Re: Need advise about Remicade

[Guest guest]

I've been on it for 10 months now so I guess I've gotten 5 infusions. It

only costs me $30 an infusion, I have it done at the doctor's office, they have

quite a set-up there, I have my own room, the nurses that handle this are

wonderful, it takes about 2 hours, a little less I think. My doctor does not

premedicate, I have heard some do, I was scared out of my mind almost when I had

the first one (made my husband come with me, I'm such a chicken), but it was

nothing more than sitting there with an iv attached, no reaction whatsoever nor

did I have anything later on. I did come home and sleep the afternoon away on

the first time but I think that was because I was up most of the night before

worrying about it. Now it's nothing. I sit there with a good book, I have it

put into the back of my hand, that's just easier for me. There is a call button

at my side if I have a problem, the nurse will be there in a second and I know

this because I hit it once by accident and boy did they hurry! Now, the

question is, is it doing anything? I'm not too sure. I'm also on 4 mtx a week

with it, I would say that I have a mild to moderate case of RA to begin with,

after the initial onset that is that I would classify as MAJOR. The mtx pretty

much takes care of everything but I got this pain on my elbows when I laid down

to sleep and no position would take it away, the Remicade did take care of that.

My doc said that the Remicade is less toxic to the body than the mtx, that

pretty much sold it for me, I hate meds but it seems that you have to remain on

the mtx in addition. My goal is to get down to 2 mtx a week. My husband works

with 2 men who are also on it and it has brought them back to life. I chose

Remicade over the others because I did not want to self inject, I also liked the

idea of only every 2 months having a treatment and if I had a problem an RN and

doctor were there onsite. I hope this helps and good luck. mary in pa

[ ] Need advise about Remicade

My doctor wants me to start on Remicade. I know there has been discussion on

it before, but I wasn't interested then. Would someone kindly give me their

opinion on this...or tell me about your experience with it?

Jean

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

I,myself, am on Remicade. I have had 6 treatments already and I do notice

some slight changes. My hips seem to be doing better but I still have some

other joints that are not doing as well. I am on 6 mtx a week with other

medications. My infusions have gone back to 6 weeks and the Remicade has gotten

increased 2x already. At my last visit, there was talk by my rheumy that if the

increase doesn't work, we would have to go back to 4 weeks. But I do notice a

difference the day after (since my 4th treatment) in most of my joints. The

process is painless. Like said, they just put an IV on you and that's it.

Actually, I am one of the lucky ones who did have an ugly reaction to it on the

first & second treatment. So, instead of taking a good book to read with me, I

go night night...lol I am given Benadryl and steriods in my IV to offset the

allergic reaction. And let me tell you, I am out like a light within minutes.

I think that is the most painful part of the

infusion for me cuz I can feel the Benadryl going through me (it is like hot

lava running thru my body...lol). I end up being out for the rest of the day

and night. Either my mom or fiancee drives me to the doctors cuz I am not

allowed to drive home cuz of the benadryl. My treatment lasts a little over 3

hrs but the nurse is there in the room with you checking at all times. They

have these big nice comfortable chairs and blankets. And sometimes our nurse

offers us snacks ( except me cuz I'm out...lol). You should give it a try

because it does work for some. You will not know until you try . I had Humira

but even with doing injections every week, it didn't do a thing for me. Give it

a whirl! Keep us posted and let us know how it works out for you.

Good luck!

Lizzy

McNally <McNacks@...> wrote:

I've been on it for 10 months now so I guess I've gotten 5

infusions. It only costs me $30 an infusion, I have it done at the doctor's

office, they have quite a set-up there, I have my own room, the nurses that

handle this are wonderful, it takes about 2 hours, a little less I think. My

doctor does not premedicate, I have heard some do, I was scared out of my mind

almost when I had the first one (made my husband come with me, I'm such a

chicken), but it was nothing more than sitting there with an iv attached, no

reaction whatsoever nor did I have anything later on. I did come home and sleep

the afternoon away on the first time but I think that was because I was up most

of the night before worrying about it. Now it's nothing. I sit there with a good

book, I have it put into the back of my hand, that's just easier for me. There

is a call button at my side if I have a problem, the nurse will be there in a

second and I know this because I hit it once by accident

and boy did they hurry! Now, the question is, is it doing anything? I'm not too

sure. I'm also on 4 mtx a week with it, I would say that I have a mild to

moderate case of RA to begin with, after the initial onset that is that I would

classify as MAJOR. The mtx pretty much takes care of everything but I got this

pain on my elbows when I laid down to sleep and no position would take it away,

the Remicade did take care of that. My doc said that the Remicade is less toxic

to the body than the mtx, that pretty much sold it for me, I hate meds but it

seems that you have to remain on the mtx in addition. My goal is to get down to

2 mtx a week. My husband works with 2 men who are also on it and it has brought

them back to life. I chose Remicade over the others because I did not want to

self inject, I also liked the idea of only every 2 months having a treatment and

if I had a problem an RN and doctor were there onsite. I hope this helps and

good luck. mary in pa

[ ] Need advise about Remicade

My doctor wants me to start on Remicade. I know there has been discussion on it

before, but I wasn't interested then. Would someone kindly give me their opinion

on this...or tell me about your experience with it?

Jean

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for that very detailed account of your Remicade

experience.....

