Need some opinions....

Ok...im a little confused.  I called my GI and asked him about Imuran and Conception and while waiting for a reply, all I could find on the net about Imuran and trying to conceive a child says......"DO NOT TRY TO CONCEIVE"....I talked to 3 pharmasists and they checked their big blue book and they all came back with the recomendation of "DO NOT TRY TO CONCEIVE"  Now I just got a call this morning from my GI and was told that it was fine to go ahead and "go for it"  So, what the hell?

I'm wondering the same thing myself.  My doctor told me to use 2 forms of birth control while on Imuran.  He makes that absolutely clear every time I see him.  I'm not ready for another child  yet anyways, but when I am, I want to know if it's ok while on Imuran.  I just can't find any clear cut answers online.  Some say it's ok, some say no way.

I've also read online that men should stop taking these types of drugs 3 months before trying to conceive, but mainly due to fertility troubles. The only one I seen that can cause birth defects for sure is Methotrexate. Here is a link to the ccfa website that tells a little more about it. But, yes, I've heard of conflicting stories too.

http://www.ccfa.org/about/news/pregnancy

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FosterDad - I just removed a word that isn't quite family friendly. However, I agree - those gastro flus are downright awful! I sure hope you're feeling better soon :)

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Pan-colitis and GERD diagnosed May 2003

 

Asacol 12 per day,  Azathioprine 75mg, Rowasa and Canasa as needed

Aciphex, Effexor XR, BCP, Rhinocort nasal spray

Culturelle, Biotin, Folic Acid, Forvia, Calcium, and B12

 

Osteopenia (hip and spine) from prednisone use.  Started Azathioprine because I was steroid dependent.

 

Co-Mod for the UC forum

Keep HealingWell running smoothly:  www.healingwell.com/donate

Oooohhhh.....took me a bit to figure out what was missing...lol....sorry.

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Just diagnosed Aug. 14/07

Alright.... I am now becoming more and more unimpressed with my new GI. I got tired of getting unsure and mixed messages so I went directly to the source. I called the manufacturer of the drug. It started with a call to GlaxoSmithKline in the UK, they sent me to the same company but in the states. They then told me they sold that drug and rights to Promethius Labratories. I called them and spoke with one of the Promethius Labratories Pharmacists who proceded to tell me that it states in their advisories **DO NOT TRY AND CONCEIVE WHILE ON IMURAN, BIRTH DEFECTS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO OCCURE** The Promethius Labratories Pharmacist is sending me copies of everything they have on Imuran and their effects.

It took me all of 3 minutes on the phone.

So, now what? Do I call my new GI and ask him why he would possibly ruin a family by telling them it ok to have a baby, then the family ends up with a severly challenged child for the rest of their life? Thats just not right. Im actually really quite....uuummm...family friendly word....annoyed, and think that people that are in a professional capacity should know what they are talking about before they start spewing their unchecked answers. Now, I dont have the papers yet, but I asked the Prom. Lab. Pharm. to be sure that it was for the male side and asked him if the problem was just in sperm count or what.....he said "It says, defects."

As soon as I get the papers I will update you with the information. Im just really.....annoyed right now and could go on and on and on and on about how much I hate irrisponsibility in professionals.

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Just diagnosed Aug. 14/07

I just wanted to say I totally empathize with you. I get so ticked off when I get incorrect information from a doctor/nurse that could be potentially harmful to my health. And I'm not talking about this just happening once or twice to me. I would call your GI back and tell him the other information you researched and see what he says. If you don't want to come off as potentially sounding rude, you could say you were just double checking or something to that effect. In my opinion, that's really not acceptable that he told you that. What if he tells another patient the same thing and they don't take the initiative to do the research on their own like you smartly did?

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23 years old
Diagnosed with UC March 2007
Current inflamation in the rectum
Asacol 4 tablets 3x/day

Very frustrating!

I wonder what the basis is for each aspect. The company obviously had to do studies, etc to find out. However, how long did they follow up? Has your GI had experience with couples conceiving and having healthy children on Imuran? At what doses?

Usually in the literature I've read, the side effects (lymphomas, etc) are usually seen at higher doses. Could the literature the company is quoting be for high doses such that are used in for transplant patients?

I do agree that much research is necessary to make sure things will be okay. I hope that you're able to find the information you need :)

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Pan-colitis and GERD diagnosed May 2003

 

Asacol 12 per day,  Azathioprine 75mg, Rowasa and Canasa as needed

Aciphex, Effexor XR, BCP, Rhinocort nasal spray

Culturelle, Biotin, Folic Acid, Forvia, Calcium, and B12

 

Osteopenia (hip and spine) from prednisone use.  Started Azathioprine because I was steroid dependent.

 

Co-Mod for the UC forum

Keep HealingWell running smoothly:  www.healingwell.com/donate

Always do the homework....and today we have connections via phone and internet where we can get the information. You could also have checked with the pharmacy or a library for the pharmaceutical information in the books they carry..the ones from the medical companies themselves.

Glad you did the homework. You'll have to inform the doc about that info so he doesn't keep passing it on to others.

quincy

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I wonder if you sent what you got from the drug companies to the crohn's colitis foundation - if they would post it on their web site so other people ( doctors also) would no what this drug would cause to a family.

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Diagonsed with UC in about 99 - 

Started new GI 9-25-07

Lialda 2.4 in AM(started 9-26-07) canasa 1000mg  2xs per day(started 9-26-07)
Probiotics, calcium with Vitamin D, slow release Iron, Psyllium Husk Fiber. 

I'd at least fax your doc copies of the information Prometheus provided you with in hopes it would educate him for the future. Consider it out of your hands at that point. In my experience, there are alot of close minded docs out there that feel they don't have anything new to learn - particularly if it comes from a patient. Then, I'd look for another gastro doc. There are alot of crummy ones out there.

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Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999

OK I was not happy when I tried Imuran with my GI. I totally threw up approximately 30 minutes after taking it, then it triggered a nasty flare..so jokingly i said maybe it is all in my head and he agreed even though it states in the side effects, vomiting. He said he had never heard that happening to anyone. It also happened when I took 6mp..I am sticking with the enemas and suppositories..see how that goes...good luck foster dad !!