Hi there,
I've been receiving a double dose of remicade/infliximab every 7 weeks, here in the States for a few years, and it's been a life-saver for me, since having a small-bowel re-section for crohns 5 years ago. When I was on the single remicade dose I would get awful joint pain at 5 weeks or so after infusion, and doctors said that was a sign the remicade was gone from my system, hence the reason they started doubling the dose. They feel it's better to keep a constant level of the meds in your system so the inflammation has no chance to start up. A while ago I spent about 14 months in Ireland (originally from there), and the doctors there were very reluctant to keep me on the higher dose. They eventually agreed to since they knew I was heading back to the States and I didnt want to change anything, but I got the impression they would have put me back down to the lower dose if I was there long term. Now I'm thinking about moving back to Ireland again in the future, for family reasons, but curious if anybody there has ever been prescribed the double dose. And how do doctors there tend to view arthritis pain from Crohns? My doc in Ireland was going to send me to a rheumatologist for joint pain, as if it's totally unrelated to the crohns? Here in the U.S. They feel arthritis pain is a sign that the Crohns is active, and if you get the crohns under control you're also controlling the joint pain. Would appreciate any feedback, especially if anyone has ever lived abroad and then returned to Ireland with crohns issues.
Thanks!
I've been receiving a double dose of remicade/infliximab every 7 weeks, here in the States for a few years, and it's been a life-saver for me, since having a small-bowel re-section for crohns 5 years ago. When I was on the single remicade dose I would get awful joint pain at 5 weeks or so after infusion, and doctors said that was a sign the remicade was gone from my system, hence the reason they started doubling the dose. They feel it's better to keep a constant level of the meds in your system so the inflammation has no chance to start up. A while ago I spent about 14 months in Ireland (originally from there), and the doctors there were very reluctant to keep me on the higher dose. They eventually agreed to since they knew I was heading back to the States and I didnt want to change anything, but I got the impression they would have put me back down to the lower dose if I was there long term. Now I'm thinking about moving back to Ireland again in the future, for family reasons, but curious if anybody there has ever been prescribed the double dose. And how do doctors there tend to view arthritis pain from Crohns? My doc in Ireland was going to send me to a rheumatologist for joint pain, as if it's totally unrelated to the crohns? Here in the U.S. They feel arthritis pain is a sign that the Crohns is active, and if you get the crohns under control you're also controlling the joint pain. Would appreciate any feedback, especially if anyone has ever lived abroad and then returned to Ireland with crohns issues.
Thanks!
