Adding imuran to remicade questions

I read it is the best chance to keep Remicade working well.

ive been on both for 2 years now.

1. they tried removing the imuran after i was doing so well on remicade and 1 week later i was flaring again. they put me back on imuran and i went back into remission. i guess as long as the meds work i will stay on them.

2. i was diagnosed in 2007 and i was never really fully in remission until i started remicade and imuran. i dont regret it one bit because i live a normal life, eat almost anything i want and enjoy doing activities with my family without stressing if there will be a bathroom where i am giong.

3. i have never had any side effects with the Imuran but i do take my dose in the evening before going to bed.

4. good luck and i hope you will get into full remission :)

You mentioned you had response and than now you are worsening. Make sure to get your remicade levels tested ASAP!! If they get to low it's bad because it not only isn't helping if you don't have any but it makes the treatments like episodic and that makes it much more likely to develop antibodies.
Many of us need either an extra infusion, early infusion,increasing dose, increasing frequency.

Sometimes we end up dumping the drug in our stool. Having low albumin is sometimes a way to help see if that's happening.

1). I plan on taking it for as long as I can because immunosuppresive agents plus biologics work far better than either one combined.

2) I am. This is because i know I have less chance of developing antibodies to remicade.

3) the nausea ppl get is only for the first few weeks. I took it with a meal and I was fine. But either way you should not have those symptoms for long. You can also get zofran for that time.

4) imuran is not as scary as flaring.

Ok. Glad you are making the right decision.
I know it stinks to have to take meds everyday but flaring and ending up in the hospital is much worse.

I added remicade while on imuran. Basically imuran wasn't doing the trick on its own.

I never had any noticeable side effects from imuran. My doctor talked about stopping imuran at some point but I told him I wanted to stay on it for a bit because I had heard it helps with not building up antibodies to remi.

I'm not in remission yet but have been feeling better than ever for about the last month now. 1-4 bms a day, but most often just 2 or 3, always solid and fully formed, no blood or mucous, gaining weight finally, body and everything in my life is just better now too.

ElpisUnbreakable said...
My remicade levels are always normal and I still fall apart at 5 weeks just like you every single month. I wish imuran had worked for me. It was killing my liver. You will know in the first few weeks if you can tolerate it. I don't think you have anything to lose.

Another option if imuran doesn't work for you - I am on double doses of remicade every 4 weeks. You can always get more aggressive with the remicade.

This is the first time that I'm truly flaring leading up to treatment. I usually just see traces of mucous or blood. Have you improved after treatment when flaring at that five week mark?

I have infusion Thursday but if my symptoms worsen I'm doing a quick round of uceris too. Can't afford another trip to the hospital.

Because the imuran will take time to work I would get the next infusion early so that you don't get out of hand before the imuran works

ok good luck
have you started taking the imuran yet?

Dikid- starting Monday after my blood tests come back.

Catherine- thanks for feedback. Glad its helping you!