I need Imuran stories

I started Imuran a week ago and feeling very down about it. I have the common side effect of mild nausea. I am feeling defeated and not sure if I can take this med long term.

I need help said...
I was on it for a couple of weeks. Once I went to 100mg I felt the same way. terrible headaches, worse symptoms, just felt horrible. I already have liver counts because of seizure medicine I take. I talked to my doc and went off of it. I felt better in a couple of days. I'm not a good canidate for remicade, so I'm hoping for colon rest. I got shingles because i was on pred too long. i don't want my immune systen down forever.

lol that's the story mad potter was looking for.

I have been on 6mp for well over a year and I think my UC has improved during that time. I have had some ups and downs but the downs weren't nearly as unmanageable as they were pre-6mp. I would say the flares I have had while on 6mp lasted about a week or two and usually ended with using enemas and Canasa. I am very tired but I was before starting 6mp. I take it before bed to reduce side effects. I don't like being on this stuff and I am not 100% convinced it has been the key to my success but I wouldn't stop it as the past years - 2 years have been the easiest UC years since I was diagnosed and had a year long remission with Asacol. After that remission, I struggled really badly to get out of a major flare up for about a year and now I've been stable again for about a year (I think).

I started 75mg Imuran in March. Things improved so by the first of June I had tapered off the prednisone. By July, I was back on prednisone and my Imuran was upped to 150mg. Things are better so I began a slow taper of the prednisone. Currently at 27.5 for the week. I am better,but in a different way. While I am not having blood, mucus or runny bms, I am not 100%. When I poop, it is like hot coals passing. Afterwards I am fine. But during that time that I am indisposed, yikes!

I had horrible side-effects that improved somewhat after one week. At the end of week three I got serum sickness (bad reaction to the drug) and had to go off of it.

I had a bit of nausea early on , but now take my imuran only with food in the AM.
Other than that, imuran has been a miracle drug for me, I'm at a very low dose and there have been no problems whatsoever.

beatUC, how low is your dose?

Thanks everybody for your Imuran stories. The doctor told me if this works than I would have to take it the rest of my life. :( Just so tired of being on this hamster wheel of medications and diet modifications!

I was on Imuran for over 12 years while sick with UC. On higher doses I had mild nausea, but for me, the nausea by far outweighed the side effects of Prednisone, and surgery early on was never what I wanted as an option. I guess after being hospitalized for a week early on, being on Prednisone for 6 months, and at 22 yo dealing with horrible acne (for the first time ever in my life), a huge moonface, and insomnia, a bit of nausea seemed like the way lesser of evils. I hope things get better for you!

Oh, and I am editing this to add that I enjoyed good health for most of the years I was on Imuran.  i also had three very healthy kids while on a weight-based dose.  Imuran was a life-saver for me until I got to the next stage of life and I was ready to face surgery. 

I've been on it for two years and went into remission within 3 months of starting it. Had nausea at first but I take it about a half hour after breakfast now and I'm usually fine. My blood work comes back fine other than macrocytosis which is expected with this drug. Not the best drug to be on for sure but it beats the heck out of prednisone and flares.

I forgot the main reason I replied to this post: I had many side effects at first on Imuran (azathiaprine.) Headaches, nasea, tiredness, heartburn. I stuck with it and they subsided over a couple months.