Posted 5/18/2020 9:17 AM (GMT -7)
Good Morning sin,
I have taken azathioprine for just over 10 years now. I was steroid dependent until azathioprine worked. After about six years I went off completely, but colitis came back about 4 months later. I have been between 150 mg and 200 mg daily (I'm 5'11, 195 lbs, 42 year old male if that matters) and that has kept me in remission for basically 10 years straight.
As far as side effects go, once in awhile my blood work is out of wack a bit with lower than normal white counts or elevated liver enzyme levels, but will often re-check a week later and everything back in normal range. I am not sure the compromised immune system has made me any more susceptible to colds or flu, but the few times I do get them, it seems the compromised immune system struggles to allow me to get over them quickly and they kind of prolong. I kind of blame some of my bronchitis issues to azathioprine but no medical science to back that up.
All in all I can't complain. The drug has given me my quality of life back, allowed me to maintain remission for a long period of time, and I can deal with the minor issues that may or may not be contributed to long term use of the drug. I am not scared to take it and will continue to take it as long as it keeps me in remission.
Good luck! I don't hang out here as much as I used to but definitely want to pay forward any advice I've received over the years.