HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Is the remicade working

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/16/2015 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
So I started my infusion last week and I am going in for my second one next Tuesday. When I started I was going to the bathroom about 4-5 times a day. Sometimes formed but other times it looked grainy and had blood in it because it would break up easily. I also felt bloated and had lots of gas. Now I am going 1-2 times a day (once in the morning and once at night and sometimes I don't even go at night), I'm not always gassy but if I have eggs my stomach feels different, and sometimes my bm will have no blood but then sometimes I'll go at night and there will be slight bloody mucus on the outside.

Do you think that the remicade is working? And do you think if it is I would see an even bigger improvement after the second infusion?
Posted 12/16/2015 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Could be. It's early yet, but very encouraging. Good luck.
Posted 12/16/2015 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like improvement to me. I was going up to 20 or more times a day at my first treatment. Personally I saw 50% improvement after my first infusion and a liitle more improvement after the next 4. I'm awaiting number 5 next week and while I'm not fully healed, I'm definitely closer to it.

Be patient because you will probably see some setbacks in between infusions. I was expecting it to be like when I took steroids which for me always meant immediate relief. Biologics seem to take longer. Probably because they heal instead of just reducing inflammation. I saw blood again at times and had increased frequency as my next infusions approached but my dr played with timing and will consider alternative dosages.

Good luck!!!
Posted 12/16/2015 1:31 AM (GMT 0)

Kulinarykidz said...
Sounds like improvement to me. I was going up to 20 or more times a day at my first treatment. Personally I saw 50% improvement after my first infusion and a liitle more improvement after the next 4. I'm awaiting number 5 next week and while I'm not fully healed, I'm definitely closer to it.

Be patient because you will probably see some setbacks in between infusions. I was expecting it to be like when I took steroids which for me always meant immediate relief. Biologics seem to take longer. Probably because they heal instead of just reducing inflammation. I saw blood again at times and had increased frequency as my next infusions approached but my dr played with timing and will consider alternative dosages.

Good luck!!!

Thank you for the quick response. Did you see any improvement after your second infusion as well? I think my case is pretty mild compared to some. My only symptom is slight mucus with a little blood. But when I say little I mean maybe a little strand.
Posted 12/16/2015 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, but not right away. I saw a big difference 2 weeks after it for some reason.
Posted 12/17/2015 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
I hope the same happens for me!
Posted 12/17/2015 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
I responded immediately and got progressively better after each infusion in the induction phase. Sounds like you have experienced improvement and I hope it continues!
Posted 12/20/2015 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
Update: it's almost 2 weeks since I got my first infusion. I'm also tapering off prednisone however, I don't think the prednisone was working because I started at 40 tapered 5mg every 5 days. When I started my infusion I was already down to 25mg with no improvement. Inmedietly after my first infusion my stools became formed and I no longer had stomach pains or urges and I was only bleeding a little. I would then not bleed for 2 days and then have a bowel movement with a little bloody mucus. Then I went 4 more days without seeing any blood but tonight I saw a little bloody mucus. Not much but enough for me to see it. If I didn't see blood for 4 days and all of a sudden see blood does that mean the remicade is not working? I am confused that sometimes I see blood and other times I don't. Also, I'm currently on 10 mg of prednisone. I will be going in for my second infusion Tuesday.
Posted 12/20/2015 6:10 AM (GMT 0)
I'd say not to worry about little day to day fluctuations like that. If you are feeling like you are getting better in the overall picture then you are. Some days you might have blood then not see it for a few days but don't take that for thinking the remicade stopped working. There might be blood in some of your stools that you aren't even noticing either. Keep in mind that it takes awhile for you to heal.

There might be times too when the remicade starts wearing off a little bit before your next infusion. Let your doctors know that and they can cater the timing of your infusions to your needs. Right now my doc wants me to get mine done every 4 weeks, see how I'm responding, then start spacing them out a bit more if the remicade keeps the entire time. I just had my fourth infusion 2 days ago.
Posted 12/20/2015 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
Agree with meistomaga. Be patient. It is extremely rare if not nearly impossible to go into remission after 1 infusion. You are still on the loading dose schedule. I'm going for my 5th infusion and still have some rare days with blood. My dr isnt concerned and neither am I. Looki at the overall picture and not the day by day.
Posted 12/20/2015 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
Patience, the loading doses are all about getting enough remicade in your system to reach optimum therapeutic levels. Uc healing is never linear, rather its full of ups (good days) and downs (bad days) on a day-to-day basis. Week-to-week, you should be improving.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply