I know there are topics on this board about
whether or not to try Remicade and people have also written about
if it has worked for them or not. What I would like is for people who have tried Remicade to write about
their experience during the the first three infusions. It seems as though the drug works immediately for a few lucky people, only after the third dose in some cases, and (unfortunately) not at all for others.
What was it like for you? Did you see any improvement at the first dose? After the second? Were you beginning to wonder if it was going to do anything at all and then it miraculously kicked in after round three?
I ask all of these questions because I am currently half-way through the 6 weeks between my second and third infusions. The doctor gave me the "last resort before surgery" talk and started me on Remicade while I was in the hospital last month. I saw improvement within 3 days of the first dose that continued slowly up until my second round. The first two days after the second round were good as well, but since then I have leveled off. I have 4-5 movements a day (mostly in the morning) that include cramping, pain, and occasional blood. By the afternoon I am feeling pretty good though. This is all while still on 50mg of Prednisone, Imuran, and a restricted diet.
I worry that the early effects I saw of the Remicade were a false sense of success and that it may not ultimately work for me. But I also have read that it may take more infusions for it to really reach a therapeutic level. So any words on the subject are greatly appreciated.
James
26-year-old diagnosed with UC in 2004
3.2g Asacol, 150mg Imuran, 50mg Prednisone, and Remicade (started 5/30/08)
Currently flaring
Post Edited (draegs) : 6/18/2008 5:00:43 PM (GMT-6)