Entyvio - is 6 mp needed?

I'm not sure about that but wondering why the switch? My doctor brought it up in my last appointment but just in passing and so I'm waiting to see what my colonoscopy results will be before I discuss with him further.

@kkidz- I've been meaning to ask you when your c scope is? I think it's soon? I'm thinking about switching because I've been on remicade for almost 3 years and have only been in remission for 4 months then flared for over a year then 6 months and now flaring since February. I'm having a lot of issues that are most likely side effects of being so immunosuppressed. I'm on a double dose plus 6 mp and I have a 2 inch patch that won't heal without steroid enemas. It just grew again per a sig scope. We are attempting cort enemas with rowasa every other night for a month or so then drop steroids and see if I can just do Rowasa. But it's a ton of meds and side effects to not even achieve remission. So I need to change something or throw in the towel and get surgery. Entyvio is having good results in my gi's office and from what I've read and been told it's only suppressing in the colon, not systemically.

Have you thought about switching at all? I know you are having a similar issue farther up in your colon.

@flowers- yes that's what my gi said too. To stay in it while entyvio kicks in then attempt to drop 6 mp. I just hate going in not knowing if the 6 mp is helping or doing nothing. Once I achieve remission I hate switching anything up. How long did you stay on the mtx?

Thanks iPoop!! I didn't know about entyvio and antibodies. I thought it was anti-TNF specific. Good to know.

Kkidz- I hope the scope shows no inflammation! You're in a tough spot too. I don't know what will come of the next 5 months til the baby is here. I just hope to stay as healthy as possible and get off steroid rectals but I can't push anything because I need to be ok for my daughter. Post baby game on. I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row now for a med switch or surgery. It's gonna be hectic w a newborn and 2 toddlers.

Let me know how the scope goes. I wish you a smooth prep and positive news. Much love and hugs.

@connor- that's why I don't want to start it while I'm on the 6 mp. But I know 6 mp is helping remicade as I started it last summer- a year and a half after starting remi. It's not completely holding me since I have 2 inches that keeps coming back. I guess I'll know if entyvio is working if I can get that patch healed. Then the question becomes...do I drop the 6 mp.

@kkidz- aw thank you so much. Yeah it's been hard especially since my uc loves to act up during and post partum. But I somehow make it thru. I find some solace knowing this is the last pregnancy. But don't get me wrong I loooove my kids.

I'm so sorry you weren't able to have kids. I hope you get to spoil nieces, nephews abx or friends kids'.

I am near pa!!!! I'm right outside Philly. Where are you in pa?

Biologics work by interfering with the immune system's ability to signal, initiate, or attack intestinal tissue. The immune system creates various messenger proteins that can be targeted and blocked by those medications.

Remicade/humira blocks attack signaling from the immune system as a tnf-alpha-blocker for it's mechanism of action. It blocks, mutes, or at least muffels the "hey, send an attack over here" battle cry.

Entyvio blocks the immune system's ability to complete an attack further down the line. It's a madcam1, or anti-adhesion blocker in method of action but let's look at an example as further explaination. The immune system's response to an attack signal is to send WBC through our veins/circulatory system. Once those WBC reach their destination area of the body, they normally adhere to the small blood vessel walls and pass through into body tissue and complete their attack. Entyvio blocks that adhesion to the walls within gut tissue, effectively trapping WBC within our circulatory system denying them the ability to attack and cause intestinal inflammation.

So they both interfere with and block a different stage of our immune system's response with a different mechanism of action. Should one biologic not be effective for you, there's a chance using a different method of blocking might work well for you.

I was taking Entyvio for 13 months before a full colonoscopy showed no inflammation in the colon, and my gastroenterologist said my UC was in clinical remission. But I still had functional symptoms of bm frequency, tenesmus, urgency, abdominal pain. I didn't feel in full remission.

After adding 6-MP and low dose nortriptyline, my functional / visceral symptoms have improved.

Entyvio may not by itself resolve all symptoms.