Azathioprine for Lupus User Reviews

Brand names: Imuran, Azasan

Azathioprine has an average rating of 5.4 out of 10 from a total of 24 reviews for the treatment of Lupus. 38% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 38% reported a negative experience.

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Azathioprine rating summary

5.4/10 average rating

24 ratings from 24 user reviews.

Compare all 29 medications used in the treatment of Lupus.

10		25%
9		8%
8		4%
7		4%
6		13%
5		0%
4		8%
3		0%
2		4%
1		33%

Reviews for Azathioprine

Karagg
February 26, 2020

Imuran (azathioprine) "I was prescribed imuran for systemic lupus. I took the medicine for about one month. I had a terrible “allergic” reaction- I was hospitalized for several days. High fever, liver, joint pain. It is my understanding that Imuran can cause an allergic reaction (it was not a unique reaction to me). I have since learned (from a doctor at the John Hopkins Lupus Center) that there is a test to determine if you will tolerate Imuran. The test checks the level/presence of an enzyme necessary for the body to “process” or tolerate Imuran. I would ask your doctor about the test for Imuran tolerance before starting Imuran - my allergic reaction was very bad. I am not an alarmist and I understand that Imuran is an effective medicine for many people. However, I wish I had known that a test was available to determine if a patient will tolerate Imuran as this would have been extremely helpful and I could have avoided a very serious allergic reaction to Imuran."

1 / 10

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61 Report

preoc...
Taken for 1 to 6 months
May 6, 2012

Imuran (azathioprine) "Imuran greatly improved my systemic lupus erthematous (SLE) symptoms. I have neurological involvement and before this medicine my right foot was paralyzed. I can now walk thanks to this. I had blood work and all my values are normal now which was not the case before. I do not have any side effects either. It has been a lifesaver for me."

10 / 10

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93 Report

Mara
Taken for 10 years or more
May 21, 2020

Imuran (azathioprine) "I have been taking Imuran for over 40 years since I was diagnosed with Lupus. My Lupus have been in remission for over 40 years. I have had a kidney transplant for over 30 years ( failure due to my Lupus). I am strong believer by taking the Imuran my Lupus being in remission and having my transplant for so many years is part of the reason for taking Imuran."

10 / 10

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31 Report

Mary
Taken for 6 months to 1 year
December 24, 2018

Imuran (azathioprine) "I've been on Imuran for 6 months and it hasn't helped at all. In fact, I'm sicker now on it. The biggest side effects for me are loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea. The diarrhea is horrible. I go at least 10 times a day and nothing helps. I'm exhausted from being so dehydrated and malnourished. When I see my rheumatologist in a week, I'm begging him to try anything else but Imuran. I can't handle it anymore."

1 / 10

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39 Report

BB1217
March 27, 2014

Imuran (azathioprine) "I'm a women age 39. I've been on Imuran for over 4 yrs. Before taking Imuran I was on methotrexate and Lyrica which I had EVERY SIDE EFFECT to. But when I switched medicines and began the Imuran it was very helpful! I could tell a big difference in how I felt. I also have fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis as well. Over time and up to this point I'm feeling I need something stronger or even different. I can't tell that I have any known side effects from Imuran. Doctor suggested I try Benlysta. I'm scheduled to start that in two weeks! I'm very nervous because of some of the side effects but you never know until you try! Hope this was helpful! Best of luck!"

6 / 10

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62 Report

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small...
Taken for less than 1 month
May 28, 2014

Imuran (azathioprine) "After about 2 weeks into the medicine, I started vomiting severely whenever I took this medication. Ended up in the hospital. I tried this medication again several years later and immediately started vomiting severely. I had to go by ambulance to the emergency room because I could not go by car. I would use extreme caution when first starting this medication because apparently it can cause severe side effects."

1 / 10

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55 Report

Ruby
Taken for less than 1 month
January 14, 2020

Imuran (azathioprine) "So, I’m on a few days on Imuran for SLE. The first day, was okay for me.. but, then the days after that, I started getting headache, feeling nausea and on and off diarrhoea. I also don’t feel hungry nor full. Just average basically, all the time. I also noticed I started losing some weight. Not, sure what will happen in the future. Just hoping for the best. "

6 / 10

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23 Report

Mommy...
August 15, 2015

Imuran (azathioprine) "At the 2 wk mark of taking imuran, I started having a terrible headache. My body started to ache. I couldn't get comfortable not matter what I did and I had trouble sleeping. I had a fever, I had chills and I sweated worse than being at the gym. My urine was golden dark yellow and my skin was pale. I was tested for the flu which was negative and my blood test results were normal (as normal as can b for a lupus patient). My dr thought I had a virus but told me to stop taking the imuran. Within a little over 24 hours, the headache started going away, the urine went back to normal color and my body was feeling better."