Jean

McNally <McNacks@...> wrote:

I've been on it for 10 months now so I guess I've gotten 5

infusions. It only costs me $30 an infusion, I have it done at the doctor's

office, they have quite a set-up there, I have my own room, the nurses that

handle this are wonderful, it takes about 2 hours, a little less I think. My

doctor does not premedicate, I have heard some do, I was scared out of my mind

almost when I had the first one (made my husband come with me, I'm such a

chicken), but it was nothing more than sitting there with an iv attached, no

reaction whatsoever nor did I have anything later on. I did come home and sleep

the afternoon away on the first time but I think that was because I was up most

of the night before worrying about it. Now it's nothing. I sit there with a good

book, I have it put into the back of my hand, that's just easier for me. There

is a call button at my side if I have a problem, the nurse will be there in a

second and I know this because I hit it once by accident

and boy did they hurry! Now, the question is, is it doing anything? I'm not too

sure. I'm also on 4 mtx a week with it, I would say that I have a mild to

moderate case of RA to begin with, after the initial onset that is that I would

classify as MAJOR. The mtx pretty much takes care of everything but I got this

pain on my elbows when I laid down to sleep and no position would take it away,

the Remicade did take care of that. My doc said that the Remicade is less toxic

to the body than the mtx, that pretty much sold it for me, I hate meds but it

seems that you have to remain on the mtx in addition. My goal is to get down to

2 mtx a week. My husband works with 2 men who are also on it and it has brought

them back to life. I chose Remicade over the others because I did not want to

self inject, I also liked the idea of only every 2 months having a treatment and

if I had a problem an RN and doctor were there onsite. I hope this helps and

good luck. mary in pa

[ ] Need advise about Remicade

My doctor wants me to start on Remicade. I know there has been discussion on it

before, but I wasn't interested then. Would someone kindly give me their opinion

on this...or tell me about your experience with it?

Jean

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for taking the time, like , to tell me about your

experience....this makes me feel much easier about trying it.

Jean

Lisette Banda <lisreg@...> wrote:

I,myself, am on Remicade. I have had 6 treatments already and I do notice some

slight changes. My hips seem to be doing better but I still have some other

joints that are not doing as well. I am on 6 mtx a week with other medications.

My infusions have gone back to 6 weeks and the Remicade has gotten increased 2x

already. At my last visit, there was talk by my rheumy that if the increase

doesn't work, we would have to go back to 4 weeks. But I do notice a difference

the day after (since my 4th treatment) in most of my joints. The process is

painless. Like said, they just put an IV on you and that's it. Actually, I

am one of the lucky ones who did have an ugly reaction to it on the first &

second treatment. So, instead of taking a good book to read with me, I go night

night...lol I am given Benadryl and steriods in my IV to offset the allergic

reaction. And let me tell you, I am out like a light within minutes. I think

that is the most painful part of the

infusion for me cuz I can feel the Benadryl going through me (it is like hot

lava running thru my body...lol). I end up being out for the rest of the day and

night. Either my mom or fiancee drives me to the doctors cuz I am not allowed to

drive home cuz of the benadryl. My treatment lasts a little over 3 hrs but the

nurse is there in the room with you checking at all times. They have these big

nice comfortable chairs and blankets. And sometimes our nurse offers us snacks (

except me cuz I'm out...lol). You should give it a try because it does work for

some. You will not know until you try . I had Humira but even with doing

injections every week, it didn't do a thing for me. Give it a whirl! Keep us

posted and let us know how it works out for you.

Good luck!

Lizzy

McNally <McNacks@...> wrote:

I've been on it for 10 months now so I guess I've gotten 5 infusions. It

only costs me $30 an infusion, I have it done at the doctor's office, they have

quite a set-up there, I have my own room, the nurses that handle this are

wonderful, it takes about 2 hours, a little less I think. My doctor does not

premedicate, I have heard some do, I was scared out of my mind almost when I had

the first one (made my husband come with me, I'm such a chicken), but it was

nothing more than sitting there with an iv attached, no reaction whatsoever nor

did I have anything later on. I did come home and sleep the afternoon away on

the first time but I think that was because I was up most of the night before

worrying about it. Now it's nothing. I sit there with a good book, I have it put

into the back of my hand, that's just easier for me. There is a call button at

my side if I have a problem, the nurse will be there in a second and I know this

because I hit it once by accident

and boy did they hurry! Now, the question is, is it doing anything? I'm not too

sure. I'm also on 4 mtx a week with it, I would say that I have a mild to

moderate case of RA to begin with, after the initial onset that is that I would

classify as MAJOR. The mtx pretty much takes care of everything but I got this

pain on my elbows when I laid down to sleep and no position would take it away,

the Remicade did take care of that. My doc said that the Remicade is less toxic

to the body than the mtx, that pretty much sold it for me, I hate meds but it

seems that you have to remain on the mtx in addition. My goal is to get down to

2 mtx a week. My husband works with 2 men who are also on it and it has brought

them back to life. I chose Remicade over the others because I did not want to

self inject, I also liked the idea of only every 2 months having a treatment and

if I had a problem an RN and doctor were there onsite. I hope this helps and

good luck. mary in pa

[ ] Need advise about Remicade

My doctor wants me to start on Remicade. I know there has been discussion on it

before, but I wasn't interested then. Would someone kindly give me their opinion

on this...or tell me about your experience with it?

Jean

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.