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remicade infusions

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 3/10/2013 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
smilewinkgrin  Hi everyone. Havent been here in quite a while. Hope everyone is having a pain free day!

  I started my infusions on Thursday. I will have the first 2, 2 weeks apart, then 1 in 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. Side effects have been minimal. I have my infusions done at home thru walgreens. It has really made it sooo much easier for me than driving to the hospital, and the nurse was great. It is also less expensive!

  I wondered when everyone started to notice whether this med was working or not? Have had crohns-colitis for MANY years so trying not to expect a miracle.  Would appreciate any information you might have.

  Thanks, Linda turn

Posted 3/11/2013 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Linda,

I know everyone's experience with Remicade is a bit different, but I thought I'd share my story. I received my first Remicade infusion about a month after being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Prednisone had done very, very little for me, and I lost 15-20 lbs. in that month. I had to be hospitalized to receive it b/c my insurance didn't believe I really needed it.

A day or two afterward, I began to see a little bit of a difference (i.e. no blood in my stool). I vividly remember a week later, though, when I had my first fully formed bowel movement. I thought it was so beautiful I almost took a picture of it! Ha! It took me about a month to regain strength and energy. After that it has kept me in remission until about a month ago (3.5 years total). Even now, though, I'm no where NEAR where I was when I was diagnosed.

How cool that Walgreens will come to your home for you! Did your doctor set that up for you? I may need to look into that...

--Rebekah
Posted 3/11/2013 5:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I started remicade in Nov/2012 after major narrowing in my ileum. I was on a low residue diet for almost 7 months. I noticed some relief after the first two infusions with a reduction in pain. By my fifth infusion I am able to eat all the food I use to enjoy and hardly have any pain, when I do It is minor. It also helped heal a fissure I had and seems to be helping speed along recovery of the draining seton I had put in. For me it really put be back at a place where I can enjoy food and life again.


All the best!
Posted 3/11/2013 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
smilewinkgrin  Hi guys.

  Thanks for your information. I still havent noticed any improvement, in fact the number of movements is a little more than usual. Maybe its just a clean out! LOL I have noticed my ankles are swollen, but that might be my P.A.D. Hopefully the next infusion will help more. As I said, I no longer expect a miracle.

  I have been on sulfasalazine for a couple years, along with azathiaprine. It has worked pretty well. The best medication that worked for me was prednisone. I know, most people have bad reactions to it.

I am a side effects dream, and with the prednisone I had none, but I guess the long term effects are terrible so they will no longer give it to me.

  The home infusions from walgreens were  suggested by my doctors office because he is so far away and my husband would have to take the day off to get me there. That along with the expense of the drug was just too much for me. It is still expensive, but we save some and every little bit helps!

  Thanks again for the info, and hope everyone is having a pain free day yeah

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