What to expect from Entyvio?

Hi everyone tomorrow I'm going for my first infusion of Entyvio or Vedoluzimab.

I'm just wondering what should I expect from it? Side effects? Effectiveness? Any feedback is appreciated.. thanks!

Just had my final loading dose yesterday - I was told I should see the full results within 2-4 weeks of that. Honestly, and I don't want to tempt fate, I've tolerated it much better than Remicade though I've had a few side effects (infected nail fold, rash, and occasionally headaches).

I know of one healing well poster, Charlie3, has had great results with entyvio. She usually chimes in on posts like this, about how great it's worked for her. I can't think of many others off of the top of my head.

I see from your post history that you've failed remicade and imuran, and have a surgery date in July. Essentially, you're trying entyvio, yourself, as a medication of last resort. Often entyvio is a medication of last resort before surgery, most have failed one or more biologics before trying it. As such, a lot of the posts here haven't shown entyvio to have a lot of good results. Could be more a population-bias, the fact that most who try it have already proven to be unresponsive to all other treatments, more than the medication not working.

The entyvio infusion is given by IV under the supervision of a nurse (very similar to your remicade was). They mix the medication and prepare the IV bag. The infusion once it starts takes 30 minutes from start to finish, much quicker than remicade.

I've heard entyvio is a slow acting medication that takes 12-14'weeks to show a response in some uc patients. Maybe you'll get a quicker response, I don't know. I'd try to remain a little optimistic but also grounded that it may not work. How long you choose to wait for results is entirely up to you. It's a tough call, but many of us can relate being steroid-dependent and struggling with uc symptoms with no sense of relief in sight. You're young too, 16, so it's doubly-tough: you should be enjoying life not struggling like this...

It could be entyvio or it could be surgery. Either way I'm sure you'll find a way to be uc symptom free. Good luck and hang in there!

Yes I will chime in !
Have been on Entyvio for 2 years now with very good results
It did take 6 months to notice the changes
I was also facing surgery after failing all other Meds
I would hope other people with UC would have the same results

Today was my remicade infusion at my gastroenterologist office, and I met a nice lady whose now in remission thanks to entyvio. She's been a Crohn's patient for 40 years, and entyvio has worked the best out of the many things she's tried. Quite a vote of confidence right there for entyvio.

I started Entyvio 8 weeks ago so I'm now 2 weeks past final loading dose. Still seeing a lot of blood, on 15mg of pred which not sure how much it's doing, I think I can see improvement, at least once or a few times a day I'll have no clear blood and a mushy soft formed bm but as far as side effects everythings going smooth. Same was with remicade for me though.