Flaring on Cimzia

   I started on Cimzia end of Sept. and really started feeling good after I got going on it.

Well last injection I did actually on my b-day 3/5 and two days later I was flaring living

in the bathroom.  I can't get it under control.  Saw my GI doc this past Friday and he doesn't

know what to do with me.  I am running out of med choices. :-(   I am due for injection

this Friday and he wants me to call him the following friday and let him know how I am.

If not better he is going to order another Cimzia injection for me to take. He said sometimes

when flaring on it if I double up on it again 2 weeks after last one it will sometimes jump start

it to settle down....sometimes....  Sigh.....   I don't understand how it was doing so good and

now I'm flaring. 

The exact same thing is happening to me. I have been on Cimzia for about 8 months and I am now flaring and wondering if this is the end of this drug. I will call my GI tomorrow and thinking about a course of prednisone to get the bleeding under control if herbal products won't do the trick. Is your Dr. considering putting you on Prednisone to possibly throw you back into remission?

I think flares do happen even if you are taking anti-tnf agents. They should limit the frequency of the flares, but like everything else for crohn's, as I'm sure you already know, they are just therapies meant to reduce the number of flares. I have heard of others on remicade who have some break through flare ups taking prednisone to control those flares, or pushing up the infusion date, to get the flare under control.

I think the problem comes if you are unable to control the flare up with cimzia and maybe pred. I think the doctor is on the right track - increase the dosage/frequency of the cimzia, and hopefully that'll stop the flare in its tracks. Now, if this doesn't work, then, you have to think about other med choices (perhaps add mtx to the mix perhaps) to help control the flare up. Hopefully it will work, and continue working for a long time. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Hope you get to feeling back to normal soon.

PV