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Inflectra question

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 1/17/2018 5:05 AM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with crohn’s 10 months ago, and have been on remicade since April. My insurance recently switched me to inflectra (cuz yay). I had my first inflectra infusion this past Friday and have just felt off since. Today I have been so nauseated and lightheaded. I have to hold on to the wall for support cuz I feel like I’m going to fall over. It’s been so intense my RN husband has offered to take me to the ER. I don’t know if it’s a reaction to the inflectra or some crohn’s symptom I haven’t had before. Other than that I’ve just felt generally weak and fatigued since my infusion. Usually I’m only tired for the rest of the day, maybe 24 hours, but never for this long. I feel kind of like I did when I was adjusting to the imuran I started in November.

Any ideas?
Posted 1/17/2018 10:32 AM (GMT 0)
It's so hard to say. Now that the patent restriction has expired on Remicade, they can now market a generic version, which Inflectra is. All the generics are supposed to be identical, but how can anyone say for sure.

I'm not sure if you're in a position to argue the side effects, and demand Remicade instead. We did this for our Daughter when they tried giving her the gereric version of Imuran. They relented, but it's a much cheaper drug. Hopefully your GI has some input on this, and can make some demands of his own.
Posted 1/17/2018 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
I would make an appointment with your GI ASAP. Technically Inflectra isn't identical to Remicade but it's very similar, hence the term 'biosimilar'. However your body may not be liking those small differences or perhaps you developed antibodies to the Inflectra; I have no idea in all honesty. But if it's not any better after the 2nd or 3rd infusion I would fight to go back on the original Remicade.
Posted 1/17/2018 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
I looked this up & some of the symptoms you listed are potential side effects, but it appears yours are quite delayed, which is a little confusing. I would call & speak with the nurse at the gi's office & let her know what is going on. She can relay this info to the dr & get back with you.

Take care.
Posted 1/19/2018 3:24 AM (GMT 0)
My crohn’s guy is at a conference this week so his nurse is looking into it. Been a long week 😢
Posted 1/25/2018 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
They decided it isn’t a reaction to the inflectra. My doc wants to see me to discuss my symptoms, but doesn’t have an appointment until 2/21 😡

I don’t know what to look for in a flare. When I flared when I got diagnosed I thought I just had hemorrhoids- turns out it was most likely my fistula forming (can’t prove it, but that’s what my crohn’s guy is guessing).

For almost 2 weeks now I’ve been getting lightheaded a lot, nauseated- especially if I eat, kinda constipated but like still have a BM everyday (just hard to pass), had a little rectal bleeding at the start of the week, and now my stool is mucosy. I’ve never had diarrhea other than a couple days following the colonoscopies. I’m getting so frustrated and I’m so sick of feeling like crap. I’ve considered having my husband take me to the ER just to see if it will get me into the doctor sooner.

What should I do?
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