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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/23/2008 9:58 AM (GMT 0)
I went to two GI doctors and they both want me to go on 6MP. I don't think my colitis is bad enough that I need a drug that was used for cancer. I have about 3-5 loose stools a day. No blood. Some urgency. What would you do?
Posted 12/23/2008 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
?? The docs want you to start on 6mp with these mild of symptoms??? No that doesn't make sense unless you are steroid dependant. Have you ever tried Rowasa yet? Cortenemas? Cortifoam? If not, try to exhaust these options first before resorting to 6mp.
Posted 12/23/2008 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
I only went on 6mp when pretty much all other options were exhausted and I was in bad shape. I am not sure that I would go straight to 6mp with such mild symptoms.

Posted 12/23/2008 4:47 PM (GMT 0)

I agree with the others, 6-MP is a harsh drug with potential serious side effects (I got very ill from it and it caused liver damage).  My symptoms were affecting my daily living plus i am steroid dependant so my doctor went the 6-MP route. 

Due to the liver problems i was taken off of it and put on Imuran, so far so good...if this doesnt work then its on to Remicade.

Good Luck.

Posted 12/23/2008 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting question - are you still having the urgency and feeling that you have to have another poo straight after going to the bathroom - is it disrupting your social / work life? Am about to go onto the 6mp myself, after 4 months on pred and no remission.
Posted 12/23/2008 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
All drugs can be dangerous if you have an adverse reaction to them; 6MP is no more dangerous or more safe. It's actually proven to be safer than originally thought but that doesn't mean you need to be on it. The doses that are prescribed to UC patients are lower than those prescribed to cancer patients. I took it, side effect free, for 1.5 years. It didn't do a thing to lessen my UC but it also didn't give me any temporary or long term side effects. I do believe it's a much safer drug than prednisone and GIs usually will prescribe it if a patient is prednisone dependent.

Sue
Posted 12/23/2008 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
It hasn't affected my life that much. Also, since I am so young, 19, I worry about taking 6MP for the rest of my life. I'm gonna probably go to a specialist dietitian, and work out a plan from there.
Posted 12/24/2008 3:07 AM (GMT 0)

Typically you would not stay on 6mp for life.  It's a drug used to get a patient in remission then about 5 years later the patient is taken off of it.

Sue

Posted 12/24/2008 11:44 AM (GMT 0)
Sue, my GI told me it would be a lifetime medication. It may have something to do with the severity, duration and extent of Uc that determines the length of usage.
Posted 12/24/2008 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

Sherry,

Back in 1999 when I was put on 6MP my GI stated that he only allows his patients to stay on it for a max of 5 years.  It's supposed to replace the prednisone.  After 5 years he puts his patients back on 5ASAs.  Protocol may have changed since the late 1990s hence your doctor's advice.

Sue

Posted 12/25/2008 6:29 AM (GMT 0)
i went on 6-MP 4 days ago. i already don't like it...i've had headaches daily and my body aches and i'm so tired...not sure if this is due to the new drug, but it's the only change i've made- timing seems too correlated to be a coincidence. but i've been having a pretty bad flare for 5 months now! pred worked for a bit then stopped...this is the longest flare i've had in years so i'm hoping the side effects of the 6-MP go away and start helping me get back on track soon!
Posted 12/25/2008 12:24 PM (GMT 0)
Mtgman, yes it's the 6mp that is causing those symptoms. I had the exact same thing but luckily the side effects died down after about a month. But it helped even more when I started taking it at night, the fatigue got much better.
Posted 12/25/2008 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi mumbles,

It's nice to hear that you're doing so well. I've been in remission since about a couple days ago, and your symptoms sound a bit like mine: No blood, slight urgency. My stools aren't loose, but they are still small. I'm not taking any drugs, except for the Lexapro, which doesn't hurt the body the way drugs for Colitis do.
Posted 12/25/2008 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
thanks Red!
Posted 12/26/2008 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
mtgman,

hang in there! I am on 6-MP since three weeks and I know these headaches and the tiredness. It's get better with the time. I get nauseous also once or twice a day for an hour or so, although I take the pill at 6 PM every evening, I am nauseous the next day, often around 1 PM. But it does get better after a while. I also have a nasty and itchy rash not only in my face, but it seems to spread all over my body. I will see a doctor about this next week. Make sure that you keep all lab appointments and get your blood work done to make sure that 6MP isn't harming your blood cell count, your liver and the pancreas!

Merry Christmas and give it some time, I know it is hard to deal with these dull headaches. YOU CAN DO IT!
Posted 12/26/2008 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
thanks Scarlett- i appreciate the info and the support!!!
Posted 12/27/2008 7:10 AM (GMT 0)
     Hi.  I was put on 6MP about five yrs ago.  It really hasn't kept me from getting yearly flares.  This past year was the worse flare ever in the ten years I have had UP.  It lasted seven months.  When I was admitted to the hospital my pancreatic enzyme levels were sky high and my GI doctor took me off the 6MP.  Five days later the levels returned to normal.  At my first doctor's appointment following hospitalization the doctor put me BACK on the 6MP but monitored my blood carefully.  The enzyme levels are normal but my white count has gone down to 2.6.  It has NEVER been this low and I am very concerned.  Doc said he just doesn't want it getting any lower...ya think?  Last yr when it was 3.5, he told me he didn't want it lower than THAT!  Well, I cut the 6MP down to 50 mgm one day and 25 the next to see if that white count doesn't improve.  Another thing...I was getting very fatigued.  Don't like that one bit.
Posted 12/27/2008 9:33 PM (GMT 0)

I have said this before, but so far, 6mp has been the magic pill for my son.  It took over 6 months to put him into full blown, wonderful, remission. I thank God every day.  He gets regular blood work done, and sometimes, he has a bit of nausea that passes quickly, but basically, we have our son back 100%.  He eats anything he wants, and is happy.   Did I say happy??!?Talk with your doctor, do your research, and then decide.  Don't do anything you are not comfortable with. I am just saying it works well here, and as far as future problems, I don't worry about that.  Being a parent of an 18 year old, brings enough worries.  Happy 2009!!

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