Nausea with azathioprine

[Bunny2018]

Has anybody got any coping strategies for Azathioprine nausea? I started it on Friday and understand that nausea and sickness were very common side-effects. Feeling fairly grim with nausea today so if anyone’s found anything that helps, please let me know! Bunny xx

[jane1964]

Hello Bunny2018,

I found having a bigger breakfast with my azathioprine helped me.I have to take mine in the morning, I didn't eat a big breakfast and found I often felt sick with the azathioprine having more to eat seemed to help me. If you keep having trouble with it though I would talk to your doctor.

[Bunny2018 in reply to jane1964]

Thanks, will give that a go

[happytulip in reply to jane1964]

When I started aza I was told by my rheumatologist to have it with a meal in the evening and have an early night. That way you mostly sleep through the nausea. I had two weeks of nausea before the side effect disappeared.

It worked for me anyway.

Good luck

[happytulip in reply to happytulip]

Oops may have put this in the wrong part of the thread.....

[happytulip in reply to happytulip]

Oops may have put this in the wrong part of the thread.....

[Oshgosh]

Hi,I found that aza madne me nauseous,appetite disappeared..had a break from Aza for 2 weeks due to liver enzymes being raised.Appetite improved a bit.

Started on aza 2 weeks ago,lack of appetite remained an issue.

Liver enzymes raised again,so no more aza for me!!

I really hope that Aza works well foryou,even though my liver didn’t like it. It did relieve many of my negative symptoms

Good luck

[Jmiller623 in reply to Oshgosh]

Same here. On steroids first go round so no reaction to azathioprine. Liver enzymes elevated so they stopped it. I did find that it helped with some of my worst symptoms.

Off steroids and symptoms came back. Retried azathioprine and I had about one of the worst reactions/nights in the emergency room of my life.

I asked a few people that I knew personally about their experience with Imuran. Many said hydroxychloroquine upset their stomach more than azathioprine so I think nausea isn’t too common and may suggest mild toxicity.

[Jmiller623]

I’m sure they checked TPMT levels before starting but sometimes this helps determine toxicity before starting. Reports are conflicting on its use but many rheumatologists will check it.

[Bunny2018 in reply to Jmiller623]

Thanks. My TPMT levels were checked by my rheumatologist before starting. My lupus nurse told me that nausea is a common side effect- sometimes it eases off and sometimes it doesn’t and it’s a sign that your body doesn’t tolerate Aza. Fingers crossed I’m in the former camp.

[Jmiller623 in reply to Bunny2018]

Ditto

[Oshgosh]

When the consultant rang me last week and I told her of my side effects,she said it really sounds as if Azatropine doesn’t suit you.

Am now awaiting phone call,I think they will discuss me at the MDT meeting.

Just want to achieve some stability n my health. It seems a long way away!

[soootired]

I used to take aza for 2 years before had to come off and I'm now on mmf.

I found that for me the nausea was awful, I took mine after my evening meal so that I would sleep through most of the symptoms. I'd still wake feeling a bit nauseas but by the afternoon I'd feel a bit better. This went on for about 4 to 6 weeks and then settled until I increased the dose but then at each dose increase it settled a bit quicker.

Stick with it, it worked wonders for me and really kept things under control. I was gutted when I had to come off it!

[Bee1london]

Is it worth trying to take some anti nause a Meds with it. Cyclizine or buccastem worked well for me. Buccastem you can buy over the counter but always best to check with someone medical before taking it. It dissolves under the top of your lip. This helped me loads. Azathioprine was like a wonder drug for me but then got a bug and it suddenly started to make me vomit after 7 months of taking it so had to come off it. Good luck with everything.x

[Eternity6]

Been taking Aza 50mg and pred 5mg for absolute yeArs having nausea constantly drink lots of water and only recently found if I eat oats for breakfast with dif fruits it does help a little bit. I think possibly cos being quite heavy in the stomach, I also wear anti sickness wrist bands that sit on the pressure points. I’ve never been sick but constantly feeling nauseous to the point some days not being able to concentrate, don’t really want to take anti sickness meds as it’s more chemicals so would rather try everything else

[Oshgosh]

I did find that anti emetics and Gaviscon helped when. I was on Azatropine

[happytulip]

I've posted above about possibly taking it in the evening. Also, I found taking some ginger really helped (crystaled) or some peeled root ginger in boiling water.