Here, since it is a custom compound, and does not have a DIN #, no insurance company will cover the cost of it. I currently pay 75 cents a day.. (CDN). Small change really when you think about it.
As for taking it with the biologics, there is some debate. According to the doctors, this combination will not result in adverse reactions. So, taking them together shouldn't put you in the ER. But, a lot of folks (laypeople).. myself included.. suspect that taking LDN with biologics would only slow, minimize the chances/rate at which the LDN will work. If I recall correctly... (and I could be wrong, I have been wrong before..but it was so long ago that I've forgotten when/what it was about.. KIDDING) Skips Pharmacy agreed with the consensus of us laypeople. So, the short answer is.. there is no short easy answer.
My thoughts... if you are on Remicade, and it is working, stay on it, and don't muddy the waters. If it stops working, and you are looking at alternatives, then maybe try LDN.
One of the prime benefits of going to LDN is avoiding potential side effects. If you mix it with 'standard' meds... there goes the benefit. I know that this disease can frighten one so much... that you are willing to do anything, to try anything, to make it go away. But, before taking any major steps.. stop, take a breath, and weigh the implications of what you are considering. My understanding is... once you start Remicade, you must stay on it... coming off of it is pretty much a one way street. If it is working for you, my advice would be not to do anything... ANYTHING.. that might rock that boat. The risk is too great. I mean, the success rate for LDN is high, but the knowledge base of using LDN with biologics is... tiny. It is all theoretical. There have been no studies, no tests I know of. So, taking it in combo MAY be safe, but what if it causes an issue that can only be resolved, for certain, by coming off both drugs.. that could be a disaster. I am confident... but have no proof.. that you could go back on LDN afterwards... but the Remicade... from what I've read anecdotally... that door might be closed forever after.
I hope this helps... I wish I had a definitive answer. I wish there were some hard facts, some established science. Not theories. Tests, results, studies, statistics. Things that one could look at... weigh the pros and cons.. then take your best shot. Unfortunately, the sad reality is... LDN is so rarely used.. combining it with other drugs even rarer, that the 'knowledge base' just isn't there yet. Playing guinea pig with something that has been tested... that is one thing. Been there, done that. But playing that role when it hasn't been tested... and doing so removes the prime benefit of going on LDN.. makes no sense whatsoever. If Remicade isn't working, it isn't working. But, if it is, then don't take chances. If it is working, just not as well as you want, need it to... then consult with your doctor about what other meds it has been tested with, can be combined with.
