Is Remicade being used anymore?

Hi Jayce, yes Remicade is still being used by gi's. There is a drug called Inflectra that is a biosimilar to Remicade that is being used. They use the same protocol with it as they do Remicade. I've seen some patients that were on it & did fine, including ones that insurance required them to switch. It seems that it is cheaper than Remicade. It all depends on the insurance company.

I can't answer your question about someone being given it thinking they were getting Remicade. That would be unethical.

You can go to their website & read about it.

Hope this helps.

When I was getting my entyvio infusion (1.5 years ago) the girl next to me was getting remicade. She told me the hospital had switched her to remsima (a biosimilar) because it was cheaper but she got terrible pains in her knees and other joints. So they switched her back to remicade and the pains went away. Meanwhile she was enjoying an 8 year remission with remicade.

Ditto what CC said

Thank you for your answers. I wrote a long reply the other day and my finger hit an ad on the iPad screen before I submitted it, and it was gone.
I was curious the person that told was adamant that it wasn’t being used anymore for IBD regardless of insurance, and because of insurance, now that there are biosimilars.
I know Remicade is infliximab, but it was working well for years.
about 2 years ago my daughter began experiencing debilitating muscle wasting pain and weakness.
She is now under the care of a hematologist and a rheumatologist that we are happy with. She had platelets, eosinophils, and inflammation markers all over the place, as well as enlarged lymph nodes in her neck. She hadn’t had any flaring of UC though, maybe the lupus and neurological meds kept it in check.
She recently began what might be a flare, and it seems that her dr of 12 years is only doing telemedicine. So she is seeing a dr that has taken over her position and Things are moving very slowly. I know it has to, this is not the time to need a dr.
You are right Straydog, it would be unethical, My daughter is on her own and I don’t go to all of her appointments, I was thinking that maybe she had been switched and the dr may have mentioned it, but quite frankly the dr was pretty hands off since the setup has changed, my daughter really saw her for a minute before an infusion and probably wouldn’t note the switch if she was told it’s the same. She doesn’t remember.
If things don’t get under control I’d like her to have remicade as an option, if possible, so I need to find out if she had been given a different mix.
I didn’t see anything on the portal, only says infusion.

Hi Old Hat. It’s nice to see you. I hope you’re feeling well. It’s not an easy time to need a dr.
I’m curious do you know if the dr may be looking to take more time off? I can understand she certainly put in a lifetime. I don’t know then if it’s where I would want to stay. She was why we began there.
Thank you for the information you’ve all given, I’m glad to know some people can still get remicade, and also good to know that the biosimilars work.

Thank you

Jayce, I'm so sorry to read that your daughter has complications that require more specialist consults; I remember what a trooper she is from your previous posts. As to her longtime UC subspecialist's availability, my impression is that this doctor "burned the candle at both ends" for decades, working as an administrative director and med school faculty member besides treating more & more patients, conducting clinical trials, reviewing research publications, compiling & editing medical textbooks, attending specialized conferences. etc., etc. (During my own worklife my dept. head commented that "once you become the head of anything at a large institution, your life turns into a constant meeting"!) So I think our doctor, getting older, needs to slow down somewhat and has turned over most time-consuming administrative duties, but will continue to follow patients and teach 'til future retirement. The televisits came about due to COVID-19. Office staff phoned me in early April to re-schedule my 6-mo. check-up due in May, but they didn't think regular office visits could resume until July so, being in remission (TG!), I registered for a Sept. office visit thinking that's a safer alternative in my situation. Thanks for asking about my health; I've been pursuing complicated dental issues in recent yrs & now await re-opening of those offices! *** For your information RE physicians' availability, I'd say to check the IBD Center Website periodically for updates then phone them if you need additional clarification. *** Wishing you & your daughter my best; please keep in touch here on the forum as your time allows. / Old Hat (39 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

Olds hat thanks for letting me know. She was told that she may be able to schedule with her for the next visit. Right now she’s using enemas. It’s not worse but not better. I don’t think she ever stopped a flare without remicade. I hope she’s back by the next visit.
You are so right about burning the candle. I hope she can come up for air now.

I’m sorry about the dental work postponed. We want to get things done and feel better, without risking something else. Be well.

Are you allowed to bridge your meds if you swap so that there is an overlap? Both xeljanz and stelara work reasonably fast that if you had a remicade infusion and then a couple of weeks later start the new one, you might be able to switch back to remi if the new drug doesn't help. I did this with entyvio- had the entyvio infusion then 2 weeks later started xeljanz.

I am liking xeljanz- it's the only drug that put me in a full remission since I was diagnosed. Remicade got me about halfway there (on 10mg/kg) but I had a very persistent proctitis that it just wouldn't touch.
I like the convenience of taking tablets. With remicade and entyvio I used to get anxious the week before my infusion in case I got an infection.
For a lot of people they can feel xeljanz working within 3-7 days. In my case I wasn't sure and even had a consultation with a surgeon, but by the 5th/6th week it started to become more obvious as confirmed by calprotectin (went from 1600 to 500). I slowly improved until the 4th month where a scope confirmed remission (and calprotectin under 50).

No problem, I hope you find some relief soon