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Remicade and Healing Fistulas

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/16/2008 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I currently am taking these meds: Imuran, Asacol, Cipro, and Flagyl. I was diagnosed with CD back in 2002-2003 and am reacting fine to the above listed meds, and do not have too much trouble. about 3 years ago, I was hospitalized with abcesses and I had a tube inserted through my lower abdomen to drain one of the larger abcesses. Due to this tube, I now have a false fistula track that was formed. This track is located on my lower abdomen, and it still has not healed. The site will heal over, but then air and a little bit of pus will work its way up and my skin will eventually pop. The process doesn't hurt, it is just discomforting. The popping of the fistula site has been happening on and off for the last 3 years, and since Imuran isn't helping, I am thinking about trying Remicade to help heal this fistula.

Has anyone had their fistulas close up completely and heal? I know that once Remicade is started it cannot be stopped then started back up again. It is also pretty expensive so I just would like to know about how effective it has been for others in healing fistulas. Any feedback would be great!

Thank you!! :-)
Posted 4/16/2008 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
I have not had them completely heal, just heal temporarily and they tend to leak the week before remicade. I suggest trying it though, as this is a false fistula as you put it. Good luck!
Posted 4/16/2008 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
I had a fistula for 18 months and a couple of weeks after my first infusion the fistula was healed. It really did the job for me.

pup
Posted 4/16/2008 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the quick responses!! The reason it is a 'false fistula' is because I do not have any drainage coming through it from my intestines. It was caused by the tube that was put in to drain the abcess. I think I am going to give Remicade a try since Imuran isn't working.

p.s. UKpup, thank you for the entertaining story!
Posted 4/17/2008 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Just wanted to say I had one after surgery in the abd. and it healed I did have a resection in Jan. though where thet removed the part where the fistula was and put a few stiches in the other one. It only took about 3 or 4 treatments of Rem. to close the fis. it was like you described and I was very happy when it closed. lol gail
Posted 4/17/2008 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
My first fistula was closed using remicade and high doses of flagyl and cipro. It was a rectovaginal one and it was closed totally after about 5 infusions. Unfortunately, I have another one. I have continued on the remicade and have been on it for 3 1/2 years now. I have a seton in this rectal fistula. I don't have stool coming out of mine either, just yellowish/greenish drainage. But it definitely isn't a false fistula, since the seton is looped through it into my rectum.
Posted 4/18/2008 3:27 PM (GMT 0)

My husband's fistula appears to have closed from the Remicade:  he is about to finish his induction infusions on Tuesday; then he will go to every 8 weeks.

I say "appears" because that's what it seems to me, IOW, I see no hole anymore!

I am hoping that this means he will start to feel relief of some of his other CD symptoms.

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