Imuran blood checking question
 

Hi there, I was wondering if the chance of getting side effects like low white blood cells, bone marrow suppression and alike, are higher in the beginning of treatment with imuran?

Because you have to start having your blood checked every 2 - 4 weeks when taking Imuran for the first time. After everything stays good it's enough to have your blood checked 3 -4 times a year.

Is it correct to assume that if you don't have any blood related side effects that heighten the risk of infection in the initial 2 months, it's probably not going to happen later when staying on the same dosage?
Or is it possible that your risk of infection increases months or even years after staying on same dose imuran even though all your blood tests were good all those times in the beginning?

I really am trying to find some sources of information for this, but can't really find it.

I haven't had Imuran, so I can't give you any personal info.

Any time you're immunosuppressed, there's always a risk of infection, inflammation, or cancer. And as someone grows older, that risk can increase.

I wish all of this were predictable, but it's just not. It was a roll of the dice I couldn't take.

I hope someone else will give you more info.

Annie

I've been on and off imuran (and prednisone) over the past 16 years. I don't recall having my blood tested that frequently. I currently test once a year and I'm on 200mg of imuran. My blood work always shows slight anemia attributed to imuran. Imuran can take 4-6 months or longer for it to 'kick in' so that seems counter to what you're asking.

Infection? If you mean the imuran being the cause of a blood related problem like leukemia then I have no idea. If you mean getting an infection as Annie mentions due to being immunosupressed, then yes, that can happen any time.

Wish I could be more helpful.
Jim

Hi Ravenclaw

Imuran is an immunosuppression drug. It works by blocking DNA synthesis so its effects are largely confined to rapidly dividing cells. Activated T and B cells divide rapidly and play key roles in the immune system response to infections. Imuran stops them from dividing which explains why it is an immunosuppressant.

Imuran can also stop bone marrow stem cells from dividing. These stem cells produce all of the different kinds of peripheral blood cells. That is why your clinical care team will want to do a Full Blood Count (measuring the numbers of all of your different peripheral blood cells), to check out that possible side-effect.

This fairly technical free-access paper might help you to learn more about current therapies for myasthenia gravis - it could help you to ask your clinical care team informed questions; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24117026 .