Combined therapy success

I wanted to update on my success with combined biologic therapy.

I had a terrible flare from February last year until July of proctitis after my xeljanz which worked so well for me stopped working. I immediately switched from xeljanz to rinvoq hoping a drug in the same class would work. It didn't help. Neither did entyvio, nor any standard drugs like prednisone.

In late July i started trying stelera. It seemed to get me out of the worse of my flare but I still had major urgency. I then when back into my flare. I reintroduced the rinvoq i was taking when my flare started and within two days my symptoms subsided. I am now 6 months in taking both stelera and rinvoq and would say I am in complete remission.

I get nervous posting as I do not want my luck to run out but thought it is important to give an example of a success with combined drug use. Who knows why or what is effective but I do feel very fortunate.

Very interesting and thank you for sharing. I wish you continued remission!

P.S. Was this prescribed by your University of Chicago GI? I only ask because I see a GI there and want to know my options if Xeljanz ever stops working for me. How long did Xeljanz work for you again?

Good to hear you have a good team of GIs helping you. I hope you continue to feel well! Please keep us posted.

Now that for sure is not the case. There are various drugs on the cusp on being used for UC that are currently being used for RA or psoriasis. Some are in the same class we use now but most of them are slightly different in mechanics.

Nice. This is taking a page out of other diseases that use drug cocktails like AIDS and some cancers. Perhaps doctor's should even start considering multiple biologics at once, eg. Sterlara with an anti-TNF biologic and say Entyvio. Hitting the disease from multiple angles could be the way to long-term remission.

It's an interesting concept & one that is working for you. We can all relate to not wanting to jinx yourself, hopefully this will continue to work indefinitely for you.

Keep us posted.

@Passer, we do not have PM here at Healing Well. You can go into your profile & add your email address & ask Hugo18 to email you. Only members can see an email address in a profile. The administrator does not want us posting personal information in our posts, it's to avoid getting a mailbox full of spam.

Thank you so much straydog. I've added my email address to my signature. Hugo18, it would be great if you can shoot me an email. My GI and I are considering Rinvoq, but would like some input from a doc that has experience with it, so I'd love to consider seeing the doc you mentioned at Mt. Sinai. Thanks in advance!