Does Remicade make you more susceptible to illness?

[Steph<3]

Hi all,

I am new to Remicade and to this forum. I just started my first Remicade treatment last Thursday! I have heard that Remicade makes you more susceptible to illness and I was curious if anyone had noticed that this was the case. My parents are nervous about me traveling and being in public because they are afraid I will become seriously ill due to the suppressing of my immune system. I don't want to avoid everyday activities for a fear of getting a common cold lol. Please let me know your experiences and what, if any, precautions you all take!

Thanks,

Steph

:sign0144:

 

[Christie]

Hi I cant answer yr question as I am starting it in a couple of weeks but would love to hear the response x

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Hi Steph, welcome to the forum.
I guess everyone is different on their take on this subject. Some of us are sick all the time now, and some of us see no change. I haven't gotten any sicker than I used to, and I've been on Humira or Remicade for 3 years now. I think it's normal for most people to have several colds each year. Hand washing is the biggest thing that I would say you could do for yourself.

The way I see it is that my immune system is elevated with Crohn's. The remicade doesn't completely diminish my immune system, it just levels it out to normal.
I hope it works well for you and for a very long time.

You might want to read the 'Remicade Club' thread to see how everyone is doing (though it's reeeally long now). Most of us are having very good luck with it, it seems.
MBH

 

[Lydia]

Not anymore than the rest of my family and they are healthy.

 

[Lisa]

I too don't get sick any more than the rest of the family - if anything LESS than them....biggest thing my doc told me was to keep my own hands clean...

Also as far as illness - what the Remicade can do is make it harder to shake an illness that you do get - such as a cold or flu.....but again, I haven't really seen that either....

 

[Nytefyre]

Hi Steph, welcome to the forum.
I guess everyone is different on their take on this subject. Some of us are sick all the time now, and some of us see no change. I haven't gotten any sicker than I used to, and I've been on Humira or Remicade for 3 years now. I think it's normal for most people to have several colds each year. Hand washing is the biggest thing that I would say you could do for yourself.

The way I see it is that my immune system is elevated with Crohn's. The remicade doesn't completely diminish my immune system, it just levels it out to normal.
I hope it works well for you and for a very long time.

You might want to read the 'Remicade Club' thread to see how everyone is doing (though it's reeeally long now). Most of us are having very good luck with it, it seems.
MBH

This.

 

[Maryam]

Hi all,

I am new to Remicade and to this forum. I just started my first Remicade treatment last Thursday! I have heard that Remicade makes you more susceptible to illness and I was curious if anyone had noticed that this was the case. My parents are nervous about me traveling and being in public because they are afraid I will become seriously ill due to the suppressing of my immune system. I don't want to avoid everyday activities for a fear of getting a common cold lol. Please let me know your experiences and what, if any, precautions you all take!

Thanks,

Steph

:sign0144:

HI Steph,

MY Husband has been taking Remicade for 4 years. recently he has been getting cysts, it makes your prone to infections and he got 1 fistual this past summer. hope this helps

 

[deedee]

Remicade does weaken your immune response. Some people notice a difference, some don't. It's important to wash your hands often, especially before you eat, stuff like that.

People react really differently - some people feel fine, some people have to stop Remicade because of a serious infection (it's pretty rare though). For what it's worth, I'm a med student so I spend all day every day in the hospital, and I've been fine except for a few nasty colds. I do avoid patients with things like Tuberculosis, though, it just seems like an unnecessary risk.

There's no reason to change your behavior other than improving hand hygiene, and obviously try to avoid contact with highly contagious and dangerous infections. Good luck!

 

[annak87]

I've been getting Remi for 2 1/2 years now and haven't noticed much of a difference with sickness. I get a flu shot every year and take a multivitamin and that's about it for precautions (other than washing hands, using hand sanitizer, etc.). My whole family passed around the flu and colds this winter and I was the only one who didn't get it. I did get the mumps 2 years ago and then shingles last year, which my PCP said was probably due to a weakened immune system, but both of them were easy to take care of.

Good luck with the treatments! Hope you get good results from them!

 

[shainams]

I have been on Humira for two and a half years, and just started Remicade a few weeks ago. I am a paramedic, and am exposed to sick people in a confined space all the time. I have not noticed that I get any sicker than anyone else. In fact, there have been times when the flu was going around work, and I never got it. Good luck.

 

[Steph<3]

Thank you everyone! This was really helpful!

