imuran

[Nellies47]

Hi everyone. I was started on Imuran for autoimmune inflammatory arthritis in july.

I was tolerating it fine just slight nausea the first day. 3 weeks later I had to stop it because I got a bad UTI.

So a week after finishing the antibiotics I re started imuran, 3 hours after taking it I vomited constantly for 4 hours. I thought I was going to die.

I thought maybe my tummy was a bit iritated from the antibiotics and waited another week to try imuran.

I took it again yesterday with my pm meal as always and the same thing happened. I vomited constantly for 4 hours. It was just awful😖.

Has anyone else experienced this, I just can't understand why I tolerated it previously and not now.

I had a similar problem with methotrexate, not the constant vomiting, just really bad nausea and stomach pain.

I had a stomach scope in May this Yr and I have gastritis, I'm on nexium.

Thank you

[oldtimer2]

Imuran is azathioprine which I have been on for about fifteen years, always being or feeling sick - not as badly as you though! I've now been able to reduce the dose gradually since being on adalumimab and it's wonderful not to feel just as I did when in early pregnancy, but constantly.

When I first started it, I did try taking an antiemetic, but I had to reduce the dose of azathioprine to manageable levels of just occasional vomiting, but always having nausea. I split the dose in two, taking a slightly larger amount at night and less in the morning which was just about manageable.

For me it was a last resort as I had been on all the DMARDs (disease modifying anti-arthritic drugs) and was not, then, eligible for biologics having only 'moderate' arthritis. Now I am with the new criteria last year from NICE.

In summary - a lower dose, splitting up the doses and an anti-emetic may help. Otherwise, you need an alternative. Look at the treatment pages on the NRAS website and speak to your rheumy team armed with knowledge. You do not need this extra hassle!

[Nellies47 in reply to oldtimer2]

Hi thanks so much for reply. I took motilium before my food. Also I'm only on 50mgs. I am not sure I could go through that vomiting again, it so traumatic for me.I have contacted my rheumatologist to see if there is something else.

I'm glad you got sorted. I'm not sure what my arthritis is categorised as. Thank you