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Remicade vs HUmira... please help me out

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/13/2011 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
hello everyone .. So let me update you on my current meds.. I am on asacol HD, canasa, Entocort and Humira.... I was doing ok for awhile but when my dr took me off the entocort I flared really bad... So now i am back on and up to humira every week... But slowly i am noticing that i am having pain after i eat and i am adding a few more bad days to my good days...so today at my dr appt he brought up how he is considering to try remicade since we skipped it and jumped straight to Humira...So what do you guys think, I am 24 and really dont know what to do... If you can take the time to talk to me about trying Remicade or Cimzia compared to Humira i would really appreciate it....
Posted 9/13/2011 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
How long have you been on Humira?
Did your flare respond at all to the 2nd course of Entocort?

If your doctor thinks that Humira is not working for you, then trying one of the other biologics is a reasonable course of action?

The biologics are difficult to figure out. One of these work better for some folks than others, and some people find some level of response from all 3. Just like the non-biologics, it's often a matter of trial-and-error to figure out which drug or combination of drugs will work best for you.

At some point, if meds aren't working, the doctor will want to do some sort of a scope, mri, ct, etc.
Posted 9/14/2011 12:20 AM (GMT 0)

So I did things the other way around... my Dr. first started me on Remicade which worked pretty well for me for 3 yrs and then it stopped working and I am now on Humira. I have been on the Humira for about 6 mo now and I just had to start doing weeky injections because I'm not responding as well as my Dr. had hoped. So far it seems the Remicade worked better for me and even got me into remission at one point so it might be worth a try. Hope this helps and good luck!

Posted 9/14/2011 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
clonehead: I have been on Humira since march... I have been on weekly doses almost immediatly because every two weeks wasnt good enough... I have been back on entocort for a couple of months and it seems to make llife alot easlier than without it.... I am doing ok on it but i have atleast 3 days out the week that i am in discomfort...and with all the meds im on and needing to eventually get off the enotocort he wanted to first try cimzia but then talking about trying out remicade seemed much better.... and you are right, he did mention another scope... but thanks for responding i am one person who truely appreciates every response...
riley:i have heard most drs do try remi first... and i participated in a crohns walk and some people i met told me that remi was their miracle drug... so i am hoping that i might be able to feel almost 100% on it... thanks for the hope!! :)

to both of you can you tell me have you guys ever felt good 7 days a week while having crohns..? am i being realistic? should i just be grateful where i am at and stay with humira?
Posted 9/14/2011 4:35 AM (GMT 0)
i was on remicade for a few months- did nothing...then my body started producing antibodies so we had to stop. went to humira...been on that for 4-5 months now- not seeing much of a result. may flip to every week to see if that helps. i did not have any negative reactions on either med.
Posted 9/14/2011 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, while on remicade I had my longest period of remission. I was able to take it once every 6 months, and it helped for 7 years. Other periods of remission, I would say that I had no active crohn's symptoms 7 days a week. No pain. No cramping. And an appetite.

Sure, there may be other things (like bowel movement frequency) that probably always gives me some level of issues whether flaring or not, but IMO - and impressed upon me by my doctor - pain is not an acceptable symptom to "ignore" i.e. not report. If I'm in pain, my dr. wants to know.

Does your doctor think that asacol is helping?
Posted 9/14/2011 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
he does think it helps but he is worried that i am still dependant on the entocort... he said i should be able to be on humira and not need the enotocort.... but you give me hope that one day i can feel normal!
Posted 9/14/2011 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
I did Remicade first, later Humira, and now Humira a 2nd time. I have responded well to both, I think I am lucky that the biologics do seem to work for me. However Remicade worked better for me than Humira.

While I was on Remicade it was like I didn't have Crohn's except for the day I went for treatment. I was completely symptom free, going normal only once or twice a day, and pain free for about 6 years.

While I do respond quickly to Humira and it does help, it just doesn't seem to have the staying power Remicade does. I feel like the first time Humira made me 90% well, which was good but it was a fragile remission.

Just restarted Humira Saturday so far I do feel better, we shall see what happens as time goes on.
Posted 9/15/2011 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
In response to your question Yes actually on the Remicade I got into remission without having to be on Entocort or any other drug... it was awesome!!! Then of course I had to flare again, UGH, and after the flare I stopped responding as well to the Remicade and had to up my frequency, which my insurance wouldn't pay for. So in then end my Dr switched me to Humira. I'm hoping I can get feeling as good as I did on Remicade, and maybe bumping to the weekly injections I will notice a difference but I am also on Entocort and have been now for months. Every time I try to go off of it like you, my symtpoms immediately get worse. So I'm hoping Humira really starts to work for me!!! I hope this helps!
Posted 9/15/2011 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
I believe that Remicade works magic. My father takes humira and its working quite well for him so good luck!
Posted 9/15/2011 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on remicade since January and so far I am in love with it - no side effects so far except fatigue the day of and day after the infusion. I am eating pretty much what I want (within reason) have energy, very little cramping and my blood work is, as my GI put it, "shockingly normal". For me it has been a blessing (even though I started off terrified to take it now I'm sold!)
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