Brand Names

Fore Safe Use

The best for you that your family doctor check your progress at regular appointments to make sure that this drug is help you and to check for unwanted effects.

While you are being treated with azathioprine and after you stop treat with it, it is important to see your family doctor about the immunizations - vaccinations you must receive. Do not get any immunizations without your family doctor's approval . Azathioprine lowers your body's resistance to infections. For some immunizations, there is a risk you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. For other immunizations, it may be especially important to receive the immunization to prevent a disease. In addition, other people living in your household must not take oral polio vaccine since there is a risk they could pass the polio virus on to you. Always avoid people who have recently taken oral polio vaccine. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you can't take these precautions, you must consider wearing a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth.

Azathioprine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the risk of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

• If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your family doctor as soon as possible if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
• Check with your family doctor as soon as possible if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising; black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
• Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your family doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your health care professional before having any dental work done.
• Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
• Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
• Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.