Azathioprine

[Zem74]

Does anyone on here take the above medication?
If so, what’s your stance on shielding? I keep getting all the shielding letters/emails/texts, which I tried to follow at the beginning but i just found it impossible and detrimental to my mental health to do with young children.
But I receive conflicting info from different GPs/consultants/nurses that I have spoken to over the course of the year. Some say I need to and high risk, some have said no, slightly moderate risk but should never have been on the list at all

I have taken it before for Crohn’s disease. there is useful guidance on the Crohn’s and colitis UK site which is a sort of tree and azathioprine is an immunosuppressant which I believe they put as moderate risk. Obviously it is depending on your condition though.

I take it, and according to lupus UK whom I've followed throughout this for reliable info, say that it is moderate risk, so strict social distancing. If combined with another immunosupressant, steroids or a biologic drug, or you have any other underlying coniditions then this increases it to shielding status. I'll find you a pic now.

I take it. Never had a shielding letter and was told in April I was moderate risk. I’ve since had a check up and consultant said as data has come in the last 8 months there’s no reason for me to be overly worried. It’s set my mind at ease, obviously we are still following the rules etc but it was nice to hear he doesn’t think I’m at any higher risk.

This is London rheumatology.

Ah brilliant thanks so much to you all, it’s caused me so much worry over the months to not really know where I stand with it. I’m assuming as it can be used for organ transplant recipients in very high doses maybe they put a blanket shielding status on everyone without considering dosage. I only take 100mg

I live in tier 4 London and it’s rife in the community here at the moment so I feel like I’m just waiting until someone in my household gets it!

I take it (and have for several years now) and I am on the shielding list because of it, I have spoken to several consultants this year (Renal) who all seem sure I do need to shield. I am definitely not as loopy as half the MN posters seem to be however, I've never washed shopping, have been to the hairdressers and shops, see my family (I live on my own) and had has many tradesmen in the house to do work. I am lucky in that I get to work full time from home.
I will hopefully get my vaccination next month as a CEV person

@pineapplemonkey yes, sounds right because you have kidney issues too. If you take it to manage a rheumatological condition, it's quite likely you will only be moderate depending on other drugs and conditions.

@zem74 I take 200mg, and if I hadn't taken steroids for a few months I wouldn't have had to shield. I tried to avoid it but no luck :)

Mines only 50mg so maybe it depends on dose

@housemdwaswrong
Yet oddly my autoimmune condition also comes under the rheumatology dept and they wrote to me saying I didn't need to shield! A week letter I got the shielding letter on the advice of renal, oh well, at least I should get the vaccination a bit quicker, every cloud

I have lupus and CKD, but no shielding for me. It seems so random as to whether you make the cut or not.

(As my DH is shielding (blood cancer) we have both been following the shielding advice anyway, but it would be helpful to me to have some official status, if only to wave at the numerous people who think I am being a drama llama.)

Seems like a few of us have been told different things then. I suppose nobody really knows for sure therefore nobody wants to be held to what they tell you so have to be vague!