PURINETHOL Reviews (MERCAPTOPURINE)Average Rating: 3.5 (315 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare PURINETHOL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on PURINETHOL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR PURINETHOL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | Crohn's disease | none that I am aware of, although reading others comments - I do have short-term memory problems and fatigue. I had attributed it to my age. now I wonder. | Dx with Crohn's in 1989. Bowel resection in 1992. Off predinisone, but still not well. Started 50 mg daily 6-MP in 1997, been on it ever since. Had a flare that caused a three day hospitalization last August. Had had a colonoscopy three weeks prior to flare (Hmmmmm??). Seems to be working, but I wonder about long-term. Do blood tests quarterly and no problems have arisen. Was dx with breast cancer last March. wondering if related? Still can't eat whatever I want - lactose intolerant and avoid veggies (occasional salad). Still, best option for me. | F | 49 | 10 years | 2/18/2007 | 4 | Crohn's | Nausea, fatigue | Diagnosed July, 2006. Was in hospital for 8 days, no surgery. Trying to stop prednisone. When I go below 20 mg, sickness comes back. Also take Asacol and Remicade. Just started Entocort 9mg and Purinethol 50mg due to flare-up. Second day pain went away, but still have bloated, swollen feeling. Blood work is next week. So far okay. | M | 43 | 7 days | 2/2/2007 | 4 | crohn's colitis | First months (and any time drug increased) I felt quite nauseous and very tired. This does subside completely (have patience). I was expecting to have more colds and flus, but this has not been the case at all. My immune system seems to be just fine. I had one bout with low blood count and slightly increased liver levels. I felt very tired that week. Dr. lowered dose. My levels are fine now. I can no longer tell that I am even taking this drug. This is a relief. My crohn's is under control with this med., though I still have some arthritis. | I was very nervous about taking this drug, and in fact, refused to take it two and a half years ago when I was first diagnosed. Two different Gasto Dr.s told me my crohn's colitis was too severe to just be on the Asacol. I made it two years just fine without it. I had a bad flare over the past Summer and decided to go ahead and try it. I read an article on "Pub Med." that stated more or less that if you let your disease progress too far these drugs may not be able to help you when you do decide to use them. So I took it, and though it was initially rocky, I am great now! I have to say I do not follow Dr.s orders for labs- I GO MORE OFTEN! I recommend the same. Dr. told me I could go every three months now. I still leave him a lab every month; for my peace of mind. I only gave this drug a "4" because I am still concerned about long term side effects I might face. | F | 39 | 7 months | 1/25/2007 | 1 | Ulcerative colitis | bone marrow toxicity. Drug induced leukemia | I am writing this as a warning. My mother died last night after a short battle with Leukemia. She was diagnosed less than a year ago and it was determined that she developed this due her use of Purinethol. Her chromosome was damaged and she had a bone marrow transplant right before Christmas. STAY AWAY FROM THIS DRUG. IT IS TOXIC. Unless your physician is highly trained and monitors your blood levels weekly, DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. | F | 18 months | 1/21/2007 | 1 | Ulcerative colitis | bone marrow toxicity. Drug induced leukemia | I am writing this as a warning. My mother died last night after a short battle with Leukemia. She was diagnosed less than a year ago and it was determined that she developed this due her use of Purinethol. Her chromosome was damaged and she had a bone marrow transplant right before Christmas. STAY AWAY FROM THIS DRUG. IT IS TOXIC. Unless your physician is highly trained and monitors your blood levels weekly, DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. | F | 18 months | 1/21/2007 | 5 | chrohns | slight hair loss, my psoriasis has completely cleared up, | age old misdiagnosis of chrohns for over 10years resulting in an emergency surgery and oh by the way we think you have a problem. On steroids on and off painkillers and elemental diet but always in pain. Since taking purinethol i feel i have my life back i can eat properly my visits to the toilet are now normal for the first time in 15 years. i am so happy | F | 40 | 3 months | 1/16/2007 | 3 | ulcerative colitis | does anyone else feel that 6mp is causing them to appear to look older? bags/wrinkles under eyes, deepened lines on face | drug has helped my symptoms, but really takes some of the steam out of you. i feel/look 5 years older than when i started a year ago | M | 38 | 1 years | 12/19/2006 | 5 | Crohn | Dry mouth after absorbtion and during the day. | I was diagnosed at the age of 21, I got to the hospital for a week, got Prednisone for some weeks, decresed the dose to none in about 6 months with the help of Purinethol. I take 75 mg every day, when I wake up later in the morning, I feel the need to take it, I fell like I've got squirrels in my feets or some inflamation in my fingers. I try to keep in good shape by training at the pool and I manage my stress with a meditation course once a week. This drug really stops the inflamation process before it occurs, it is great. I notice major decrese of efficency when I take alchool, but a cup of wine once in a while does no harm. I am a bit worried about some male infertility rumor, but they are no actual studies on the subject. Fell free to contact me by e-mail. | M | 24 | 3 years | 12/18/2006 | 2 | Chrohns, UC | Pancreatitis,put me in the Hospital for 11 days. | Started with 1/2 dose of 25mg blood tests were fine, but when increased dose to 50mg had a severe reaction. 