Quick Response needed!

[palwe]

Hi,

diagnosed with crohns last month.

Seeing my gastro specialist tomorrow morning regarding the medicine i will be prescribed (if any.. though ill feel more at ease if he does give me something).

I currently have very few symptoms since my resection in july.. but a bit of crohns was seen at the site of op - terminal ileum.

i heard azathioprine (spelling) mentioned. i just googled it and one of the first articles said that remicade (aka inflixmab) was a much better treatment in comparison.

so im just asking for advice really to be aware of when hes talking about medication... i.e. if he says azathioprine and not remicade, ill now know to challenge it (though i know he knows better than me).

thanks!

 

[tishbite]

I took Remicade for 3 years (it was the first drug I was ever put on) and it helped quite a bit until my body built up a immunity to it. I then tried Imuran (azathioprine) and had an awful reaction to it. My knees buckled/couldn't walk from the pain in my legs, bumps all over my legs, fever, trouble breathing. The whole nine yard. It's different for everybody though.

 

[palwe]

great. i cannot wait.

 

[shamrock15]

I am actually on a combination of the two. Both act on different parts of the inflammation process. The combination is working quite well for me actually. The big drawback in my opinion for remicade is the cost. Azathioprine is much less expensive!

 

[littlefreebird]

remicade is usually only used when ALL other meds have been tried without success. it is a very expensive drug and one of the most dangerous. i tried around 7 different types of meds before i was allowed remicade so the chances of the dr agreeing i think are pretty slim.
good luck to you anyway, hope something works!!

 

[palwe]

ok ive been. hes putting me on azathioprine in a months time, as i still have an open wound. i mentioned remicade (infliximab as he called it) and he said "yes, thats an alternative... i might have a hard time justifying that at this stage though". therefore he wasnt giving me the option of remicade, but didnt have any problem giving me the option of azathioprine or no medication at all though. the vibes i got that remicade may be more suitable but its due to cost.

i felt from what he was saying "your 23 and already had a major op" "a deep ulcer popped and left an opening in your bowel.. which is what caused you all the pain.. not just the chronic inflamation" my prognosis doesnt look positive. i mean, if i go from feeling no symptoms (they may have been there for a long time, i just didnt know) and then in the space of a week the pain rapidly increases and pop goes an ulcer... whats stopping my body from doing that again? and if thats a "chemical reaction" or whatever, why is it going to hang around before doing it (i.e. years)?

i might ask my IBD nurse in 4 weeks (when i start the drug) if i might get better treatment elsewhere.. i.e. greater budgets/funding for drugs.. though i may not get an answer. i know what you mean about the side affects, but the way he talked about azathioprine.. the side affects arent minimal with that either. i just dont want my health putting at risk for the sake of cost. my mum, dad and myself have all paid a lot of national insurance and tax over the years. we didnt pay that for nothing. we paid for it so that necessary treatments are available, whether thats for someone else or in this case for me.

 

[robbo87]

I was on azathioprine and it worked pretty well but I couldn't continue taking it as it affected my bloods to much, so I started on infliximab, Which like littlefreebird said, is one of the last drugs to be used. It is hard to get on infliximab as it costs around £1000 per infusion so they will only hand it out if there is no other option and everything else has been tried. There is also humira, I said no to this as it involves injecting it yourself.... and theres just no way!....


anyway if you do end up on infliximab, it is a great drug and it worked wonders for me.

 

[beth]

The NICE protocol for infliximab and adalimumab mean you have to go through steroids and/or immunosuppressors before you can access them. Going to a different doc wont help you.
Aza is a good drug if you tolerate it.