Anyone get more sick on azathioprine?

I started taking aza back in June however I was not at therapeutic level until about a month ago when I started taking allopurinol with it.

However last year, I had three separate incidences of illness, that I have never had before. The first was in the summer before I started taking aza, which was gastroenteritis. I suspect I caught from my daughter who catches all sorts of bugs fro nursery. Then in October I contracted Cambylobactor (food poisoning). This is obviously not a viral thing and was contracted through food but nobody else in my family got sick and they ate the same thing. I was not even at therapeutic level at that point. Then on Christmas eve, I got another incidence of gastroenteritis or norovirus which was horrendous. Again, I got it from changing my daughter's nappies when she also had it. The first two incidences, my colitis flared up but the more recent one, I remained ok with my colitis and the virus went away after about 5 days.

I have never had a low white blood count whilst on the meds. I know aza reduces my immunity. I have not had any other freak illnesses or increased incidences of flu or increased colds and I have literally been in a room full of people with colds all day and still have not contracted it.

Do you reckon these stomach bugs are as a result of aza? It does seem coincidental that I am starting to get sick with these things whereas before I didn't. However, two times have been as a result of my daughter passing it on to me and I have contracted it from changing her dirty nappies.

The aza is helping me and has put me in to remission plus kept me well through my recent episode of norovirus, which is a miracle!

Well I have only been at the therapeutic level for about a month and I had my most recent blood test yesterday. My GI stated that the highest end of therapeutic range is 450 and I was at 440 a few weeks ago so am at the high end. Yesterday's blood test will show whether I have gone over the therapeutic range and if so, they will lower my dose. Don't know what my WBC is but will do in a couple of days time.

Yes. I think the immunosuppressive side-effects of AZA are fairly well documented in the medical literature. Wikipedia has a fairly good entry on it, but a quick google search will bring up some entries.

I was fairly well controlled on mesalamines, so I discontinued it because it simply was not worth taking. It never suited my system and I felt dead while on it. However, I understand it is keeping some folks in remission. For some, the long term risks are worth it if it is keeping their colitis in control, so it's a tough decision. I personally would not opt to be on it long term due to the fact that it was recently classified as a carcinogen.

Best.

Post Edited (Guardian7) : 1/8/2015 9:17:10 AM (GMT-7)

Possibly things last a little longer, but I don't think the med is the cause. like you said, you don't catch everything that goes around.

you immunity is slightly lower, not completely repressed.