6mp didn't work for me and for those who take it you need to be aware that pancreatitis can hit anytime. | 3 days | 9/30/2006 | 4 | Crohn's/UC | Loss of appetite, sore throat sometimes, weakens immune system | Generally ok, but if you're underweight like I am the loss of appetite dosen't help. Weakens immune system to other illnesses but that helps against my crohn's and UC. Catch 22. | M | 19 | 5 months | 8/21/2006 | 1 | UC | Many things, it is better than prednisone, but now I think I may have leukemia | I have had UC since I was 14 and I went on this drug to get off of prednisone. It doesn't work, I don't know why I am still on it but a few months ago I just decided to stop taking it. Remicade has worked for me, I am not in remission nor do I feel wonderful and great, but if I can keep my condition moderate instead of back to severe needing surgery(I will never do surgery) than I am happy. I do not reccomend this drug, I do not think its benifits(though I have none from it) outweigh the possibility of leukemia which I face right now at 21. If your doctor is not giving you blood work every 3 months on this edication then they are not doing their job(mine does thank god) | F | 21 | 5 years | 7/19/2006 | 5 | | 6/22/2006 | 4 | Chrohn's | None | I had a bad spell with Chrohn's when I was 23. I had a colostomy for seven months, and was put on every drug they offer for chrohn's. Finally I was put on a high dose of Remicade(inflaximoab) which had finally put me into remission. Since then I have restarted lifting weights and now I am training for my first triathalon. | M | 25 | 2 years | 6/7/2006 | 4 | Crohn's | I have only been on purinethol for 2 weeks. Not sure about side effects at this time. I have noticed that I am having headaches and I am very tired. Hopefully these will get better with time. I was on Asacol previously but did not control flare ups. | F | 40 | 14 days | 5/17/2006 | 3 | chrons | broken and torn nails, very slow to respond to colds, cough starts in February lasts deep into spring, fatigue and more fatigue | I have posted before. I am now four years with this med. Within the last 4 months, I have begun to tear and crack nails. I don't remember how long I have been without a thumb nail. You don't know how important it is until its gone. May hair continues to slowly fall out (not genetic). The fatigue is still awful. For the past three winters, I have gotten colds that have lasted forever. They are accompanied by a cough that goes for months. Pul. specialist says my lungs are fine. I just cough. Chrohn's is better. All else worse. | M | 45 | 4 years | 5/17/2006 | 1 | Crohn's disease | horrible and disfiguring oral and facial lesions resulting in near-fatal staph infection, fever of 105 and emergency hospitalization, migraines, dizziness, blurred vision, chronic fatigue, severe immunosuppresion resulting in wearing a surgal mask and gloves in public for weeks to avoid infection b/c white count bottomed out. had to get a handicap permit as i could not walk more than 10-20 yards without wanting to faint or throw up. | i took it for about 3-4 weeks. after developing oral/facial lesions was told by another dr. i had been over-prescribed by 40% over what is recommended for my weight. developed staph infection in face from lesions, along with all the other side effects i listed. was taken off of 6MP and put on gigantic regimen of cipro (used for ANTHRAX!) and other drugs to combat the staph infection. had to move in with my parents for 3 weeks, as i was unable to care for myself. never had a chance to see if it helped my crohn's b/c the side effects completely overwhelmed the CD with more acute and serious issues. CD was brought under control by pentasa, flagyl, and entocort treatment later on. i fired the dr. who over-prescribed me (wanted to sue). took 6 months to recover completely from 6mp and the accompanying infections. will NEVER take this drug again, it almost killed me, | F | 31 | 4 weeks | 4/21/2006 | 1 | Crohn's disease | i wrote the below oral/facial lesions post. i forgot to add the dr. who over-prescribed me did NOT order ANY blood tests while i was on this drug, ZERO. another sign of complete incompetence. you need to have regular blood tests on this drug to check your white blood cell count and ovarious ther blood chemistry imbalances this drug can cause that can indicate a more serious condition developing like leukemia or liver damage. no blood tests? don't take this drug. | F | 31 | 4 weeks | 4/21/2006 | 5 | crohn's | possibly fatigue... or none | I take 100mg daily. Wasn't sure it was helping, but when I discontinued it, I suffered the worst flareup I've had in years (after a few months of discontinuing) which took large doses of prednisone to control. I think this is the one drug (and I've been on plenty for the last 20 plus years) that really truly works in the long term. Am back on it! | F | 43 | 7 days | 3/14/2006 | 2 | Crohn's | Fatigue, lowered immune system response, joint aches, lack of appetite...etc. | Generally I feel like complete and utter crap on this med. My history: I was diagnosed with Crohn's 22 years ago, and have been off and on this med since I was 17. Usually I'm on it for a year or two, then I go off it for several years. I've heard this medication can do good things for some people, and by the looks of the responses this is true. In one and a half months time if my new dose (started a month ago) doesn't show any effect at keeping Crohn's under control my G.I. specialist is going to do some metabolite tests to see if my liver is properly handling the medication (FINALLY!). Generally I notice no effect from this medication. Since I've recently fallen prey to clinical depression the appetite supression from the Zoloft and Purenithol have conspired to make me feel sick. I will probably go off of this med regardless of how the metabolite tests turn out. | M | 34 | 1 years | 2/23/2006 | 5 | UC | It might be causing male infertility. | I have had UC for 13 years. I was going on Prednesone every 6-12 months for flare-ups before I started taking Purinethol. I have not come close to needing it in the 3 years I've been on Purinethol. | M | 37 | 3 years | 2/22/2006 |