6mp side effects

I started 6MP about 1.5 weeks ago to supplement remicade. My GI felt I was being steroid dependent and the remicade wasn't working entirely by itself. I really have not had any problems since starting 6MP - slight headaches but I think my biggest problem is the prednisone that I'm on. My symptoms are subsiding but I still have a little cramping and mucous during BMs. As far as nausea - I really haven't had any problems there. I am also on Lialda in conjunction with the remicade, prednisone, and 6MP.

It took about a month before my side effects of 6mp lessened. I did start taking it at night to help with the side effects and it really does help. You still might have residual side effects during the day until your body gets used to it. If your nausea gets bad, you can try otc anti nausea meds or you can call your GI and ask for a prescription. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water while taking this in addition to eating food before you take it. For the headaches you can take Tylonel to take the edge off it. I still get headaches but they're not as bad as they were and same with the fatigue. Btw, I've been on 6mp for 4 years.

Bobella,

I see that your post is from over a year ago, but if you haven't found the right fix yet, let me tell you about my symptoms and progression, as I seem to have found a cure for my UC:

I was diagnosed with IBD about two years ago, but it was extremely frustrating dealing with these doctors. One GI said I had UC, another said the results were skewed because my colonoscopy was taken during a flare up, and another wanted another test done. Regardless, no one could treat me because they didn't know what it was that needed to be treated (Chron's, UC, etc.) I heard of a world renowned GI doctor in New York, and I was willing to fly out there to see the best because (as you know) having these symptoms with no way of fixing them is extremely frustrating. Eventually I found Dr. Barkin in Miami, FL, at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, another prestigious GI.

I've been seeing him ever since (I live about 30 minutes from there), and I am finally symptom free, waiting on a returned phone call from him tomorrow to see if I can stop taking Lialda and 6MP. Anyway, I was in such bad shape that last year I had to withdraw from law school because of my symptoms, and every time I tried weening off the prednisone (started at 40 mg), my symptoms would come back (when I went from 20 mg to 15 mg three different times I had symptoms returning).

about 5 months ago my doctor wanted to put me on Remicade (my father has UC and has been symptom free ever since he had switched from Asacol to Remicade), but I told the doctor I would prefer another medication, as I cannot spend 3-4 hours in a hospital hooked to an IV every month now that I am back in law school. He recommended CIMZIA, which is the reason I am writing you this post. It's a relatively new drug, and although it is for people with arthritis and Chron's, my doctor said that people with UC may also use it.

It's a self-injection, two syringes every four weeks, and once I started this medication I was finally able to stop prednisone, a year later! Although if you do look into this (and if you're still in pain I can attest to the wonders this drug does), my suggestion (via my doctor) was to do one injection every two weeks, switching sides of the stomach to insert, as a four week time period left some room for symptoms to return.

Anyway, I felt it appropriate to give you a little bit of my history before jumping to my conclusion (I guess law school has altered my way of approaching any response I give). You may feel free to email me if you have any further questions. At this point I've been off prednisone since around December 20th (originally had been dependent on it since December of 2010), am taking 2 Lialda a day, as well as 75 mg 6MP. The main reason I came to this post is because I have been exhausted, and I was suspecting the 6MP as the source. Anyway, best of luck.

     I was on 6MP for seven years.  It really never kept me in a long term remission.  When I first started taking it, along with prednisone, I was able to wean off the prednisone after about two months and then only took the 6MP, Colazal (took that for ten years as maintenance) and rectal meds.  I enjoyed a two year remission but then started to flare yearly for a few years, then twice a year.  The doctor started me at 50 mgm, then when I flared so much he increased it to 100 mgm . I tolerated the 50 mgm just fine, maybe a slight increase in my bilirubin, but OH..that 100 mgm.....made me sooooo sick!  I had flu like symptoms and when my blood test results came back the doctor stopped it immediately.  My pancreatic enzyme levels were off the wall..over 400 and bilirubin was high too.  I was placed on Remicade and then Humira but all failed and I became prednisone dependent.  Had surgery on June 28,2010.