REMICADE!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

I was told I will be starting Remicade. I am hesistant to start Remicade, I have been told that they do not normally use an IV , they may at first but eventually it will blow my veins and my veins will be useless. Many nurses have told me they will most likely insert a Picc Line.
A Picc Line seems horrible to me, and I feel it would really restrict my daily life.

I am wondering who is on Remicade, AND if they have had the infusions via IV or Picc Line, and what side effects they have experienced? Doctors can tell you what to expect but I would like to know first hand accounts from people taking this treatment.

Thank you so much!

Thanks! I was told because my treatment will be long term, So apparently that will damage my veins so they may be unable to insert an IV. I hope that isn't case!

I started on Remicade in August, and it has been the only thing that has worked for me (besides Prednisone). Have tried mesalamine & Lialda, which only made things worse; and had to stop Imuran after 4 months because of elevated liver function tests. Everyone I have seen at the infusion center gets it through IV. After the first 3 infusions, they are usually spaced out about 8 weeks apart, so I don't really see how it would damage your vein.. Good luck; a lot of people have been helped by Remicade!

It is actually pretty easy to do this by IV, unless you have nurses who do not know how to do IVs well.
I was in my doctoral program when I had the lupus like reaction, and it is like walking thru chest deep snow after you had you feet, but it is doable you just look weird walking and you'll want a ride everywhere.

I took Remicade for 2.5 years. I have "difficult" veins but the nurse at the infusion center was a real pro and never had any trouble getting the IV in on the first try. The infusions never damaged any of my veins. I had no negative experiences with Remicade until the end when I developed lupus antibodies that caused my joint pain to escalate. I had to switch to a different biologic.

Remicade put my guts into remission very quickly. I think it important to say that my Crohn's was considered mild to moderate. The main reason I was started on Remicade was the destruction I was experiencing in my joints and spine from the ankylosing spondylitis.

the nurse will come in to see you as the solution drips in. as this is just like when you receive antibiotic drip or a saline drip. You can certainly keep an eye on the needle area to make sure it doesnt slip out and infuse into your arm instead of the vein and thats why they need to keep an eye on it. The nurse will usually put an extra piece of tape there so you be able to move your arm around within reason, if you want, during the couple hours it takes to drip in. Then after, you will have a bandaid and it will heal just as if you were pricked for when you give blood, as an analogy, it will heal back in a day or so. If you really want you can remove bandaid after 10 minutes but usually leave on the remainder of day. The time to next infusion is so long, like a couple weeks, you probably wont get any picc line as you say but anything is possible. I dont know where you get this huge restriction idea from as this is a pretty simple and you are only restricted for the time it takes to drip in. even then you can go to the restroom if you want to pull the tower with the medicine along, as it is on wheels.

I have been on remicade for 5 1/2 yrs so far, and I get an iv every time...no picc line.  My veins are fine.  Love the remicade...it gave me my life back...and I have no side effects.

Remicade was great while I was on it... Always administered via IV with no problems whatsoever.

Administered via IV with no problems. No side effects either. One year treatment.

Not feeling so good right now... ha. Looking foward to my next infusion!

I have been taking Remicade every 8 weeks since 1999. I do it via IV, and I have not had any negative side effects (at least none that my docs have found). My veins are a little hard to find at times, but it usually takes the nurse only once or twice to get me ready to go.

Good luck