Did Simponi work for you? What next if it not working?

I started having symptoms in Dec. 2014, after a colonoscopy Mar. 2015 I was diagnosed with UC. I've been prescribed a lot of medicine but unfortunately nothing has helped at all.

Tried: lialda, Uceris, Hydrocort suppository, prednisone, Simponi. I've read that most people are helped by prednisone but even after 8 wks at the highest dose before tapering there was no relief. My GI was reluctant to prescribe Simponi because of the side effects, I'm 35 and he thought I was too young to risk them, but since nothing else has worked he prescribed it in July. I'm taking it with 4 lialda pills. I started the loading dose of 2 shots initially followed by one shot two weeks and four weeks later and now at one shot every 4 wks. My shot next will my fifth injection (3 loading dose, 1 second month).

I'm wondering if Simponi could still start to relieve my symptoms if it hasn't worked yet? Or does this mean it's not going to work for me? I would have thought if it was going to work it would have worked back when I started taking it at a higher dose more frequently whereas now it's every 4 wks.

If it's not going to work what would be next? My GI had me freaked out about even starting Simponi because of the side effects so I would imagine side effects would be even worse in something else. I have no idea what would be the next step. But I want my life back, I don't go out anymore and I'm just in constant pain. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much!!

I'm 21 and on Simponi. Risks are minimal. It took about eight to ten weeks to work for me, and can take up to four months for some people, so I think you should wait to give it a fair shot.

Side effects are actually pretty minimal. I think the risk of cancer increases very minimally over the healthy population. An uncontrolled flare & inflammation put you at greater risk in my mind.

Lots of other biologics, ivig, probiotics, diet to try. I've started entyvio, supposed to be non systemic so if you're really worried about overall side effects, I'd try that.

^ And if 35 years old is too young to 'risk' biologics, I'm wondering at what age our lives become dispensable to gamble with.

Are you taking any mega dose probiotics, such as VSL#3? How about any supplements and diet changes? Most of us discover foods that bother us and make us worse but you haven't mentioned foods at all.