 

[Paramedic]

Hi all,

I am new to Remicade and to this forum. I just started my first Remicade treatment last Thursday! I have heard that Remicade makes you more susceptible to illness and I was curious if anyone had noticed that this was the case. My parents are nervous about me traveling and being in public because they are afraid I will become seriously ill due to the suppressing of my immune system. I don't want to avoid everyday activities for a fear of getting a common cold lol. Please let me know your experiences and what, if any, precautions you all take!

Thanks,

Steph

:sign0144:

Steph,

I have been on Remicade for 10 years now to treat my AS. The medication has been a miracle for me.

Knock on wood....I have not been majorly ill at all in the last 10 years aside from common cold and 2 bad flus. Lately though I have had a couple bouts of Bronchitis....which required antibiotics. I also have Asthma.

The good news is....I am also a Paramedic and have been subjected to countless communicable diseases such as Hepatitis, TB, HIV etc: Actually just to clarify my patients have had those diseases and countless others and I am fine. I was also working with H1N1 patients.

The key to staying healthy of course is proper diet, exercise and appropriate hand washing. Become anal about hand washing ( I am ). Also, as silly as it may look or sound, if you go to a doctor appoinment and someone in the waiting room has a cough, feel free to put on a mask. There is no need to feel silly about it. This is your health! Just don't live in a bubble or you won't enjoy life.

I hope this helps

Rodney

 

[Franko]

Illness

Steph,


Been on Remicade since last June.
No other problems with any other illness.

I think it makes you more aware of door handles in public places,
filling up with gas and using gloves etc.etc.

I just use some extra caution now.

txs, Franko

 

[I Love Lamp]

I dont seem to pick up more colds or bugs than anyone else but i did recently contract chicken pox and had to be hospitalised!

I spent a week in hospital and the chicken pox was terrible and spread onto my lungs.

The doctors had no doubt that this was down to the remicade.

I was told that if i had told doctors 24 hours later i would have been in big trouble.

My advice would be to get clued up on common viruses and their symptoms.

 

[Christie]

I have only had two infusions but I started with a cold on Wednesday and have never had one like it before, I was on the sofa for 2 days and couldnt go to work I have never had a cold where I couldnt go to work!!

 

[JayLyn]

I have seen a difference in my immune system, but I also have a young child who just started daycare and brings home many colds and flus. Since starting Remicade in August 2012, I have had several colds and the flu and feel run down at other times fighting them. I am OCD when it comes to washing my hands and disinfecting my house, so it has nothing to do with hygiene for me. I also had a flu shot this past fall, which I've never done before. That said, I wouldn’t worry about being in public places. I have a child who directly coughs and breathes on me and likes to stick his hand in my mouth.

 

[bootneck]

Hi all,

I am new to Remicade and to this forum. I just started my first Remicade treatment last Thursday! I have heard that Remicade makes you more susceptible to illness and I was curious if anyone had noticed that this was the case. My parents are nervous about me traveling and being in public because they are afraid I will become seriously ill due to the suppressing of my immune system. I don't want to avoid everyday activities for a fear of getting a common cold lol. Please let me know your experiences and what, if any, precautions you all take!

Thanks,

Steph

:sign0144:

Bootneck Hi There

I am new here I have been on remicade or infliximab as called in the UK not had a day off work since stating this medication. Thats two years now and I have not had a flare up so Im keeping my fingers crossed. Has anyone else had longer success on this drug?.

 

[malibuman60]

Hi
I will be starting Remicade soon and I work with the public I hope that I as blessed as everyone in the thread saying it you don't really have to worry about infections because I have alot of sick customers handing me dirty money everyday and I am thinking of maybe changing my career because I am not comfortable with that though of catching someone else cold are flu. They are buying rubber gloves and mask.

 

[DDR1967]

Hi steph!
Yes! It does ! My daughter had her first treatment on Thursday March 9th and I will say her pain and bleeding has stopped !!! But she developed a teslllly bad cold the next day please keep me posted on how you are doing since you and she are on the same timeline w remicade !

Hi all,

I am new to Remicade and to this forum. I just started my first Remicade treatment last Thursday! I have heard that Remicade makes you more susceptible to illness and I was curious if anyone had noticed that this was the case. My parents are nervous about me traveling and being in public because they are afraid I will become seriously ill due to the suppressing of my immune system. I don't want to avoid everyday activities for a fear of getting a common cold lol. Please let me know your experiences and what, if any, precautions you all take!

Thanks,

Steph

:sign0144: