Fistulas, Abcesses and Humira

[scott 4216]

Have any of you experienced your fistulas actually getting worse with Humira? I was doing okay with out Humira and then GI put me back on and discontinued the antibiotics Flagyl and Cipro, and I seem to be having more flare ups.

Also I have noticed that as I lift weigths the next day the fistulas seem worse, has anyone experienced that?

Thanks for any insight you may give.

 

[PsychoJane]

I assume you were on antibiotic only previous to introducing the humira?
If so, I find that antibiotic have a faster and seems to work more efficiently than the humira on a short term basis. They bring relief quickly but it is a relief that does not always remain after discontinuation of the cipro/flagyl. So it is possibly just the fact you stopped the antibios rather than the begining of humira that makes them worse. If you just begun the humira treatment, give it a few weeks. It does not work well for everyone (humira I mean) but if it does, the fistula will really get better, stop draining and be inflamed. It took around 3 weeks to get results when I first started.

As far as weight lift goes, I guess its a possibility that it stresses them more when you lift. Maybe it increases the pressure on the track which could make them a bit worse I guess. This is just hypothetic as mine get worse from mechanical pressure on them, I just suppose this could be similar.

 

[scott 4216]

I assume you were on antibiotic only previous to introducing the humira?
If so, I find that antibiotic have a faster and seems to work more efficiently than the humira on a short term basis. They bring relief quickly but it is a relief that does not always remain after discontinuation of the cipro/flagyl. So it is possibly just the fact you stopped the antibios rather than the begining of humira that makes them worse. If you just begun the humira treatment, give it a few weeks. It does not work well for everyone (humira I mean) but if it does, the fistula will really get better, stop draining and be inflamed. It took around 3 weeks to get results when I first started.

As far as weight lift goes, I guess its a possibility that it stresses them more when you lift. Maybe it increases the pressure on the track which could make them a bit worse I guess. This is just hypothetic as mine get worse from mechanical pressure on them, I just suppose this could be similar.

Thanks for your reply. I have been pn Humaria weekly for a little over a month and just recently stopped the antibiotice last week. I will give it another month and if no improvement go see my GI.

 

[Benji86]

Have any of you experienced your fistula's actually getting worse with Humaria? I was doing okay with out Humaria and then GI put me back on and discontinued the antibiotics Flagyl and Cipro, and I seem to be having more flare ups.

Also I have noticed that as I lift weigths the next day the fistulas seem worse, has anyone experienced that?

Thanks for any insight you may give.

I actually ended up developing a fistula after being on humira for probably close to a year or so. It is more likely that the humira just stopped working for me as time went on as I had felt great for most of the year but since March have been in off and on horrible pain. The doc decided that the humira treatment had failed and I am going to be starting remicade and imuran shortly. Like I said, not sure if it would be humira making fistuals worse or just humira not getting the job done any more for you. Hope things get better for you though!

 

[mitsudrew]

I developed a fistula back in 2004 and the doc put me on Remicade and thankfully it healed within a few months. I have not tried Humira because the Remicade has been working extremely well over the last 8 years and I haven't had any fistulas develop since then. Everybodys reaction is different, but Remicade has been a blessing in my case and thankfully I don't have to take imuran anymore. The combination of Remicade and Imuran suppressed my immune system pretty bad and I was getting common colds every month. I recieve my infusions once every 8 weeks and it takes about 3 hours. Hopefully the Crohn's stays in remission and I don't have to develop any of those horrible fistulas. Good luck with your treatment and hope you heal!

Oh yea and I would probably stay away from lifting weights for a few months so you don't end up tearing anything from the straining.


Diagnosed w/Crohns 1994 (12yrs of age)
Relapsed in 2004
Now only on Remicade

Previous Medication:
Prednisone (absolutely terrible side effects)
Imuran
Asacol