First Inflectra infusion done

Glad you got it done! You've done the hardest one, should get easier for the second. Yes, fatigue is a common thing after infusions.

Yes they do go away eventually!

Have you seen any positive signs yet/lessening of pain or symptoms?

I’m a few steps behind you.

Doctors office called me today and said I’m all set. Ready to go. Cigna has approved. The infusion center should be calling you soon to get you set up for your first treatment.

So. I then call the treatment center with this news.

They say it might take days for this information to get to them from Cigna.
“We can’t do anything without Cigna telling us directly”.

So miserable. Praying for a positive response. Been flaring for over a month.

Sigh.

Rusty, maybe check back again today? I don’t have Cigna, but my insurance did notify me first of my approval and then it took about a day for them to notify my doctors office.

Awesome! Good luck! Hope it works for you

Hi. Yes. I got my first infusion yesterday. Doctor prescribed the “5 per weight dose”. He’s got me going in on day 0, 14, then 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. I guess this is the standard protocol?

I’ve been faring for over a month. So I practically crawled into the place. The place was very clean. Very professional. I was impressed. I pretty much slept through the whole thing. They’ve got these giant super comfortable leather power recliner chairs.

Best needle person I’ve ever had in my life. She had it in and I didn’t even know it. Was waiting for the stick. And then she said it’s in.

I didn’t expect any allergic reaction issues. Since Inflectra is a tnf blocker, from what I understand? I figured it’s pretty much the same as Humira. And I did great on Humira for 4 years until I went off it by my (in hindsight now) REALLY dumb decision to go off Humira.

(Long story short. Had IBS all my adult life. Started in my late 20s. Then..2015…Heavy family life stress event. My teenage son got cancer. Then…started flaring. Then…colonoscopy…then…Diagnosed with UC in 2016 at age 54. I was on Humira 4 years. Did great. Remission started 8 weeks almost to the day of the first shot. So, time passes. You’re doing great. Your mind playing games with you. “Hey. Maybe I’ve healed. Maybe I don’t need to take drugs for this thing!?” So. Then I made the decision to go on nothing. No maintenance drug. Just diet and exercise. Doctor didn’t like that plan. But he reluctantly said ok. Stayed in remission for another 8 or 9 months. Started flaring. Went back on Humira. It wouldn’t work. During the “off time” my body built up massive antibodies against it)

That mild flare started in early 2021. And I’ve been pretty much flaring mild all 2021 until about a month ago, and then, wham, I went to mild to medium to severe all in the past month.

I got got home yesterday around 1 pm. And I kicked back in the recliner in my house. Not as nice a recliner. Lol.
I slept the afternoon in the chair. Now was that from all the lack of sleep of the past week or was that a fatigue post infusion side effect? No big deal though.

So. I’m sitting here the morning after my first Inflectra infusion. I can definitely feel a positive impact. Still a long long way to go. But I slept a little better last night. And I can just feel relief starting to come into my body. Strange to say that. But I do. I’d say yesterday morning on a scale of 1-10 with 0 being absolutely miserable flare …I was a 0. This morning I’m a 2?

I wish I could get infusion number 2 rIght away. But I know it doesn’t work that way.



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Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 10/8/2021 9:14:28 AM (GMT-6)

Hi.

Defiantly doing better. Thanks!

I’d say, the morning of my first infusion, (Thursday early), I was a 1 on a 1-10 scale.
I mean, I hobbled into the infusion center like I was 95 years old.

I’m up in the night with hemorrhoids that are really hurting me right now.
I’m pretty sure I’ve had them in my life before, I’m 59, but I’ve never had a hemorrhoid or hemorrhoids like this!

But, Sunday, which would be day 4, I’d say my UC is a 4 or maybe even a 5. My stool is forming up. Earlier today, I had a bowel movement, I looked down in the bowl, and it was actually three or four normal log type soft brown formed stools. But sometimes when I go the last couple of days, because of the hemorrhoids it Burns unbelievable.

But overall, the Inflectra is definitely working in a positive way. When I started Humira in 2016 I remember it took 8 weeks before I felt any impact. I’m actually shocked the Inflectra has kicked in so quickly so positively for me.
That’s super great news. Thank you Lord.

So…Now, I’ve got painful hemorrhoids. I’ll keep laughing or I’d cry.

Trying daily baths. Extra showers. Using the Tucks wipes. Tylenol.

Tomorrow I’ll get to the store and get some cream or ointment with a numbing agent in it. Sigh.

I’m thinking the hemorrhoids and the pain from those started Friday? Honestly, I forget, it’s all been a miserable blur.

I blame these hemorrhoids on my diet. Typically, prior to all the flaring which started in late august, I eat a bowl of high fiber cereal almost every morning, as well as rolled oats as part of my dinner, and, I also take Konsyl powder, at least once a day.

I’ve been eating all that fiber daily, for years.

Well, in the misery of the horrible flare, I stopped the fiber. All of the above. Pretty much 3 or 4 weeks of little to.no fiber in my diet at all. I just wasn’t thinking …possible ramifications of that. My mindset was all about getting out of the horrible flare.

Now, I believe I am paying the price for that. Painful hemorrhoids. Sigh.

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Post Edited (Rusty Barr) : 10/11/2021 1:29:06 AM (GMT-6)

You should have dose 3 four weeks after dose 2. That’s how my dosing schedule is