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When does Stelara start working?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 3/5/2023 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Had my first loading infusion on February, 1st and the first SC injection on March, 1st. Ever since my last two Remicade infusions had caused me an allergic reaction (rash + itching, I have been flaring up. I’m on pred (20 mg) and every now and then, my GI gives me steroid injections (dexamethasone) when intestinal pain becomes unbearable. Read that it takes Stelara months and even a year for it to start working. My GI’s assistant told me that it should start working weeks 8-12 and the full effect is within 6 months to a year. Remicade took me 10 months to start working. Is this the same case with Stelara?
Posted 3/5/2023 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Minnie, it's too soon to be able to tell a difference. Yes, Stelara is a little slower in the beginning, however, from reading here & in the UC forum 4-6 months members could tell it was working. It is a gradual type of thing. It's an individual thing, same with extent of the disease.

Stelara is different from Remicade, go to Stelara's website to read about how it works differently from Remicade. The one year mark of remission is confirmed by having a colonoscopy.

I do hope you have great success with this!!!! Hang in there.
Posted 3/5/2023 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Susie. Yes, I read a lot that it is a slow burner. Honestly speaking, I do regret it that I didn’t ask to be switched to Humira as it was an option. The positive effects reported about the success of Stelara made me insist on taking it as my GI gave me the two options: Stelara or Humira. The flare up is now almost 4 months long and I try my best to reduce steroid intake.
Posted 3/6/2023 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Just my opinion, lol, considering the side effects you were experiencing from Remicade I think the very same would have happened with Humira. As I said before, Stelara is a completely different biologic than those two.
Posted 3/6/2023 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
I’m stuck now. I don’t have any other option except wait and see. Yes, I read that Stelara would initiate remission once it starts working but at the same time, it’s a slow burner and takes up to a year to kick in.
Posted 3/9/2023 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have UC.
Although I believe I don’t have UC, I have Crohns.
Long story.

Anyway, I got my initial infusion of Stelara on 1/17/23. I was on Inflectra for about a year and a half prior. Inflectra is a generic for remicade.

Infectra was OK for me. But not great. I’d say I’d give it a 5 or a 6 out of 1-10.

I was on Humira for 4 years from 2016 to 2020. That worked great for me. I’d give it an 8 or a 9.
Sadly I developed antibodies to it and it stopped working for me. Long story and really my old GIs fault for this happening.

Anyway. New GI now.

Right now I’m scheduled for my first injection of Stelara on Monday 3/13/23.

Stelara. It slowly started for me, but immediately I could feel positive effects after the infusion. And right now I’d say I’m an 8 or 9 out of 1-10.

My only concern is …my GI also has me on budesonide 9 mg a day at the moment. I’m taking this with the Stelara

I have an appointment to see him Tuesday to update him. And my guess is he is going to tell me to start tapering off the budesonide . Then I will regrade Stelara a few weeks after.

Hope this helps you.
Posted 4/25/2023 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
I’m so sorry you’re suffering Minnie. I do pray that God would help you! I’ve been on Stelara since October of 2018. It has worked okay for me. However, about six months ago it seemed to be less effective. My GI doctor has increased the dosage from an injection every eight weeks to an injection every six weeks. This seems to have helped. I take a 90ml injection rather than an infusion. I wonder if your dosage could be increased?
Posted 4/26/2023 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Thankful. Well, since I started Stelara on February 1st, I have been taking it every 4 weeks and it doesn’t seem to be working. On the contrary. I’m relapsing and I can’t go on like that. I have been suffering since last November and I have been on pred ever since and am now switched to Entocort 9 mg but it doesn’t seem to do the trick. I’m glad that shortening the interval between doses was effective for you.
Posted 4/28/2023 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
Minnie,

I just dropped in to say that I'm sorry you are struggling so. I hope this med kicks in faster for you. For what it's worth, my GI said that if I develop antibodies and Remicade stops working we will not go immediately to Humira as he thinks Id have issues there too.

Please let us know how you are doing. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

Clo
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