Azathioprine

I receive your NEA Advocate magazine and just wanted to offer a suggestion. I was an eczema sufferer to the very extreme. I had it from head to toe for over 8 years, and just like everyone else I went through about 10 dermatologists until I hit on Dr. Ken Greer of the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia. He put me on azathioprine (Imuran). I took two 50 milligram pills twice a day.

I went through hell and back before I went on these pills. I had constant scratching from head to toe along with very serious skin infections that required hospitalization twice. It has almost been a year now since I have been on azathioprine and my skin has gone back to norman. No more constant dry skin, or red irritated or inflamed-looking skin. This treatment is just a godsend. I would recommend it for the more severe cases of this condition—not the patch of eczema here and there. I would tell patients with severe eczema to go see a good dermatologist and talk seriously about going on azathioprine. The only thing I have to do is have my blood tested once every three months.

This is my story and I am sticking to it.

Brooke Balbach
Roanoke, Virgina