1 / 10

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36 Report

Buter...
Taken for less than 1 month
April 20, 2017

Imuran (azathioprine) "At the 2 week mark on imuran 50 mg tid, I developed a high temp, severe muscle aches, chilling & started coughing up green mucous, I also had severe weakness. Went to md & put on antibiotics. Called rheumy & I was taken off med. Cbc & cmp lab was normal."

1 / 10

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27 Report

ThMom
August 28, 2010

Imuran (azathioprine) "Imuran caused a 10 day hospital stay for me. I was on it about 2 weeks, started running a fever of 104, had chills, very short of breath. I was treated for regular flu, swine flu, tested for all sorts of other breathing problems."

2 / 10

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41 Report

Mel
Taken for 1 to 6 months
April 10, 2018

Imuran (azathioprine) "I started on Imuran 6 weeks ago at 4 weeks I noticed an huge improvement in my hand pain and stiffness. At 6 weeks I have noticed a general overall improvement in all my joints, the pain in my knees has been reduced by 2. I can do more stairs with less pain. I also take Celebrex, Plaquenil and Methotrexate too..."

9 / 10

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21 Report

Ayanna
January 4, 2020

Imuran (azathioprine) "I have been on imuran three years for SLE and it works really well for me. The side effects I had diarrhea for the first few months but it has improved. I barely get any pain and it has improved my kidney function."

10 / 10

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15 Report

Syste...
December 8, 2015

Imuran (azathioprine) "Have been on it for over a year, works ok at this point, still having some fatigue and still have pain and swelling in feet and hands. Also take plaquinil so this maybe helping also. Would love to feel as good as the people on benlysta :)"

7 / 10

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22 Report

dawnkp
August 18, 2015

"I've been on Imuran for a year now. and before this nothing worked for my SLE and Rhuematoid arthritis. I also take another drug. But before Imuran I couldn't get shoes on because my legs and ankles were so swollen and my feet. I couldn't dress myself. It was so depressing. I haven't been able to go back to work due to seizure disorder, but this medication has given me back a big part of my life, it feels wonderful to be able to be semi self dependant."

9 / 10

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10 Report

Nicole
Taken for 1 to 6 months
January 26, 2022

Imuran (azathioprine) "I took it for a month. The first week it made me nauseous which I just took promethazine to help with it but it didn't take the feeling completely away. I wasn't really eating and and the diarrhea started at 2 weeks. By the 4th week I felt horrible!! Headache, weakness, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea from Sunday to Friday. It was then I knew although effective for some and I'd really hoped it would help after seeing so many great reviews but I requested something else."

1 / 10

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3 Report

BBano
Taken for 1 to 6 months
July 18, 2021

"I've been taking Azathioprine for over two months now (May 2021) for my lupus. First on low dose then it was raised after a few weeks of taking it. There has been no improvement for me but there has been problems that was caused by Azathioprine. There has been blood in my urine, stomach irritation, occasional nausea, fatigue (even though I'm often fatigue because of lupus & other medications) as well as hair loss. When I was first diagnosed with lupus in April 2020, my symptoms were getting worse & hair loss happen majorly. By mid-October 2020 I was hospitalized for over a month. I started to improve but still not my full self. Still aches & pain but my hair was starting to grow back. However, taking Azathioprine has caused me to lose my hair again but in noticeable areas. Azathioprine isn't working for me & causing me problems."

1 / 10

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2 Report

barb_...
Taken for 10 years or more
March 17, 2014

Imuran (azathioprine) "I have been on imuran for at least 25 years. Have had few if any side effects. My lupus is basically in remission most of the time. I also take predisone."

10 / 10

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69 Report

Judy...
April 28, 2009

Imuran (azathioprine) "Worked fantastic for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that included heart and lung involvement."

10 / 10

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64 Report

ricter
December 7, 2009

Imuran (azathioprine) "Had an allergic reation about three weeks into treatment. Broke out in hives. Was taking it for Systemic Lupus."

4 / 10

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34 Report

Anonymous
Taken for less than 1 month
August 30, 2015

Imuran (azathioprine) "After a week I started vomiting. My mother also told me I called her in the middle of the night and was confused. I had no idea I even called."

1 / 10

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20 Report

VLE
June 21, 2010

Imuran (azathioprine) "Worked well at higher doses but affected my liver functions so had to cut back on dosage. Helps on lower dosage but not as well."

6 / 10

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25 Report

Kate
Taken for 1 to 2 years
December 15, 2020

Imuran (azathioprine) "This medicine has really helped me with joint pain and kidney issues."

8 / 10

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7 Report

Anonymous
August 23, 2010

Azasan (azathioprine) "Elevated liver enzymes, nausea, and vomiting."

4 / 10

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13 Report

Imuran
Taken for 10 years or more
September 10, 2022

"This drug has kept me out of the hospital for over 10 years . CNS Lupus"

10 / 10

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1 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.