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Long term use of azathioprine

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Ulcerative Colitis
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sin
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 160
Posted 5/15/2020 9:19 PM (GMT -7)
Hi. I am on AZ from last 4 year,earlier i was taking 50mg per day but since last year i am on 100mg per day and i am doing well since then. Recently i dropped down to 75mg per day and after some days i started to see little blood so my question is what are the side effects of long term use of AZ. Is there anyone taking those from years and have no serious side effects?
Right now i am on 1200mg Mes twice a day and 75mg AZ per day.( will take 100mg today)
M.28
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iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16381
Posted 5/16/2020 4:00 PM (GMT -7)
I took 6MP (sister med to azathiopurine) for about 8 years with no side effects.

It would take 6-8 weeks after a dosage drop for it to have an effect.
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sin
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 160
Posted 5/16/2020 8:28 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks for replying. Actually for some reasons these effects happens sooner with me. I also tried lowering dose some time ago and had same problems and i made no changes to diet or anything. No diarrhea just little blood.
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Colitis Confusion
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 20
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.
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UCinGV
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 527
Posted 5/18/2020 9:24 AM (GMT -7)
I've been on 100mg of aza per day for the last ~12 years. It's been fantastic for holding my colitis flares back. I haven't had a flare at all in 5+ years. However I get about one bad infection per year that I can't fight off without prescription meds.

For example I've had two separate staph infections after just minor bumps that didn't even visibly break the skin. And I've had shingles at the age of 33.
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Colitis Confusion
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 20
Posted 5/18/2020 9:27 AM (GMT -7)
Interesting UCinGV I also got shingles last fall at the age of 41 for the first time in my life.
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sin
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 160
Posted 5/18/2020 6:16 PM (GMT -7)
Thank you all for replying.i appreciate it.
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