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I had been prescribed Azathioprine (150mg/day) in conjun...

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Guest
Guest

I had been prescribed Azathioprine (150mg/day) in conjunction with prednisolone (20mg/day) as a means of transition off of the steroid treatment.

Shortly after a week of taking Azathioprine I became unwell; completely lost my appetite (due to sometime feeling full or even sick); developed a high temperature; had some dizzy spells; experienced severe aching in joints and muscles from head to foot; developed a severe outbreak of spots all over head and neck as well as on chest back and limbs to a lesser extent.

Unfortunately I had thought that the initial effects that I was seeing (temperature, aching) were associated with lowered resistance to a cold to which I had been exposed, rather than an actual reaction to the drug.

Fortunately I had been in close touch with my GP that week and his support was excellent. Once off of the drug the reversal of symptons was very quick, most within a day, and now only a couple of days later I feel much better again, and only a very small proportion of the spots remain.

In hindsight I can see how ill I became, but at the time I think that mentally I also couldn't function efficiently (conversation and concentration were extremely difficult) making it hard to see how its effect had been gradually worsening as I continued to take the drug. I think this shows that it's important to remember how side effects can build up gradually and not always appear instantly one or two days after you start a course of treatment.:ill::ill:

[i:b921c9e26b]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:b921c9e26b]

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I had the same experience. Very high temperature, big red spots and feeling generally terrible - about 2-3 weeks after starting to take azathioprine. The out-of-hours GP (why do these things always happen at weekends?) took me off the drug straight away and the nasty symptoms quickly vanished, fortunately. It did mean that my last non-surgical resort had failed (I had indeterminate colitis) so I ended up with an ileostomy, though after 7 years I'm quite used to that and I'm extremely glad to be well again.
  • adelelisa1981
    adelelisa1981 Guest

    Posted

    Ive joined this forum tonight as im due to start taking Azathioprine pretty soon, i am absolutely petrified of all the side affects, the cancers, and low immunity is worrying me sick... i have two young children and know i need to do whatever i can for them as well as myself, i dont want them to have a poorly mummy who is feeling sick and achy all the time...

    My crohns is in my terminal illeum and is active following a sample result showing inflammation levels of 448 (normal is 1-60) so im guessing mine is pretty high.

    I feel 100% fine in myself which is why im so scared to take something when i feel 'normal'

  • Jokuar
    Jokuar Guest

    Posted

    after 9 weeks on Prednisolone for (Crohn's) I had a gap of 3 weeks on no meds at all. Incidentally Crohns flare up had stabilized completely while on Pred.

    Then started Azathioprine 9 days ago. Fine until yesterday day 8 when instantly felt  flu symptoms fever/high temp and sickness and some diahorrea. Felt unspeakably bad and listless.

    Decided against taking Aza today and have slowly felt better.

    IBD nurse said 8 days is unusually quick to have a reaction to Aza as it's usually 2-4 weeks if at all and maybe I had just caught a bug. Hmm.

    have been advised to leave off Aza for 3 days then reintroduce Aza from Sunday but to split the doseage between early and later in the day.

    Any experience or comments would be appreciated as I am convinced this was a reaction to Aza.

  • Jokuar
    Jokuar Guest

    Posted

    further to my post 17 days ago.

    I started on Aza again on the Sunday evening after dinner and within 2 hours I developed the same symptoms as before. High temperature, sickness and diahorrea general feeling of lethargy and being unwell.

    I advised nurse and have not taken it since. As before symptoms cleared within 24 hours when I stopped taking the tablets

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