Answer: This drug used for rheumatoid arthritis can increase your risk of malignant lymphoma by 71%, and can also reactivate dormant tuberculosis infections.
Question: What is Remicade.
YEP.....THAT'S why I'm looking at alternatives....I've been diagnosed with R/A....and the Rheumy doc would just LOVE to give me some of the drugs out there.....NO WAY!
I went thru 2 (very expensive) Remicade treatments in early 2002 and sufferered no bad sideffects, except my nose would start running sometimes for no reason. Completely put a severe Crohn's episode into remission> I felt so good that within 6 months I was 20 lbs overweight , which I did not like at all.
Unforunately, circumstances, like my excellent GI leaving my health program, and me aquiring a tech job part time that gave no heath bennies until I had been there 6 months; couldnt have been a worse time for a relapse, and the relapse was worse than ever (brought on by food poisoning or virus Nov 2003...
By the time I went thru all the red tape and hoops of getting coverage and seeing docs (and repeating a the tests (CTSCAN, etc.) the inflammation had spread to my kidney and caused an large e.coli (yikes)abcess near my lower spinal column.
Remicade at that point could have been fatal, because of my severe secondary infections, so the only alt was resection of the inflammed area (a small area of my lower small bowel where a fistual was found also)...
Now that's a whole 'nother story.
At least vicious pain of the Crohn's is gone, though it will still take me a few months to get back to fighting trim.
After my surgeries I first saw a remicade commercial in the hospital. Did'nt know whether to laugh or throw my food tray at the TV...LOL
I doubt I'll ever need/want remicade ever again.
WC
MY sympathies for all Freepers with RA, IBS and Crohn's/Colitis. I hope you all get better!!