Remi Update***

[CDStinks]

Hey Everyone - Just wanted to give you an update on my remicade treatments.
I had posted in the remicade club thread about how my Dr. was going to take me off remicade after 6 mths of treatent & then keep me on 6MP only.
I originally had been on both. He called this a top-down approach, most extreme meds right away to get me into remission & then down to just the 6MP for maintenance.

I am happy to report that it has been 10 weeks since my last remicaid treatment & everything is going well. I still feel great & love the fact that i am on less drugs then i was before!!
YAY ME......

Best Wishes to everyone

 

[My Butt Hurts]

I am glad that you are feeling so good!!
I am on Imuran and Remi and thought of stopping the Imuran, not the other way around, so thanks for that info.
Keep feeling well!

 

[CDStinks]

Is Imuran the one that is the same as 6MP? I always get all these drugs confused

If so, I think the difference might be that you were on the Imuran alone prior to starting the Remicade & it wasnt working, so they added on the remi. I would think, although I am def not a doctor, that if remicade is the long term plan that you would prob do fine without the Imuran. The only caveat would be if the remicade were to stop working, you wouldnt have any Imuran in your system & it takes a few months for it to start working.

I think my case was a little different, in that they started me on both drugs around the same time. A very aggressive approach, with the idea being that the remicade would get me into remission fast, & during that time the 6MP would start working & help me to maintain the health state

so far so good....knock on wood!

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Yeah - Imuran and 6mp are very similar, though not exact.
Nope - I started them at the same time too, so don't know which one is working so well, or if it's the combo of them both. The crappy thing is - I feel great, but don't want to be on more than I need. AND Remi and Imuran are not really safe to take together cuz they can cause a rare form of cancer. So which one to quit?
(I was on Pentasa and Humira before, and then started Prednisone before starting the Remi and Imu)
I guess I'll have to ask my doc and see what he thinks.
Yay us for feeling pretty good though!!

 

[flea1981]

Hi,

I'm new here but was taking remi plus 6mp for around 4 years until late summer/fall of last year. Then stopped taking remi up until now, only on the 6mp. But in the last 1-2 weeks i've had a relapse. My GI is now considering putting me back on remi and I'll probably know by next week.

I never had any problems with remi other than the cost and concerns about long term health which no one has been able to pin down because its a new drug, and also the cost of each treament (ended up around $400 every dose for me with insurance the rest)

I am glad I found some other people who are in similar situation. I hope sustaining on 6mp can be possible longterm, but I'm a bit concerned now if it was really helping me at all.

 

[CDStinks]

Hi Flea -

sorry to hear you are not feeling well
But it is interesting to hear how you are doing after switching to 6MP only.

The long term effect of all drugs kind of freak me out. But I have learned to deal with it since being diagnosed, I would rather live as full of life as possible now, then worry about what might be later.

Keep us posted on your progress, im curious to see if the remicade works well again after stopping. I've heard people say that u can sometimes have issues with your body building up antibodies.