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Posted 7/6/2012 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
 

My Gi doctor wants to put and keep me on Imuran for the rest of my life.  I find it hard to accept being put on a chronic immunosuppression drug for the rest of my life.  I have a lot of other health issues.

Is anyone else taking Imuran forever?   Can people tell me their experiences with Imuran?

I'm currently on prednisone 75mg a day and tapering off.  Pred is no longer working for me. Just got out of hospital recently trying IV pred.

I have tried several ASA compounds and they do not work.  They just inflame me more.

Surgeon called me and wants to wait a few months before he sees me.  ( would not give me a good answer why).

Any advice on imuran would be great. 

Posted 7/6/2012 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in the same situation right now.. I've been on 60mg prednisone daily for 3 weeks with very little improvement, my doc just upped me to 100mgs a day (50mg in the morning, 50mg in the evening) hoping to settle things down while the imuran builds up in my system. I was hesitant at first to try the imuran but from all accounts i've been hearing (2 specialists and my GP) it is a pretty safe drug to be on long term. My GI said he has patients who have been on it for 20-25+ years, with little to no flare ups in that whole time and very minimal, if any, side effects. In the condition i'm in right now, if I can get 20-25 years of no flares by sticking on Imuran, sign me up! I am getting so sick of this cycle of getting sick, jumping on prednisone, going into remission and repeat repeat..

Posted 7/6/2012 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on imuran for the duration, it's turned my life around.
The dose is very low, I've had no side effects whatsoever, no drug is perfect, but when I look at my life before & after imuran -I'll stay on it gladly!
Posted 7/6/2012 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
me too, beatuc- I like Imuran, have no side effects, labs always look good, knocks me UC down to a 100% liveable level.... Everytime I try to stop it, I get bleeding, mucous, gas, etc. No thanks, I'll take my chances on Imuran for now & years to come. My dose is 150mgs/day- not too high, not too low. Pred is a much scarier drug to be on for any length of time than Imuran- I've done at least 3 high-dose courses of pred over the years, I hope never to go on it again. Surprisingly enough too, I don't find myself to be any more susceptible to any hlthcare things- colds, flu, etc. I think the immune suppression action is more complicated than we realize.
Posted 7/6/2012 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info.

Does everyone still have to go in for weekly/monthly blood tests?

Posted 7/6/2012 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Imuran/6MP are not dangerous at the levels prescribed for UC. When you read information on these drugs they are referring to the dosages given to cancer patients. I was on 6MP for 2.5 years and never even had a head cold, and I work in a building that hosts over 10,000 visits per day by germy people. Imuran/6MP are FAR safer than some of the other drugs prescribed for UC, like Prednisone.

Sue
Posted 7/6/2012 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
I take Imuran and it is the only drug that has ever put me into remission.  I am currently having a flare but during the last ten years I have never felt as good as when I did after the Imuran kicked in.  I have not had any side affects.  My Doc does quarterly blood tests now.  It was more frequent when I started but I don't recall the schedule. 
Posted 7/6/2012 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
Imuran gave me my life back.  I'm on it for the duration and praying it keeps working.  You may go through a rough patch with fatigue/nauseau but that passes.  Blood work is more frequent in the beginning, then lessens, provided normal results.  Good luck.
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