Do I go on Azathioprine or not?!

I've got to tell you I put off going on IMURAN for a long time and regret every day. I ended up in the hospital because of a flare and anemia. I've been on it for about three weeks and I still have gas and diarrhea but its a lot better than going 20 times a day and 9 times a night with lots of blood, I think the higher dose (60mg) of prednisone is helping too. and I can actually get out of the house now! Doctors give you the worst case scenario because they have to, you have to be on this med for 10 years before you should be concerned about lymphoma etc. I am also going to try remicade. I have to try these first before surgery and am certain I will get relief but who knows if and when they will stop working. I got relief for years from 5-asa but those quit working as well. so if it buys me two more years of relief to save up money for surgery then I'm game. you never know until you try it. everyone is different and you can't base someone else's bad experience as likely to happening to you as well.

I'm one of the rare ones that had severe reactions to 6MP. I developed pancreatitis secondary to the 6MP and had to be hospitalized. It was the worst experience of my life, far worse than any flare from UC alone. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. Apparently a small percent of people develop pancreatitis from 6MP even after tests show that your body should tolerate the drug. It happened within just a few hours of taking the 6MP though so at least I found out and got over it quickly.

I gotta say though I am a hard case. i've proven to be allergic or intolerant to every medication out there for UC except Prednisone. I have absolutely no side effects from it. No weight gain, no acne, no moon face, no hair loss, nothing. Unfortunately since its the only thing that works to keep down any flares I am completely dependent on it. oh well, we're all different and I wish you luck with your decision making. :)

started imuran 150mg 4 weeks ago. I am total chicken from what I've read on the internet. i stopped flaring on prednisone before going on Imuran. I have terrible knee pain, muscle pain and extremeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee fatigue...  I dont know which drug is causing or caused it.

could be pred. withdrawals some people say. I have no idea.

the cancer and neo plasmas or whatever they are called scare me. But I think it depends on if you can go into remission on your on or not.

I was diag. in 2005 and have only been getting sicker and sicker since. On disability now and feel useless so I hope this works.

I hear some people actually get their life back and of course I hear the opposite aswell.

good luck with your decision.

BCGirl:

I kind of think that the Imuran I am now taking is a preventative medication.  Meaning it helped me reduce the inflammation that was present in my colon and has allowed my colon to have healed.  Now that I am in remission I lowerd my dose from 200 to 150 mg.  I am to have a colonscopy this October and my GI doc expects a perfectly healed colon.  He would be surprised if that was not the case.  Now when I take Imuran I am thinking it as a preventative medication in the sense that it is avoiding a new flare of colitis.  I will look into reducing my dosage again and if not I will ask my GI doc about switching to ASA with rectal meds, etc...

MyUC