For Loneylane,, (Carol) Remicade question?

Hi Carol,   Well, my son had his first infusion Friday and all went well.  He had no reaction or side affect from it. I did notice on the packet they gave him that the doctor had the Remicade diluted with 250ml NaCI 0.9%.  What exactly is that??  And also, they gave him all this info on how to stay clear of anyone with flu etc, too always wash his hands good etc.  Since you have had so many infusions,  have you had any colds, flus or any sores that didn't heal? How do you keep from getting sick?  I keep close vigilance on wiping counters tops and bathrooms down with antibacterial wipes etc. I bet I have the cleanest germ free house in town!   I don't know how long I can keep this up, so I'm wondering, does this help or am I getting a little neurotic here and over doing it?  Any advice would sure be appreciated.  If he gets sick and ends up in a hospital he'd go bankrupt since he has  no health insurance and no Insurance will accept him anyway. 

Oh, and one more thing,,,does this Remicade wipe out  ALL his immunity completely or just lowers it to a big degree? I'd like to think he has a little there to fight off some germs.

As you can see, I'm a concerned mom, but I bet some of the other moms here, feel the same anxiety.

Thanks for any advice from anyone.

Glad to hear the infusion went well! Well, I have to say (knock on wood) that I've been pretty darned healthy since I started Remicade. Not sure if it's because I'm more cautious about washing my hands or what, but truthfully, the more "healthy" people around me that were sick more often last year than me. I keep my hands away from my mouth, eyes, nose; and when someone around me comes down with a cold (or says they are fighting it off) my first line of defense is Zicam. It's worked more times than not, and I even pass them out to folks who say they are coming down with a cold. They now swear by it too! I have a job that requires me to travel quite a bit, so I'm in the some of the germiest places ever....but hand santizer and good ole' fashioned soap works well. Another good thing; when you hear the flu or colds start moving through your area, have him shower at night before he goes to bed. I use the bacterial wipes too; not sure if they help, but hey, I like to keep the house clean!

I'm not sure what the NaCI is...I'll try and find something on that. Take care, and glad things went well for your son.

     What is Zicam?  Can you purchase it over the counter?  I'm not taking Remicade but I do take the 6MP.

     Thanks, interesting.  I had never heard of it before.

Thanks Judy; I thought it might be the saline -- I usually get it before I start my Remi treatment.