RE: Remicade and other meds

[Guest guest]

Hi Vikki,

I just had my second infusion, but I don't know the answer to your question

about dropping other meds. Usually they keep you on MTX while you're on

Remicade, but the Arava and prednisone might be candidates. I wouldn't stop

any medication without discussing it with your rheumy first.

I hope the Remicade starts to kick in soon!

Love and hugs,

Carol

[ ] Remicade and other meds

I don't post much, but I really have learned a lot from those of you who

post regularly. I have a question for all of you who have experience with

Remicade...

I will be having my third Remicade infusion next week. So far, I have not

noticed it " kicking in " . The only reaction I've had from the medication is

that I have trouble sleeping for a couple days after an infusion. My

question - how soon will I be able to drop the other meds I am on? I am

currently still taking seven pills of MTX (17.5mg), 20mg Arava and 5mg

prednisone. I tried eliminating the prednisone with disasterous results, so

I started taking it again. Should I just keep taking them all until the

Remicade starts working?

I'm getting concerned because I am also taking several other prescription

medications for other conditions, and I worry about drug interactions. I

take Elavil for fibromyalgia and to help me sleep (didn't have a decent

night's sleep for 20 years - but I racked up over 2,000 games of

middle-of-the-night solitare on the computer!), Ziac for my rapid/irregular

heartbeat, Lopid for my cholestrol, Bellergal-S for my hot flashes, Skelaxin

for muscle spasms, and Foltx to counter the side effects of the MTX! WAAAY

too many medications! I want to get off some of them, but don't know what

else to do at this point.

Thanks for all your help!

Vikki

[Guest guest]

Vikki,

At the following site, you can put in your medications and get a report on

their interactions:

http://www.healthatoz.com/Atoz/Jsp/drugdb/drugSearch.jsp

I just checked mine, and it said that there is a severe interaction between

Arava and methotrexate. All of my other interactions were moderate or mild.

WARNING! This can be somewhat scary.

Sue

on 8/22/02 11:11 AM, Wes & Vikki Wingfield at vwwing@... wrote:

> I'm getting concerned because I am also taking several other prescription

> medications for other conditions, and I worry about drug interactions.

[Guest guest]

Sue: this is a great site...my husband and myself sat

in shock at what came up......Thanks Kathi in OK

--- Sue Plaster2 <splaster@...> wrote:

> Vikki,

>

> At the following site, you can put in your

> medications and get a report on

> their interactions:

>

>

>

http://www.healthatoz.com/Atoz/Jsp/drugdb/drugSearch.jsp

>

> I just checked mine, and it said that there is a

> severe interaction between

> Arava and methotrexate. All of my other interactions

> were moderate or mild.

>

> WARNING! This can be somewhat scary.

>

> Sue

>

>

> on 8/22/02 11:11 AM, Wes & Vikki Wingfield at

> vwwing@... wrote:

>

> > I'm getting concerned because I am also taking

> several other prescription

> > medications for other conditions, and I worry

> about drug interactions.

>

>

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