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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Drugs and Supplements Azathioprine Oral Route. It kept me chronically ill for over 10 years, taking an immune modulator when you have a kid is definitely not for sissies. My docs seem to be flummoxed. And I have to wonder if the azathioprine is still messing with me. Can you quit azathiaprine cold turkey? I stopped once about 7 years ago and had a flare and was put back on it.
Has anyone has experience with not feeling great initially while the body adjusts to being off of the azathioprine? Hair loss, weight gain, swollen feet, black outs after not much alcohol, memory loss, confusion and loss of words or names, joint pain, muscle aches, constant colds, fever blisters, and more! Im inspired and empowered to stop. Take it for Uc but also take liada. I am in remission thanks to this drug but damn the side effects suck!!! I have been taking aza for U. C for 6 months, mg and want to come off it due to side effects.
Had a course of prednisolone along side the mg for the last 6 weeks, finished the course last week. I was on the meselazine for the last 20 years prior to the aza.
I am trying a diet change of no dairy, no alcohol, caffeine free, potatoes and red meat. I am also taking smoothies drinks with avocado, spinach, banana , blueberries, organic oats and almond milk. Small meals little an often to manage this condition. Will see how this goes with a reduced dose every week with a view to come off them with a mind over matter attitude to this chronic illness. Anybody got any advice.
I have just landed in this article as i have taken the decision to stop Imuran after nearly 8 years for my UC when i heard that the coronavirus will be of a greater impact to people with low immune system. But i had my doubts as my doctor and all the medical websites advice not to stop, so i was researching tonight again when i found this article.
On the opposite, i am starting to feel less fatigued and waking up more energetic in the morning. Corona was the decider. I was really worried about the side-effects of coming off and whether it would be affected again if I needed it down the track.
No encouragement at all from doctors to improve your diet or to do anything but stay on drugs. I stopped three days ago. All over. My feet feel cold and clammy and wierd. Just felt like maybe the med was why I was feeling so terrible all the time.
Plus my hair falling out. I was in it for Crohns and RA. Anyone got reliable data on how long it takes immune system to return to normal after you stop aza? Best of luck all, and stay safe. I have been off Aza for nearly 4 weeks, mg daily. It so far has not affected me and phycologicaly I feel better. I have stopped alcohol, caffeine and dairy alongside this. I have read it could take up to 12 weeks to be completely out of your system. Hi Merlin, Reading through your message and your med history sounds like my own.
I am on aza for nearly 9 years now with no major side effects but would love to try going off it. Just wondering how you got on with withdrawing and if you are still off it or on something else or hopefully nothing else.
I myself am a registered nurse who has taken AZA for over decade and will no doubt eventually be exposed. It is not a benign medication, but it is relatively safe, much safer than steroids. A flare requires steroids to treat, and that is the last thing you want to be taking during a viral epidemic. Also the article the author refers to to justify his reasoning is just one of many on the subject.
Please talk to your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions and keep in mind that the immune related effects of AZA likely take weeks to return to baseline. Thanks for article. I have been off Azathioprine for 4 weeks, still no major concerns apart from stomach gurgling more in the last few days. I have lost some weight but that could be down to my strictly regime of no dairy. Red meat, alcohol, caffeine and white bread to name a few.
I stopped due the Covid outbreak. My GP will probably not advise this course but I felt I had to try something. Been on mg Azathioprine for 20 years for UC without any real problems other than the odd flare about 1 every 3 or 4 years, never been hospitalized prednisolone always got it under control, however I had to have a Basal cell carcinoma removed last September and a Squamous cell carcinoma removed 5 weeks ago, both under local anesthetic and both successfully, luckily i dont need any more treatment.
I was by advised my gastroenterology specialist nurse to stop taking the Azathioprine immediately, which I did been off just under 5 weeks and I have been fine, so fingers crossed. He now has a new GI doc now who due to lymphoma etc cancer risks , wants to switch him to Humira , does that make sense? Or do all these drugs just get risky after many years of use respectively.
What to do next? Hi, I m suffering from UC for the last 14 years and have been on medicines. There have been very ups and downs. Now in addition to other medicines I m taking Azaithioprine for the last 7 years. Now for the last one and half year I am in remission and stopped Aza for the last two months against the advice of my Doctor. Now I feel fine myself in all respects. No flare up in this time. I was diagnosed with appendix cancer in February of this year. After asking my consultant he has agreed i can stop the az immediately.
The side effects i had which I think were caused by az blood blisters in my mouth, hair loss, general fatigue. It helped my uc but I think everyone needs to be aware of the possible dangers. Thanks for writing the article. Thank you for this article.
My dr told me Azathioprine does that and he just dismissed it. The symptoms I have been having are actually from the anemia: fatigue, shortness of breath, tongue issues, feeling cold, diarrhea, elevated heart rate.
Since refilling my last prescription I have started taking Az every other day and after that I will not refill the Rx. I hope my blood goes back to normal soon. Great to find this information and group! My liver values came down about 6 months after taking the drug and I just requested my doctor to take me off!
He told me to tapper the drug and take one every other day for one month and then take one every two days for a month and then stop. I then will go for blood test and visit. I will be 70 shortly and basically well fit. I tracked my blood results over the period and gave him my liver values during that time. I do not like the idea of staying on the drug either. Media contact News releases Videos.
Subscribe to newsletter Newsletter archive. Terms Privacy. Glossary Prize Side Effect? Azathioprine Withdrawal. August 28, 70 Comments. Are you experiencing a drug side effect? Comments Thanks for this story Ken!
Hope this helps. Thank you Ken for the time invested to post this article and all your hard work. I have been on Imuran generic azathioprine for over ten years now, MG day split dose 50 mg in am, 50 mg in pm… Tried tapering to 75 because my Rheumatologist said I should.
However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Taking it again could be fatal cause death.
Your doctor may do a test to check the levels of TPMT in your body. For people with low blood cell counts: Azathioprine raises your risk of lowered blood cell counts. Having certain genetic problems can also increase your risk. Your doctor may do blood tests, lower your dosage of azathioprine, or stop your treatment with the medication.
For people with infections: This medication decreases the activity of your immune system. This may make infections that you have even worse. For people with liver problems: Azathioprine can increase your risk of liver problems, usually in people with kidney transplants. Your doctor will take blood tests to check how well your liver is working.
Liver problems usually happen within 6 months of kidney transplant and usually go away when azathioprine is stopped. For pregnant women: Azathioprine is a category D pregnancy drug. That means two things:. Azathioprine should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.
For women who are breastfeeding: Azathioprine passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:.
For people with kidney problems: Your dosage of azathioprine may need to be lowered if you have kidney problems that prevent you from urinating regularly. This enzyme helps to break down the drug. Not having enough of the enzyme can lead to an increased risk of side effects from this drug, including bleeding problems. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages.
Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Azathioprine oral tablet is used for long-term treatment. If you double up your dose or take it too close to your next scheduled time, you may be at higher risk of having serious side effects. What to do if you miss a dose: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:.
But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. These symptoms can include discomfort or ill feeling, fever, flu-like symptoms, and pain or swelling around the organ. Your doctor will also do blood tests to check for kidney damage. You should also be able to move around better. These effects should happen after about 12 weeks of being on the medication.
A prescription for this medication is refillable. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Conclusions: Stopping immunosuppressant therapy in Crohn's patients with a previous good response to combination therapy azathioprine and infliximab does not result in an increased risk of adverse events or loss of infliximab efficacy.
Our results must be confirmed in larger and longer studies.
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