Hospital.. & Canada

[Hunt]

Hey peeps!

Been a while since I've posted on this forum I hope you're all keeping well, I've had an interesting passed two months I'd like to share with you with a few questions in here too.

Around the beginning of November I planned a trip to Canada in December on the purpose of pursuing work out there and since I haven't had any issues with my Crohn's since I was diagnosed I thought I'd be fine.. wrong.

Come the 23rd of November I started experiencing the worst pain I have ever felt in my life, I had a big meal that day too and all day I felt like it just wasn't sitting right. Eventually I had to make myself throw up and I was throwing up constantly to the point that nothing but acid and blood was coming up, so a call to the paramedics and my morning is spent in the back of an ambulance receiving morphine(life saver) and anti sickness injections.

Rushed into hospital I was then given more morphine for the pain and awaited x-rays. They revealed that I had a blockage in my ileum which is where my Crohn's is located and told I might require surgery, so in the mean time I was hooked up to a drip and this was the story for 3 days.

Transferred hospital after the first day on the third day I was told I wouldn't require surgery as I passed the toilet and the drip done me all the good, polymeric diet followed(yay -.-) and I was to remain on the drip and given steroids through it for the rest of the week, I was due to fly out the next weekend so I really didn't want to be in hospital.

My doctor was aware of the trip situation and encouraged me to get better and out for it, MRI scan followed on the Friday and this would determine if I got out or not. Again if you read my other post of my diagnoses the KleanPrep didn't work and I had to get the injection for it again which was horrible, fortunately everything was fine and I was discharged following a successful reaction to treatment and placed on Prednisolene for 7 weeks, polymeric ensure drinks for 4 weeks and I was given information on Remicade which I will start after my dosage of steroids is over.

On returning from my trip to Canada I can tell you I had no problems and loved it and will probably seek emigration there in the future, so maybe it was good timing for me to go into hospital just to make sure everything was alright.

That's my eventful month sorry for the long read, quick question too.

What can I expect when I go on Remicade? I'm not looking forward to it at all. Also anyone here on it had any success with Remicade?

Thanks guys.

 

[Clash]

My son has been on remicade for awhile and has had no issues from it. He has been given benadryl with the infusion and that makes him sleepy on the ride home.

The infusions are done in a hospital iv lab, a stand along iv lab or the GI or GI group may have their on iv lab. It can last a couple of hours. They will insert an IV in your arm and you will receive the remicade through it.

My son goes to his GIs office lab. There are usually other kids/teens there seated in a room full of recliners. They have tv, DVD, Xbox and Wii. The kids can bring movies the nurses provide snacks and drinks. My son usually takes his laptop or homework.

They infuse the remicade, then run a flush through the IV then you are free to go. the first time you may want to arrange for transportation in case you experience tiredness etc.

Some do experience tiredness for a time after infusion or headaches but it really differs from patient to patient.

I think there are some videos on YouTube of what to expect and all when getting remicade.

Good luck!

 

[Kev]

I started Remicade mid June in hospital, and the next two 'loading' doses followed shortly thereafter. I did not experience any bad side effects, but neither did I see any benefits. My doctor and I agreed to try another round, except this time I went from 6 vials to 10. So, with my 4th infusion, at the higher dose, things started to improve. I still receive 10 vials every 5 weeks, and there has been a definite slow improvement in my situation.

I found that my first 10 vial dose gave me joint pain, but it passed within 24 hours, and I haven't had it recur. I do find that I'm extremely tired the day after each dose, but I've gotten used to it. It hasn't changed with the dosage increase. I go to a private clinic for each infusion, and it does take several hours. I no longer have to wait around for 1 hour after my infusion ends.. I simply have to sign a waiver and they will allow me to leave.

If you are coming to Canada, once you have worked here legally ... I believe it requires 3 months (but don't hold me to that... it may vary from province to province, or it might not even be a requirement anymore) then you are covered in your province for medical care. However, that does not extend to the cost of drugs. If you do not have any private insurance to cover the costs, then Remicade can be quite expensive. I have coverage from my employer... otherwise I would have racked up about $53,000 so far this year.

Many private insurance policies won't cover pre-existing conditions. Since my insurance is part of a group plan, mine does. Once you find work, if they have medical benefits, best advice I can offer is to load up on as much of it as you can. For instance, my standard plan only covered 80%. By opting for 100%, I had a small fee taken out of my pay, but it saved me a fortune just in the last 1/2 year. I don't know where you originally hail from, but... if the US, then you probably won't be used to how slow the Canadian health system is. Since it is free, the system is overloaded... there can be long waiting lists, etc.

All the best...

 

[Hunt]

I appreciate both of your replies!

As to where I'm from, Scotland. I know from the people I met in Canada, they told me how slow the health care can be. I'll also have a little look on Youtube to see what Remicade can be like.

Thanks again.

 

[FrozenGirl]

Healthcare here can be slow but if at any point it's urgent they will get you in fast. I went for an MRE and it was expected to be a two or likely 3 month wait but I was getting worse and 3 weeks later I got one. I have called my doc on FRi, he got back to me on Mon and told me I would have a scope the next day ( tues). So it can be slow but isn't always.

 

[Pilgrim]

Same experience here with Canadian Health Care. Generally very good and when the GI wants to see his patient (my daughter) he wants to do it pronto. Usually faster than I would like (within a week) - but we have to travel far for the appointments. I've also had scopes organized very quickly for her.

No Remi experience here, but I hope it works well for you.