Remicade Allergic Reaction

 I had my first Remicade treatment.  Halfway through I developped hives, shortness of breath, bad feeling in stomach then all over, went to er, got megadose of steriods,  that evening I god a bad reaction from steroids, hiper active, crying not stop etc.... now I am sick with the flu.   My doctor has never had a patient with an allergic reaction so she want's me to try again next month.  I am scared.  I don't think I will put myself through this again.  My insurane will not pay for embrel which I am noy allergic to, but will pay for remicade.  I am on methotrexate and that helps.  Any comments or advice you can give me to help me make up my mind on what to do next will be apprediated.

If someone has an obvious allergic reaction to Remicade, then your doctor should be able to appeal to your insurance company to allow the Enbrel. I think you need to push your doctor to try this. As scary as your reaction was and with your level of fear, I think you need to push the doctor to appeal. Also, call your insurance yourself and talk to the benefits people about the situation. If you do decide to try a second Remicade infusion it is imperative that you be premedicated. My GI premedicates with prednisone for a couple days prior.

Hello Ducky,

Insurance won't pay for Humira either and I had no side effect with it.  What is Onecia ?  Never heard of it. 

I will call my insurance tomorrow and also my primary care physician.  I have not felt well since I took the remicade two weeks ago. I am all jittery inside and jump at any noise.  The telephone ringing really bothers me and I never felt that way before.  I am also feeling depressed. Thanks for advice

yes, it is definitely worth pushing for.  Ides & Ducky are so very right.  doctors have pull...they may deny it, but they do.  (it's just the matter of putting in a few minutes of time and paperwork).

they can call you insurance company.

also, Enbrel & Humira have assistance programs where if you are denied coverage after doing everything in capabitlities...they will help pay for the injections at little to no cost.  but most likely, if you do have medical insurance & a diagnosis....it will be covered.  it'll take a little fight though.

folks go through several medicines.  it might take trying a few and giving each some time.  they all work a little differently.

just because one has a severe allergic reaction, doesn't mean the others will do the same.

remember, Remicade is going RIGHT INTO YOUR VEINS!  that's direct bioavailablity.  all direct infusions run a risk of danger.  heck...even a bag of normal saline!....if it is not primed correctly...a person can get an embolism!

we're rooting for you!  take good care. 

sorry i woud error on the side of caution. esp if these new ones have not been tested enough...i am too cautious and conversative