Remi done, humira next?

Hello all, I have been on remicade since december and I just had a double dose on the 28th of march, almost 3 weeks ago and even a day after the dose I did not feel my usual self that I feel after remicade infusions. I'm scared remi has run its course. I've been on pred since last october and have been tapering really really slowly, whenever I feel my body has adjusted, being more than one week on each dose or more (don't even reduce on my period). I cannot afford to up my dose of pred but since 10mg all my symptoms have come back, that being mostly a lot of blood per BM, urgency, but with pysylim seed powder I can hold out to about 3-5 times a day. I don't feel like I'm a lost cause, but I feel I have given remicade the time to work and it has worn off. I think I will do one more double dose then look for the next medication. I am also scared I am running out of options as I am only 19 and my knee has gotten worse (always had a problem but worse now...). I think it's come to the point where I have to get off pred no matter what, I've already had really bad insomnia, bad acne, and gained 20 pounds. My docs solution is always going up on pred but I just feel its not going to be a solution this time and I don't want to agree to that. I know I'm not a serious cause but I have gotten my iron up to 113 and just don't want it to go down anymore. I don't want to go back to not being able to see my friends, having anxiety, not being able to work like a normal person, not being able to go places, or go to college without all these problems. I start college in sept and just don't see how I will make it through and even if I do, I will be struggling a lot.

I have tried asacol,pred, enemas, supps, aza gave me a really bad stomach ache, remicade, I guess humira is next? I eat gluten free and lactose free, so a diet change cannot really be a solution since I already have a restricted diet.

Post Edited (michys-mom) : 4/16/2016 8:47:35 PM (GMT-6)

It's only been a couple weeks since you're double-dose, had it faded already? Probable antibodies if so.

You're not necessarily out of options. There's humira and simponi that are similar to remicade. Entyvio is a different mechanism of action than the rest.

The infliximab/remicade serum trough (minimum) levels and antibody test can be helpful in deciding which biologic to try next. It's given with 24 hours of the next remicade infusion. If you have antibodies to remicade then humira or simponi makes sense. If you don't have antibodies than entyvio makes sense (as you've failed the entire anti-tnf alpha class of uc medications).

Until you have been tested for antibodies keep at it.It took forever to work for me. Past the point DR. wanted to quit. Eventually I did get antibodies and am doing very well on humira.

I would try Entyvio before Humira. I took Humira for 6 weeks and had terrible joint pain. Pain so bad, I could barely walk. It is still in my system and I am on Pred taper to ease the pain. Never again for Humira or any other biologic. I am going back to Uceris as my maintenance drug for my UC. It worked great for 2 years then had a flare and they tried Humira! Big mistake. This is my story and not telling you what to do, just wanted to share my experience with Humira. Good luck to you and try everything you can before Biologics. They are bad for you! Especially, in the long run. My Opinion.