My experience with my first Remicade Infusion

Ask if they can take the blood while (actually before, but with the same vein) doing the infusion. My veins are extermemly difficult, they have to go into the hand and have had to use a very tricky spot in my wrist a couple of times, but usually they take the blood then drop the saline right after. No second place to go for a second (or fifth or sixth) poke:)

I have two friends on methatrexate.  I wanted my doctor to put me on mathatrexate for my arthritits, Krohn's disease, etc.  My doctor decided on Remicade.  I'm nervous about that because of the high cancer risk, which is also in my family, not just a side effect of the Remicade. 

My friends taking the methatrexate are doing extremely well and had been all sorts of meds before.  They look so much healthier now and are doing much better.

I'm stuck trying Remicade.  I don't start for another month until after I have some surgery.  I hope it works as well as the Methatrexate has for my friends. 

The Methatrexate does cause nausea for a few days, but I'm use to that anyways.  From my experience Methatrexate has worked wonders for two friends and two other friends that actually took it after breast cancer.  They are all doing well and have not terrible side effects other than the nausea and thinning hair. 

The thinning hair actually looks better.  It's softer.  My hair has looked sickly ever since I've been sick for several years; therefore, I'd be happy to have my hair look as soft and pretty as theirs.  I wish I could convince my doctor to use the methatrexate instead of the Remicade, but I will just have to wait and see. 

If the Remicade doesn't work, he will use methatrexate.

My Doctor told me that Remicade was the best way to go since I was not having any luck with different pills I was taking for arthritits.  I also have colitis and Remicade is great for that too, he told me.  I was worried about cancer also since my mother had breast cancer, brother died of liver cancer and I have had breast cancer (yes, even men can have that too - 1 out of every 100 women).  I can't tell you how much Remicade has helped my body start moving again.  I can also tell when the 8 weeks is approaching for the next treatment.  As stated before, from the time I finish taking the infussion and leave the room until a few days before the next I am a new person.  Just do it! 

I did the first infusion treatment last Monday.  Unfortunately I had a lot of problems; however, I will see my GI on Monday.  I will wait to see what he says. 

Is it possible to have bad reactions to the Remicade at first but eventually the body gets used to it?

Hello,

I read your personal experiences and i think you are a strong girl, because you started with this hard challenge since you were little. I do have the same as experiences as you and many people Ra AND I am doing Remicade too and makes me feel and think like you all there and is nice to read experiences of all of you about this CRAZY AND CHALLENGE WAY WHAT WE ARE LIVING DAY BY DAY...GOOD LUCK,

Hugs and smiles,

Hi - I'm not on Remicade at present, but did have two infusions, before I switched to Enbrel.  I did not have any blood drawn at the infusion, either before or after, and so I'm curious what blood tests are done?  Does anyone know?

According to my Doctor, these blood test are to check on your internal organs---mainly on the liver. Just a precaution to make sure that everything's funtioning well after the infusion.

OK - I get liver tests done every couple months with some other tests, like CBC and creatinine (kidney). 

It was liver tests that made my doctor not try the standard DMARDS when I was diagnosed. At the time I was taking a combination of Celebrex (100 mg) and amitriptyline (10 mg), low doses of both.  When I stopped - the test was normal 2 weeks later.  Never been that high again, even though I went back to Celebrex for several years.  Maybe it was actually the arthritis! My GI doctor says inflammatory factors circulate through the blood & can affect any organ. 

    Better to be cautious than sorry, I guess!

Good luck!  I also took an iPod and played relaxing music---this also seemed to help since I was really nervous. 

The one thing I liked about Remicade was that once the infusion was over, I felt much better that same day.  But I felt tired and sleepy.  When I got home after being at the clinic, I just slept for hours.  So I would plan to take it really easy all day.

Let

Good luck!  I also took an iPod and played relaxing music---this also seemed to help since I was really nervous. 

The one thing I liked about Remicade was that once the infusion was over, I felt much better that same day.  But I felt tired and sleepy.  When I got home after being at the clinic, I just slept for hours.  So I would plan to take it really easy all day.

Let us

Good luck!  I also took an iPod and played relaxing music---this also seemed to help since I was really nervous. 

The one thing I liked about Remicade was that once the infusion was over, I felt much better that same day.  But I felt tired and sleepy.  When I got home after being at the clinic, I just slept for hours.  So I would plan to take it really easy all day.

Let us know

Good luck!  I also took an iPod and played relaxing music---this also seemed to help since I was really nervous. 

The one thing I liked about Remicade was that once the infusion was over, I felt much better that same day.  But I felt tired and sleepy.  When I got home after being at the clinic, I just slept for hours.  So I would plan to take it really easy all day.

Let us know how

Good luck!  I also took an iPod and played relaxing music---this also seemed to help since I was really nervous. 

The one thing I liked about Remicade was that once the infusion was over, I felt much better that same day.  But I felt tired and sleepy.  When I got home after being at the clinic, I just slept for hours.  So I would plan to take it really easy all day.

Let us know how it