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Imuran/Aza. Veterans?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/22/2012 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
What lifestyle modifications/precautions do you have to take because of meds?

My 4 year old niece just received 2 live vaccines -- MMR and chickenpox. Her pediatrician told my sister that to be safe, I should not be around my niece for two weeks due to my Imuran and her live vaccines. I talked with my GI care provider and they told me it should be ok for me to be around my niece, that the concern is more for *me* to not receive live vaccines.

Do you really notice your immune system weakened? So far, I don't. Should I concern myself with any precautions? I recently caught a stomach bug from my husband and that did not go very smoothly (got really dehydrated and GI was concerned about c-diff so I was told to go to ER for tests & fluids...everything came back fine and it just ran its course). I definitely want to take care of myself, but I don't want to live in fear. What about as my daughter enters pre-school programs? Any extra precautions, be prepared for more sick times?

Can I swim in a lake?

I'm feeling a lot better UC wise, but just a little paranoid about how this Imuran is working on me.

...hoping to do fecal transplant later this summer.
Posted 6/22/2012 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't take any precautions when on it and didn't get seem to get sick any more often. I did get Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease when my son got it at school, though, and it's something most adults don't get. It was horrible
Posted 6/22/2012 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
I did notice that sores didn't heal as well. I got nicks and cuts on my legs from weed eating in shorts back in April and they only recently healed. I also had allergies for the first time in years. Coincidence? No serious problems though. Just annoying
Posted 6/23/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
Pastor, I have no allergies this year. Imuran knocked them out. I usually need a pill every day for them.


Lolil, You can swim. You can go out in the sun, but put on sunscreen. I don't sense that my immune system is weakened. I sometimes feel tired.
But please don't fear that you have to bubble yourself. You'd most likely get sick if you were healthy when your child enter school anyways.
Wash your hands frequently when your child arrives home. Same with her to prevent the spread of illness. Stock up on vitamins. Eat well. Watch out with sick people. Don't worry too much. Hope this helps.
Posted 6/23/2012 11:32 AM (GMT 0)
I have been on Imuran for 11 years now. I don't think it has done anything to weaken my immune system. I already had low white counts because of my liver disease; I usually run in the 1.0 area, and last summer dropped to a .4 I am lucky to have not been majorly sick. I never had the flu or any type of sickness this winter, but usually I will get a good cold in the fall and in the spring. This year I haven't *knock on wood*.

We are all surrounded by so many germs all the time. The past 4 years I have been in college too, the amount of germs on the campus is outragoues. One class tested different hard surface areas to see what kind of bacteria grew on them. A bench, a library counter, and some other places had e-coli growing on them!

I agree with Sibby; you don't have to be paranoid, but be aware. I wash my hands or put on anti-bacterial and take a lot of Vitamin C. Swimming in a lake shouldn't be a problem, I have done it and had no problems ever. And I try to stay away from sick people!!

Good luck with the Imuran.
Posted 6/23/2012 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
For some, I don't think that Imuran or 6mp weakens the immune system but rather brings it down to the proper level. I didn't get sick anymore than normal, in fact it had helped me stay healthier longer because before the 6mp, I was constantly sick with colds, bronchitis, pharyngitis etc.

I take the proper precautions like washing my hands frequently and avoiding sick people. But I have been around children who have been recently vaccinated with no issues.
Posted 6/23/2012 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Imuran has not weakened my immune system at all that I've noticed.
I wash my hands religiously and try to get proper sleep, etc.
Also, I am in the sun every day and have not noticed any increase in sensitivity to sunlight.
I think the trick is to get to the lowest effective dose of imuran, then, the side effects are minimal, or in my case nil.
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