Side Effects of Treatments for Autoimmune Hepatitis

Both prednisone and azathioprine have side effects. Because high doses of prednisone are needed to control autoimmune hepatitis, managing side effects is very important. However, most side effects appear only after a long period of time.

Some possible side effects of prednisone are

• weight gain
  
  
• anxiety and confusion
  
  
• thinning of the bones (osteoporosis)
  
  
• thinning of the hair and skin
  
  
• diabetes
  
  
• high blood pressure
  
  
• cataracts
  
  
• glaucoma

Azathioprine can lower your white blood cell count and sometimes causes nausea and poor appetite. Rare side effects are allergic reaction, liver damage, and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas gland with severe stomach pain).

source: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/autoimmunehep/index.htm