Azathioprine

[LouLamb]

Hi,

I’ve been on azathioprine for a few months now. It’s really helping !

I wondered if anyone else on it has found they are more sensitive to the sun.

Pre warning I am a ginger and pale. So I burn naturally anyway 😂 Then add my lupus in I burn more. I’m very good at the factor 50. One day I forgot a few weeks back and I noticed I was burnt a lot more and my butterfly rash was more prominent than usual. It lasted a good few days.

The only change for me is the azathioprine!

[PMRpro]

Sun sensitivity is a known effect and the NHS recommends at least Factor 30 sun cream. Not just the factor number is important though, that tells you the protection against UVB - the damage with AZA is caused by UVA so you need a screen that works for that too. And you aren't protected from UVA by glass - it passes through so gets to you in the conservatory or the car.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/184...

[LouLamb in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. I find that I always catch the sun worse when driving my car. It leaves me one-sided burnt and the other side pale!

[Kev98]

I have also been taking azathioprine except I've been taking my dosage for a couple of years now. My increased sun sensitivity was more prominent in the early stages that my foundation used to turn my face an orangish color.😵‍💫😵‍💫 It was horrible. Took me a while to learn how to cope and adjust so that when i wear makeup that doesn't happen. Happy to report though that that doesn't happen anymore. But the sun sensitivity is still there once I'm in the sun for a while. And i live in the Caribbean so there is no escaping the 🌞....

[LouLamb in reply to Kev98]

I think as a ginger and having lupus on top I definitely wouldn't be surviving in the Caribbean 😂

[baba]

Glad to hear it's working for you. LouLamb

[LouLamb in reply to baba]

Thank you! It is currently the best one I've tried!

[Ellenkay55]

I have been on Azathioprine for 18 years. I haven’t noticed that I am more sensitive to the sun but a dermatologist told me that there is considerable danger of skin cancer if you don take precautions .

[LouLamb in reply to Ellenkay55]

Thank you! I didn't know about that. I always feel like there is never enough information shared when given medication. Partly on me as well as I never think to ask anything. I'm always glad that is something new to try when one doesn't work!

[PMRpro in reply to LouLamb]

Friend of mine told me on Friday - don't forget your ears! Even if you think your hair covers them, they still catch the sun - she knows, just had a piece of her ear removed because of BCC, She's a lot older than you though.