imfliximab

The medicine you are talking about is actually Remicade. I am on it and am having moderate success with it. i.e. my symptoms are still there, but not as intolerable. You may want to check the other threads on the forum for Remicade for further info. Also, you can go to the website of the drug company . The company is called centocor.

I've been on Remicade for 5 or 6 years now and it has worked extremely well. I do occasionally have my symptoms return towards the end of the cycle, but they are usually minor. Most of the time I enjoy long periods of symptom free, or near symptom free living.

It's a pretty powerful drug, and it comes with a lot of warnings, but be careful how much you read into that. It's really easy to scare yourself out of these drugs if you only look a the possible side effects. For a lot of people it works very well, while others do have side effects or reactions. This is true with ANY drug, not just this one. I've never had a reaction or any issue with it.

The process of administering the drug can be a bit much at first. It has to be infused by IV over 2 or 3 hours. While that sounds like a hassle, it really isn't. The IV isn't a problem after the first initial stick, and at least for me, the 2 or 3 hours of relaxing is good for me.

It is pretty common for the doctor to start off the Remicade treatments with a "loading dose". This is a procedure where they will give you a couple of closely spaced infusions to build up the amount of the drug in your system. After the loading doses, your husband will probably go on a every 6 to 8 week infusion schedule. Since there is a slight risk of reaction, it is also pretty common for the RN who will administer the drug to "pre-medicate" him with some benydryl and tylenol or other such drugs. It's just a precaution. I only had it done the first 2 times, and I've never had the pre-medications since. The drug is also infused by a full fledged RN, so he will have a specifically trained professional there the entire time with him. It would probably also be of great comfort for you to go with him the first few times. The RN will take vital signs and begin the IV. They will start off the infusion rate extremely slow. Every 15 minutes or so the RN will take vitals again. If your husband is tolerating it well, the RN will speed up the infusion rate a little bit each time. The reason for this is that they can see how well his is doing and if there is an allergic reaction, they can usually see it quickly. On the off chance he does have a reaction, all they have to do is stop the infusion pump and the reaction usually subsided pretty quick.

I know it may be a scary time for your family, I understand the fear of starting new treatments and wondering if they are going to work. Remicade has been really good for me, it's my "wonder drug". If Remicade doesn't work for your husband, there are several variants out there, like Humira, Cimzia, and a few others coming. Some work better for some people than others.

Give your husband my best, and if he would like to talk with someone who has been on the drug for a while, feel free to have him contact me at mmckenna (at) ucsc.edu

Welcome to Healing Well I took Rem. for 6 months my crohn's was DX as severe and I had fistula's and a large abdominal abcess. I had to come off it as it was not working for me. Hope your husband finds it works for him. I ended up with resection because the meds weren't opening things up. Not on meds at this time and feeling good except now I have more body pain. I know how hard it can be sometimes when nothing seems to help.lol gail

Pasha & Craigy bhoy.

Pasha I am assuming you are in the UK as Infliximab is what Remicade seems to known as here. Craighy bhoy I can see you are in Scotland.

If it makes you both feel any better I have been on Infliximab since last October and it is working well for me. I am still a bit loose in the morning but a lot of that depends on what I eat. I have very little pain. I also feel better in my general health.  I admit the 1st infusion is quite scary - just because it is something you have not had before. However after the 1st few I find my infusion time quite relaxing. It doesnt hurt me and I get to chill and read (sometimes I doze off). I just sit fully clothed in a chair for a few hours, I even get tea and biscuits. Although I tend to turn down the curled edge sandwiches.  The only draw back for me was that the 1st 4 times I had the infusion I got a sinus headache that lasted 3 days (weird), but all that happens now is that I feel a bit tired.

I hope it is sucessful for you  (Pasha - for your hubby).  He is lucky to have you and that you are interested to look this up for him.

I do not find that I get more infections than normal - I just wash my hands more often

I ahve have pred, budonside and azathiroprine 2 in the past