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Imuran causing joint pain and nausea

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Wavefunction
Regular Member
Joined : Mar 2010
Posts : 128
Posted 9/14/2010 12:36 AM (GMT -7)
My 50mg dose of Imuran is plaguing me with joint pain, muscle pain (maybe) and nausea. Not to mention some temporary stomach pain that makes it impossible to eat.

I've been on it for a month. The pain started about five days ago. At first I thought the pain was due to me laying in a hospital bed for three weeks and then walking a lot but I found out otherwise today.

The pain is so bad that when the joint pain is at it's worst, it's extremely difficult to move and it's worse if I sit down for awhile. Standing up/sitting down can take as long as 2 minutes.

I'm supposed to take Imuran every morning. This morning I didn't take it to see if it would effect the joint pain and I felt fine all morning and into the afternoon, which was when I finally took the Imuran and wham--a few hours later I'm back to joint pain and nausea.

Should I stop taking it? Should I start taking it in the evening/night time? What do you suggest?

Post Edited (Wavefunction) : 9/14/2010 2:26:10 AM (GMT-6)

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jano437
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2005
Posts : 1622
Posted 9/14/2010 2:04 AM (GMT -7)
I would call your doctor asap. Tell him what is happening. I would not stop any med without talking to your doctor first. Try taking it in the evening before bed to try to sleep some of the nausea away. Let us know how you make out
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MyUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2010
Posts : 640
Posted 9/14/2010 3:50 AM (GMT -7)

To be honest I am not sure about the joint pain being caused by the Imuran.  Imuran is used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis to some degree.  Also I have a slight increase in joint pain but I attribute that to being extremely active as of lately because I am doing so good.

Most docs will recommend taking Imuran at night before bed because it can give people nausea.  In fact my Rx bottle says to take it at night before bedtime to avoid this. 

All I contribute at this point is to take at night.  Most people do very well with it taking at night and with a small meal.

MyUC

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seconder
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2008
Posts : 613
Posted 9/14/2010 4:43 AM (GMT -7)
You might avoid nausea by taking it at night.  However, joint and muscle pain are listed side effects of the medication.  To my knowledge you can stop Imuran at any time.

In a recent eight-year study, about about 40% of patients continued it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20155846

 

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Red_34
Forum Moderator
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 23581
Posted 9/14/2010 5:42 AM (GMT -7)
Start taking it before bed but do tell your doctor about your side effects. I am on 6mp which is similar to Imuran and I had increased joint pain in the beginning as well. I had some nausea but it wasn't too bad. Once my body got used to it, the side effects went away. However, the stomach pain concerns me a bit. Are you taking it with food? Other medications?
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The Watcher
New Member
Joined : Aug 2010
Posts : 16
Posted 9/14/2010 7:57 AM (GMT -7)
I take Imuran for my Wegeners and I have to take a dose in the morning and a half dose at night . I understand how you feel the nausea is bad I never wanna eat the only good thing was some needed weight loss but for me I feel achy and tired alot and I am not sure if it's that or something else....talk to the Dr I am sure they can help
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quincy
Elite Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 33341
Posted 9/14/2010 8:03 AM (GMT -7)
Absolutely it can cause the pain and nausea...I have a friend who was it utter agony and nausea from taking it. She could hardly walk. It improved after she stopped taking the Imuran.

All you can do is stop the drug and see if it improves.
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Ugh Just Ugh
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 1004
Posted 9/14/2010 9:05 AM (GMT -7)
I take mine with dinner to avoid nausea. That's what my pharmacist told me to do. He said it was really important to take it with food. I don't have any experience with the joint pain, though. I hope you feel better!
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Meesh
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2006
Posts : 619
Posted 9/14/2010 6:27 PM (GMT -7)
I was absolutely unable to tolerate Imuran. I was on 50 mg for a week, and when it was upped to 100 mg a week later by the end of the week I really thought I was going to die from the nausea, headaches, bruising ... my GI so wanted it to work that when I complained a day after being upped to 100 mg (I was barely able to tolerate the 50 mg quite frankly) he decided it was the Colazol causing the trouble and took me off that and kept me on the Imuran. Since the nausea seemed to ease up as the day went on, I tried taking my dose at night so hopefully would sleep through the nausea. I was up all night throwing up and couldn't work at all the next day. Called my GI and said I was going back on the Colazol, which I tolerated, even if I wasn't so sure it was doing anything, and off the Imuran. He agreed.

Next we tried Remicade, which I did tolerate, and which did work well for awhile. Then I needed to have infusions every six weeks rather than every eight weeks. Then it started to lose effectiveness after four weeks. I just struggled through the last two weeks prior to infusion for awhile rather then up the frequency (GI wouldn't up the dose). Anyway, at that point I decided I was sick of the meds and of UC controlling my life. I researched the j-pouch surgery and surgeons and had a consult. Found www.j-pouch.org forums to be a huge help. I have been more active there than here lately.

I had my first surgery Jan 12 and my 2nd surgery, the take down, April 6. Five months later I am doing great, eating everything and my life is not ruled by UC. I take no medications, feel pretty much normal, although my stool will always be looser than a person's with a colon, I don't live in the bathroom. I have complete control and go 4-8 times a day -- mostly on the lower end unless I get undisciplined about eating ... the new plumbing doesn't much like fried foods, tomato sauce or excessive veggies. I can eat anything within reason, drink alcohol, and as long as I follow a reasonably healthy diet I am fine.

The longer I was on the various medications the more suspicious I became about long term effects, which really are unknown. Taking the plunge to the surgery was scary, but I know now it was the right decision for me. I do think a lot of people try a little too hard and a little too long to find a medication that works. I know I had convinced myself that a medical "cure" was right around the corner. But I realized nothing significantly different was in the pipeline, and even if something promising was discovered it would be YEARS and YEARS before it was generally available and covered by insurance.

Even if you don't think you are ready to have a major surgery and lose actual organs, look into it, educate yourself -- surgery is ahead for many UC sufferers and the more you know the more prepared you'll be in the event you have no choice at some point.

Meesh
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MyUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2010
Posts : 640
Posted 9/15/2010 6:16 AM (GMT -7)
Wavefunction:

It's only been about a month on the new medication so I would to hold off on making a final decision as to whether it's the Imuran or not.  When I read the posts here I wonder why the posts are just of two camps.  Either people have had some violent reaction to this med and they wind up in the hospital or they do really well on it, like me.   My GI doc explained to me that's basically the way it works.  There is very little in between.  Either one can't take it or you most likely can do well on it.  Of course there are always rare exceptions with people falling in between the two camps.  So when you talk about these gray areas like join pain and nausea I would just be cautious to say it's this or that.  I would still try to take it at night with a small meal and re-evaluate.  I am sure you are having the routine blood work and that would indicate if there was something was wrong from your liver stand point.

So I don't think you are one of those people that can't take it.  Some people need time to adjust to it.  And if it turns out you can't take it you should still be cautious about saying you can't take it because it's a viable drug that works for many here on this forum.  Once you and your doc decide you can't take it your on to heavier drugs or surgery. 

Just trying to help.

MyUC

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WIMOMOFTHREE
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2009
Posts : 654
Posted 9/15/2010 7:01 AM (GMT -7)
I had the same reaction and they took me off it. They said I was allergic. My symptoms got worse and worse so please be careful. I would call your doctor today and see what they say.
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