Posted 4/24/2008 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
Numb, the majority of UC patients do well with 5-ASA medications and short courses of steroids during their infrequent flares. Those people aren't here, because their lives aren't affected enough by UC for them to seek out support. In the spirit of "first, do no harm," doctors prescribe the drug with the fewest side effects first. Also to help keep everyone's cost of health insurance from going even higher. Some docs are now starting to use Remi before the immunosuppressant drugs.
I felt better after my second infusion, and much better after my third. I then continued to get a little better for the first year before stabilizing. I've seen some people say they felt better after the first infusion, some weren't noticibly better until the fifth. Remember that even if the medication stops the ongoing inflammation, you colon still has to heal and that does take time.
Good luck with your Remi. Hope you have great success.