First flu on Imuran, is it supposed to be THIS bad?!

I started taking Imuran in mid-Feb and have gradually titrated up to my current (max) dose of 125 mg. I have done fine on it with no side effects. That is, until my daughter brought home a flu.

She had 2 days of fever, fatigue, and cough. I of course caught it and now am on day 8 of fever, fatigue, horrific coughing, unbelieveable congestion (can't hear, smell, or taste, constant dark pleghm from nose amd coughing), and generally feeling absolutely horrible. I've lost 8 pounds. On Friday, I saw my GP after I developed severe ear pain and great difficulty breathing. Apparently I now have bronchitis and both ears are infected. I'm now taking amoxycillin, Mucinex, and Tylenol in addition to Imuran and Flagyl. Basically, so many drugs I can't keep them straight.

I was expecting to be somewhat immunocompromised, but this is so much worse than I expected. In my old life, I never got sick--I would get a cold maybe once every 3 years, and that's it. I've never had the flu in my life (until now) and I'm 40 years old. My daughter brings home every diease in the world, and I never caught any of them.

Is this what life on Imuran is like?! If so, I'm getting off it. I'd rather have another resection than a flu like this again (or never recover from this one). I'm even afraid I might perforate my bowel--my surgery was on Feb. 4, and the incision has started really hurting again with all this coughing.

Aw Stella

This is awful, you've got enough on your plate without flu too!
I couldn't tolerate Azathioprine and picked up every cold and lurgy going in my school (autistic kids, lovely, but not very hygienic!) then came out in hives! I've exhausted all meds now and hoping to try Humira next.
Hope the Amoxicillan kicks in soon and you're on the mend. I've only ever had flu once in my life and I was floored for a month!
Joan xxx

Well, apparently it isn't normal. MY GI doc took me off the Imuran until I'm better. Then I have to restart from ground zero. Man, this sucks.

I got a flu shot...I am surprised your doctor didn't have you get one...for this very reason. I know you can't have the live vaccine but he told me the shot was not the live one...and gave it to me. So far so good. Its a little late for you now but something to think about for next year. Its hard enough to fight a flu! Flagyl is a good one...but it always upset my stomach. Good luck...I hope the antibiotics do their job and fast!

hi stella,

i am actually dealing with something very similar right now.... currently rounding out a whole month that graduated from cold to ear infection to bronchitis.

i had some concerns about all the medicines as well -- everything i typically take for crohns (including 3 pills/treatments that all lower immune system) PLUS everything i was given by patient first. the bronchitis got really bad and i ended up spending a morning in the emergency room -- and that just happened to be the morning after patient first prescribed another round of medication. i backed off some of the bronchitis meds and have been waiting it out with over the counter things. still a lot of coughing, but also a lot of improvement.

i was on imuran once before, a few years ago, and only recently did i recall having the same month-long sickness thing happen then too. i remember being recommended fish oil pills to boost the immune system, which actually worked for me. i bought a new bottle of them last night and have my fingers crossed :]

i hope you feel better soon!

Hi Stella

I had to give up on imuran(Azathioprine) when the side affects of the drug made me so ill i couldn't get out of bed somedays.The flu you speak of was one of the side affects i had - during all the years of suffering with CD i'd never had the flu half as bad as what imuran gave me.With that drug i swapped one illness for another.

Hope you find something which helps you ASAP

Wow...I am just so nervous on Aza...but I am not sure what else to take since Asacol alone isn't doing it...still tapering on the pred...Aza seems to be working. Not sure what will happen when I stop the pred...no colds yet...but I also just started a few weeks ago. I do feel a little queasy every so often...but if it doesn't get worse I will be ok. I have a feeling it gets worse as time goes on becaues of the white blood cell issues and whatever else...sometimes I think ignorance is bliss...