lasting until I threw up the whole pill. My blood work showed acute liver failure beginning- very scary! Please be careful!

I felt fine fine as soon I stopped Imuran, but my bloodwork was wacky for about a month afterwards.
Posted 3/4/2008 3:02 AM (GMT 0)

When I had pancreatitis, the pain was not persistent.  I recall that it was worse after meals.  I believe this is due to the inflamed pancreas struggling to produce fluids for digestion.  The only real cure for it is to stop eating and give the pancreas a rest.   

My pain was relatively mild, yet my blood tests showed that my lipase levels were dangerously elevated.  So, having any pain at all should prompt you to take action - it does not necessarily need to be severe pain to be a major risk.  Please contact your GI right away.  When I called, he told me to go straight to the ER.  Pancreatitis is quite serious. 

Of course, I have no way of knowing if you actually have pancreatitis.  I'm just suggesting that you should be cautious.   

Posted 3/9/2011 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking imuron for about 3 weeks, 100mg.  Out of nowhere I have the worst headache I have ever had, like I was shot in the head.  I have to take a migraine med to get rid of it.  Anyone else have headaches from imuron?  Could it be the prednisone 40mg?  I also had a remacaide infusion?  Scary stuff these drugs.  I took the "worms" so I am hoping this will work and I can get off the meds sooner than later.  BTW, it won't matter not taking imuron for a day to check the side effects because it builds up in your system over a 3 month period. :(
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