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Questions for Getting off of 6mp/Mercaptopurine

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/5/2011 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
I hope someone here has an answer for me...has anyone been able to get completely off of 6mp/Mercaptopurine and NOT flared back up???  If so, did you taper off of it, and what other meds were you taking?  Thanks for any replies!
Posted 6/5/2011 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
As you know, I was off of it for about 2 months while my blood counts were low and I didn't have a problem with a flare up. I didn't taper off, I stopped cold turkey.

Hopefully other members who have gone off for reasons other than low counts will chime in.
Posted 6/5/2011 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
are you back on it again, or did you stop it again??? :)
Posted 6/5/2011 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am on it but may be going off again. I spoke to the user keylime who said her son had similar problems with 6mp and does better on Imuran. I may ask if this is an option but I have a feeling I know the answer I will receive.
Posted 6/5/2011 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for the reply notsosicklygirl - i hope something can take its place to make you better. i want to get off of it but am afraid i'll flare up again.
Posted 6/5/2011 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
I wish I could take a break from everything for a while.
Posted 6/6/2011 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
Kate-

Why do you want to stop? Does it cause you problems? How long have you been on it?
I imagine if you stop you will eventually have a flare unless you take something else in its place?

What does you GI say? Maybe if you are doing really well and have been flare free you could decrease the dose?

My daughters GI says to stay on for ~ 5 years and then we can talk about weaning/stopping. He says stopping before
that time will most certainly end in a flare at some point.
Posted 6/6/2011 10:46 AM (GMT 0)

I will let you all know how it plays out for me.  I take Imuran and started on 200 mg.  Once I got my uc under control I was dropped to 150 mg.  I added canasa at that point and my colonoscopy showed a normal colon with a small 5 cm patch in the rectum.  My doc and I agreed that if the canasa can get this area under control then consider lowering to 100 mg.  My goal would be just to use suppositories and not a systemic med but we shall see how it goes.  I have a flex scope in about 2 weeks.

MyUC

Posted 6/6/2011 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
     The GI doctor placed me on 6MP back in 02.  It really didn't keep me in remission for long.  I believe I enjoyed two years remission, then flared yearly, then twice a year, until I finally had my total colectomy with end ileo last June.  When admitted to the hospital in 08, my pancreatic enzyme levels were off the wall.  My doctor took me off the 6MP for about a week.  At the end of my hospitalization my enzyme levels had returned to normal and he placed me back on the 6MP (50 mgm all the time).  In the summer of 09 I flared horribly.  He increased the 6MP to 100 mgm...OMG...my liver function tests were double the norm.  He took me back to 50 mgm.  A few months later I agreed to try Remicade but he took me off the 6MP two weeks prior because he said he didn't like his patients being on two immunosuppressants at the same time.  All this time I was becoming more and more dependent on the prednisone too.  Remicade and Humira both failed.  Done with this nasty disease forever!

     You should have no problem stopping 6MP cold turkey.  Prednisone is the one you have to taper.

Posted 4/3/2020 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Just reading this thread from years back. I am not in that boat - coming off 6MP after a couple months. Liver markers were too high and I finally had liver pains. Weird thing, but like electric shocks going up your chest. Then became a dull pain just below my chest on the right side. Doc's instructions is to stop cold turkey. Weaned off Budesonide 2 weeks ago and now all signs of a flare forming. So not sure 6MP helped much.

Back to square one. Humira didn't work, and now 6MP checked off the list. Bad time to be switching meds.

Will have to pick up Budesonide again and figure out next course of action.
Posted 4/3/2020 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
typo - I am NOW in that boat.
Posted 4/3/2020 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
Time for another biologic then. Many to choose from these days.
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