Remicade

[Guest guest]

I have been on Remicade for 2 years now. My insurance pays for all

but my co-pay but it is quite expensive if you don't have

insurance. They do not have a plan like Humira for people who don't

have insurance as yet.

I take MTX with it but...

My doctor told me " Remicade works by itself but the FDA will only

allow a person to be on it if they are on MTX with it "

Now, MTX is the drug that CAN affect your liver and you need to be

tested every 60 days to make sure your levels are staying constant

or below the danger level.

I don't take my MTX every week. I didn't take it at one time for

almost 8 months. During that time, I ached terribly and talked with

my doctor about it. I am supposed to take my MTX once a week now

but still find myself forgetting it but when I get seriously achey I

remember that I haven't taken it.

The Remicade surrounds the cells and does not let them form the bad

RA cells so that you " hopefully " won't develop any crippling. Since

starting it, my joints in everything but my feet have been fine. My

feet have developed metatarsil something or other and I am scheduled

to see a podiatrist for them.

The MTX takes care of the inflammation that causes you to feel achey

and sore. For me, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It

does help and I am very grateful for it but sometimes even though I

take it religiously it doesn't help at all.

Remicade does have different side effects though that you may

suffer...for me I am extremely tired after the infusion and will

sleep more during the next 48 hours quite a bit. One of people that

has there infusion the same day I do has to have a shot of benedryl

before having his infusion. He shook terribly one day for quite a

while but hasn't had any problems since. Some people get headaches

but they are supposedly go away after a day or two.

I know that I have a chance to prolong my time without any crippling

deformities if I stay on it - although it doesn't completely help me.

I wish anyone good luck who has this crippling disease and is able

to slow it down in any way.

God bless,

Althea