metahi said:
For those on Cimzia:
Did you have a decrease in BM's?
Did you get to the "Solid state" BM's?
Any bad side effects?
Thanks!
No decrease, no solid ones, and I stayed in what has now been a 28 month long flare. Side effects were unnoticeable, if existent (I'm sure they were at some minute "behind the scenes" level), however, so were "effects" ...I had just failed on Remicade after a six month stint (trying both half the space between infusions and double the dose) and had to give up Cimzia after 6 months as well, also trying half the frequency between injections.
Luckily I had not a single bit of soreness or anything at the area of injections, just a "lump" where the substance remained until it became absorbed. The shots hurt less than blood draw ones too, so there was virtually no pain involved.
I think there actually are "newer" biologics, but this is the newest one that is also widely used and fully approved. The others are finalizing their phase 3's and FDA approvals, or they are still getting their "off-label" statuses removed so they can be used on Crohn's/IBD specifically (such as Enbrel, although I don't know if that's still a viable drug for IBD now, but it was to some). Some universities and well connected GI's can get you into Vedolizumab trials and there are even others as well. I was told by my GI, a VERY knowledgeable one (he was one of 6 GI's in the nation to be at a local meeting with the Tysabri manufacturer recently to discuss the current state and understanding of the drug as far as risk and IBD application), has said in the next 3 years or so, IBD treatment is going to have a huge shift in dynamic and focus, and will be almost revolutionized. Hopefully we can all hold off that long if we are in a holding pattern of sorts.