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Imuran or 6MP

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/11/2009 6:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hello...   I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go on either one of these drugs here in the near future.. I was wondering if I could get any feedback from you all who have taken either drug, so I could get more information from people who've actually taken it as to their Pro's and/or Con's...

  I'm leaning more toward 6MP.. but not sure..   I'm scared to try either one to be honest..  

 

Posted 9/11/2009 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
We have a ton of posts on here about them (use the Google function above). But it's not really up to you which one you should start but your body's. The doctor should do a Prometheus test to determine which one will work better for you. Imuran breaks down to 6mp in the liver and sometimes someone may need that break down in order for it to work properly while others don't. That is where the Promtheus test comes in. It determines if you have the proper level of enzymes for that break down.
Posted 9/11/2009 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Red for clearing that up... I thought it was a choice, I haven't been explained anything yet about 6MP or Imuran as it's just been the last few days the pred stopped working, so I haven't even been able to discuss it with my GI... But he did tell me that if the Pred stopped working or if I became Dependant on it,  6MP or Imuran was the next step... Or surgery.....  I'm calling his office today to find out what he wants me to do...   From what I've read about both drugs.. 6MP seems to be the easier one to tolerate as far as GI side effects go... that's why I was leaning towards that one.. but if I don't have a choice, then I hope it works out for me anyway... lol...
Posted 9/11/2009 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
     I've been on 6MP for at least seven years.  It really hasn't kept me out of flares.  I had to stop it a few times.  First time while hospitalized in May of 08 because my pancreatic enzyme levels were elevated and the doctor thought it was due to the 6MP.  However, by the time of my release from the hospital (ten days later) my enzyme levels had returned to normal.  He placed me back on the 6MP in Aug of 08 because I just couldn't get off the prednisone.  I was taking 50 mgm but suffered another flare starting in May of 09.  The doctor increased the 6MP to 100 mgm along with 40 mgm of prednisone.  My white count dropped drastically to 1.6 so the 6MP was yet again stopped for three weeks.  White count went up to 5.0, resumed the 6MP at 50 mgm again.  Now in remission for about two weeks and have to have another CBC drawn on the 21st.

     I must add that I really felt lousy on the 100 mgm of 6MP and don't really know why my doctor placed me on that high of a dose. Most likely so I could reach remission.  I may add that for the last month I have also been going to a chiropractor and I think he has helped me a lot. 

Posted 9/11/2009 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
I was terrified to start 6mp too. I went thru the years coping as best as I could. I was never really in remission but I was never really ill either. Just a constant state of D and minor bleeding. When I did get bad enough I originally started on Rowasa (in addition to oral meds) but then over the years I became intolerant of mesalamines so when I would flare badly again, the doc put me on steroid enemas. Eventually I became dependent on steroid enemas and I couldn't get off them without flaring. That is why the doc wanted me to try either Imuran or 6mp. It took me nearly 3 months of hard flaring for me to make up my mind. I decided that I just couldn't live like that so I agreed to get tested for which one would be better for me. My Prometheus came back that I had enough enzymes to tolerate the 6mp. Imuran is usually the "weaker" (but has the same benefit) of the two because it has to break down. It all has to do with the liver enzyme count but I don't know what it is.

I eventually started on 6mp after staring at the bottle for a couple hours. In the beginning I was very tired, slightly nauseas and had headaches. But then my body got used to it. Usually the doc will start you on a low dose, take a lot of bloodwork, then increase it, do more bloodwork, and possibly increase it again. Having your blood drawn is a nessecity while being on these meds. It helps prevent any complications from happening such as pancreatitis, high liver enzyme count or low WBC. This will be my 3rd year on 6mp and I go in every 3 months to have my blood drawn now.

Also, this is not a quick fix. It takes time - 3/6 months in order for it to start working properly.
Posted 9/11/2009 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Red,

You were unable to tolerate the mealamines meaning you couldn't handle the side effects or you became unresponsive to them?
Posted 9/11/2009 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Actually I think I am allergic to mesalamines. After a long time of being Asacol, it stopped working for me meaning that it was making things worse. So the doc switched me to Colazal. Then after years of using Rowasa off and on, those too started making me worse but add in a flu like feeling and intense abdominal pain. I tried on 3 occasions to make it work but it just wasn't to be. I even have the same reaction to Canasa.
Posted 9/12/2009 5:45 AM (GMT 0)
i didn't like the idea of 6 mp either. but now i'm on it, and really don't have any side effects at 50 mg/day. when i went to 100 mg/day, i started to bruise easily, so down to 50 mg i went.

honestly, if it works for you the side effects can me much less than pred. of course, it might not work, but generally if you have bad side effects you just stop taking it and they go away. also- plan on it doing nothing for months on end when you start. i am just seeing the benefits really kick in after several months.
Posted 9/13/2009 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on Imuran for 9 months now. I haven't flared since I've been on it, but I have had a few blips. I think that was from a few things I shouldn't have eaten, so I cleared that up right away.

The only thing I have to complain about is how I'm always tired. Then again, I've felt like that ever since the UC journey started, so who knows.
Posted 9/13/2009 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,  If I could give you some advice.  I too have ulcerative colitis and had to be put on imuran after being on predisone for years.  Imuran nearly killed me, literally.  My blood was so depleted that my doctor told me I should have had a stroke or a heart attack. He said that by the standards in the medical books I should have been dead. I had go to the hospital and for the next six weeks I had to get blood transfusions.  I was weak and very sick. Years later, about 6 years, I found a lump in my breast.  They called it a pyollodes

tumor.  I needed two surgeries to take the lump out, but I didn't need any further treatment, thank God!  If you look at the side effects of Imuran, it does mention breat cancer.  I have to tell anyone who asks me if I am allergic to any medication about Imuran.  It nearly killed me!

  I am not telling you this to scare you, I am telling you this so that you know what can happen and did happen to me.  I wish you all the best and if possible, please let me know what you decided.

Best of luck!!

Posted 9/14/2009 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on Imuran and it's perfect for me, I don't get any side-effects and I do great on it. No flares (just some blipp-age from my birth control), thus the mesalamine enemas. I don't remember anyone doing any test on me when they told me to take Imuran, maybe they sneaked in that test before they were sure I'd need it.
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