Reaction to Remicade?

It is possible to have a delayed reaction to Rem, one to two weeks after infusion.

Have a look on the drug manufacturer's website - symptoms of a delayed reaction should be listed there.

I would mention your symptoms to your doctor or your nurse asap. It's important that they know that this is happening, and they may be able to adjust your treatment accordingly.

Best wishes,

I.

LavenderBlue...I was on Remicade for approx. 3yrs. & often had allergic reactions (rash, trouble breathing, feeling like I was going to black-out, low-grade fevers). Eventually, It would take me a few days, following the infusion, before I'd feel better (I also experienced acid-reflux, general ill feeling). To counter-act these symptoms, I was treated w/ a higher dose of Benadryl, Zantac (before & after the infusion) & they had to lower the dose of the Remicade & lengthen the infusion time so that it was less of a jolt to my system (I would spend 3 to 4 hrs. having the infusion while all the other patients were in & out within 2 hrs.). I also used Prednisone as you mentioned & was given Ativan & Tylenol on the day of the infusion. I don't recall, however, experiencing nausea/vomiting. You definitely need to notify your doctor & the medical professional overseeing your infusions. I was always closely monitered. I eventually had to cease using 6-MP (I assume that you're on an immunosuppressant) & Remicade due to a rare eye cancer diagnosis. There is some concern by my doctors that these drugs (namely, Remicade) may have possibly caused or contibuted to the cancer...they honestly don't know (I'm blonde & blue-eyed...another possibility). Anyway, these drugs are so potent & can have serious side-effects...it's important to notify your doctor(s) of any side-effect, even if it seems insignificant to you. I hope that you do well w/ your next infusion; otherwise, you may want to check into Humira (this drug contains human protein as opposed to mouse protein & may work better for you...still really potent, however!). Here's to an uneventful infusion!...

I just found this web site today when searching on Remicade and allergic reactions. I started remicade in October and have had 5 infusions now. I am still having symptoms (though i can now last about 2-3 hours without the bathroom which is an improvement from about 15 minutes.)

Anyway, yesterday i had a horrible reaction while receiving my infusion. about 1/2 way through i started to feel funny really quickly. I told the nurse and then all of a sudden my chest constricted really horribly, i couldn't breathe, i got beat red, and i vomited. It was terrible!! I had never experienced anything like that before. They injected me with benedryl and i came down from the reaction probably within a minute or two - though it felt like an eternity.

Today i was going to go to work - but as i was walking out the door i realized how weak and dizzy i felt. I worked from home and was still having a slight reaction to the remicade. I called the doc and he said to take some more benedryl. Well, i didn't have any and i felt horrible, was having trouble breathing and had a low grade fever. I managed somehow to get to the store, got some benedryl, took two doses (about 50 mg i think). i got really tired (i hate that about benedryl) and fell asleep for an hour an 1/2. I feel so lazy and like i'm slacking off ... because of all of these symptoms, etc.

The nurse, yesterday, said that this type of reaction was pretty common - but it really freaked me out. I just wanted to see if this is what anyone else was experiencing. What do you do when it happens??? I am now afraid to go back for my next treatment (4 weeks) because i don't ever want to experience that again.