starting remicade tomorrow!

hi guys!! i have my first remicade infusion tomorrow. i am nervous but hopeful at the same time. i guess my main concern is that it's gonna mix weird with all my other medications but i'm praying it'll do it's job without side effects.

i'm hoping my mom can stay with me during it and they won't kick her out! i hear they have a television for us to watch but i think i'll bring a book. maybe i'll fall asleep. getting an iv is never fun for me since my veins totally suck but i'm praying they'll be able to get one and it won't swell!!

well, i'll post when i get home and let you guys know how it goes.

     Best of luck to you!  I will pray it works!

Good luck (or hope it went well, depending on when you read this)!

I'm getting my 22nd (I think) Remicade infusion this afternoon. I always take a book but then end up falling asleep after the infusion starts.

hey everyone! thanks for the kind words and wishes!! i just got home from my infusion. it was a really long day because i had to see a nutritionist in the afternoon, too.

it was a breeze though. the nurse had to put some heat on my arm to get a vein, but the medication went in fine. i felt some tingling and a little burning but nothing bad. i had 2 very talkative nurses and my mom talks a lot so it was a loud appointment haha i just did word searches for 2 hours.

this is my first post here. I was diagnosed with UC just recently at the age of 50. Despite several other auto immunue diseases I have been dealing with. The first thing they tried was lialda. That proved to do more harm than good. So today I just had my second Remicade. I was so scared to stat this because my youngest son had tried it years ago and had a horrible reaction. It went very well for me except I get incredibly tired. The doctors say that they think certain people get really tired as a result of the medication basically attacking the disease. My symptoms have greatly reduced since the remicade has been on board. I also take methotrexate and I am no tapering off the prednisone they pout me on over a month ago. Would love to share experiences with anyone interested.



thanks

amyo

Did they give you pre-meds (Tylenol, Benadryl)?

I used to get migraines after Remicade infusions, but it stopped once I starting getting it at a slower rate.

Most people get pre-meds before their infusion in order to prevent any reactions (regardless of whether or not they've had reactions before). Maybe you should ask your GI about that, especially since you did get a headache afterwards.

I tried several types of probiotics when I was flaring, and none of them made a difference on my UC. However, I have IBS on top of UC, and VSL #3 helps with that. You don't need a prescription for VSL#3--you can order it online (just google it). If you want the strong version, VSL #3 DS, then you need a prescription.

     Yeah, circle that vein!!!  I have horrible veins and at my final infusion of Remicade (it failed after my third infusion, but gave a 4th infusion a shot anyway) the nurse had a heck of a time finding a vein.  Maybe I was a bit dehydrated, so make sure you drink plenty of water ahead of time.  When she finally found one, it collapsed midway through the infusion .  She stuck me seven times before finally achieving success.  The lab techs used to groan every time I walked in..lol.  I was on 6MP for seven years prior to Remicade and had to have many blood tests.

     Since my surgery last year my veins have recuperated..lol.

Are you feeling better?
I cried a little during my first infusion because I was so happy! I KNEW it would work, and I had been through a lot waiting for the day when something besides surgery could help me. It was exactly what I needed (I wonder if some people are misdiagnosed, when it doesn't work).

Fortunately I have easy veins, I guess. She puts it in the top of my hand, never a miss. And when it's over there is never even a mark. How lucky is that!