Azathioprine and Vomiting: What Users Say

• sma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2014

Azathioprine for Lupus "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."

• Sue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

Azathioprine for Crohn's Disease "Was prescribed Imuran as part of combination therapy with Inflectra after a bad flare of Crohn's that landed me in the hospital for 2 weeks. I started taking 1 tablet a day, increased to 2 after a week, then 2 1/2 after another week. Once I got to the full dose, I started to notice some stomach upset, and after a week, I started vomiting profusely and was bedridden for 3 days. Also experienced hair loss. My GI told me to stop taking it for now. Sure hope he has another idea, as clearly I can’t tolerate Imuran. I felt immediately better after stopping the drug. Good luck to anyone battling this horrible disease!"

• chr...
• April 29, 2019

Azathioprine for Inflammatory Bowel Disease "Shortly after commencing Imuran at a low dose (50 mg/day), I developed a severe and persistent headache and also felt very tired and listless. One week later, everything got a lot worse: within 24 hours of commencing the higher dosage (100 mg/day), I began to feel extremely nauseous, and about an hour later, non-stop vomiting commenced. I couldn't even swallow a mouthful of water without bringing it up almost immediately. That night, all the joints in my body began to swell up and become very painful. By 3 a.m., I could barely walk, and by 7 a.m., my husband had to call in emergency services: my BP had dropped to 56/40, so I was immediately taken to the hospital, where I was treated with copious amounts of IV fluids, antiemetics, and high doses of corticosteroids. Over the next few days, I very gradually began to improve and was discharged from the hospital 6 days later, but it took many weeks before I was anywhere near back to normal."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2022

Azathioprine for Lupus "I took it for a month. The first week it made me nauseous, which I just took promethazine to help with, but it didn't take the feeling completely away. I wasn't really eating, 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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2020

For Crohn's Disease "I was prescribed azathioprine for my Crohn's disease. During the first month of taking this drug, I felt mildly nauseated upon taking the tablet and generally unwell. In hindsight, I think this feeling was subtly getting worse over the period to the extent that it became extreme nausea to the point where I had no appetite, and after eating a few mouthfuls, I would be sick. I read the side effects of the drug and reported this to my consultant. One evening I became very ill, however, vomiting and ultimately collapsing and having a seizure. In the hospital, they determined that my liver function was severely affected, with some residual kidney issues also evident. After a 4-day stay in the hospital and 6 weeks at home, the liver function returned. Diagnosis was toxic hepatitis caused as a side effect of this drug. I have never had any allergic reaction to anything, this drug did not suit me."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2022

For Crohn's Disease, Maintenance "Took my first dose, and 3 hours later, I vomited 6 times in an hour and had pure water coming into my ostomy bag with 14 empties, all in an hour, where I was unconscious from severe dehydration and rushed to the ER. They had to pump 3 bags of IV fluid in fast, and now I'm still recovering days after. I was okay before, and now I have issues, which sucks just from one dose."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2015

Azathioprine for Lupus "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."

• Nau...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 26, 2017

Azathioprine for Ulcerative Colitis "With Imuran, I had no quality of life. Daily fatigue and nausea/vomiting. Things are better on Entyvio."

• Anonymous
• August 23, 2010

Azathioprine for Lupus "Elevated liver enzymes, nausea, and vomiting."

• kbs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

For Ulcerative Colitis "Tried azathioprine for ulcerative colitis (UC) on two separate occasions with same results: rash, vomiting, and general loss of energy."