Remicade, Cimzia, or Humira

[bandbmom]

Opinions needed - we swapped to an adult gastro doc today for our 18 year old. He mentioned that we might want to swap to either Remicade, Cimzia, or Humira to try to get Blake off the Entocort and the other 11 pills that he takes daily. Anyone have opinions of which one would be best to try? We have one year before he leaves for senior college and I've been really worried about whether he would take all those pills when he leaves mom, so this would be one way to relieve that worry. Thanks for any advice that you all have on this subject! I can read on the internet all night, but I know that this is the best place to get the answers we need.

 

[Manzyb]

Hello!

Just in my experience, Remicade worked the best. Humira did a good job too, but I just remember feeling the best when I was on Remicade.

 

[Clash]

Hi bandbmom and welcome! I agree that I've heard Remicade tends to work really well! What might also make a difference is system of delivery. Remicade is done by infusion, usually a 2 hour process maybe longer maybe a little shorter, done at the hosp. or a GI lab. Humira is a shot, two actually I think that is taken every two weeks. I know a few on here have opted for the shot during college to alleviate the hassle of the infusion every 8 weeks. Maybe some of the younger posters will come by and give their experience and reasons for each, might help to get their prospective! Hope the one he chooses works well for him and I understand the pill aspect my 15 year old would probably opt for out of sight out of mind, but he's on remicade so not an issue yet! Good luck!

 

[Keepingfaith]

I felt my best on Humira. The Remicade made me feel out of it, gave me drug induced Lupus & every infusion was at least 4 hours long. I just got my 4th shot of Cimzia tonight so I can't really tell you about that yet.

Humira is given once every two weeks. I got my dose bumped up to one shot every week but I just made antibodies to it too quickly & only got a few days of relief. Cimzia, after the loading dose, is given once a month, two shots at one time. I am doing one shot every other week though so I don't risk building up antibodies, quickly, again.

Remicade seems to work the best though. It just didn't work for me More people get reactions to it because it does have mouse antibodies. Humira & Cimzia do not have any mouse particles so reactions with those drugs are rare(er). I also like that I can do the injections at home & it literally takes less than 2 minutes.

Good luck! Everyone reacts differently & all three drugs can be amazing at inducing remission.

 

[Jennifer]

Sorry I'm not much help as I've never taken any of the three mentioned but I am on 6MP and my GI wants to try Humira if the 6MP stops working. I've mostly heard good things from both Humira and Remicade, where Cimzia is mentioned less often since I've been a forum member (not that that means its bad or anything). Sorry for the lack of help but hopefully bumping your thread may help.

 

[Clash]

Hmmm...I've never done the tagging thing on here but there is one young lady that seems to be almost out of college and dealing with CD that could maybe give you some insight on her experience, her name is xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx I have seen her give some great advice on other threads. I believe she is fixing to start one of the biologics, if I am not mistaken. Maybe she could give you some insight!

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

Thanks for the recognition clash!
I haven't started any of the biologics yet, but it is likely I will start them soon, after my investigative surgery.
As for whether or not he takes his pills when he goes away, having a lot of pills to take could be hard for him to remember, so maybe one of the biologics would help with that. However, I think it is also important for you to remember he is growing up and he needs to learn to take responsibility for his illness himself. Going away is a perfect opportunity to learn many many life lessons! And he will know you are always there for him if he needs you.
Another thing to bear in mind for when he moves away is where he is going to receive his health care. I'm not sure what it will be like there, but I had to keep travelling back to my home town to receive treatment. I think that could have been a problem if I was on remicade and needed to go back for infusions. I'm not sure if we would have been able to arrange having them at my local university hospital without completely changing doctors.
But as you say you have a year to prepare these things! Hope I have helped?

 

[Thunderstruck]

I've never been on anything other than Remicade. I had severe fistulizing as well as a strictured terminal ileum (which was removed and given an ostomy) I started remicade when I was 24, so it's been a little over 3 years. I do feel like I've been hit by a truck the day of, and usually the next morning. I hydrate, relax and eat well. My Crohns was serious, I wasn't given much time due to the septicemia and obstructions. So they pulled out the big guns!! I've never tried entocort. At the time, Remicade was usually the #1 choice for fistulizing CD. I guess it depends on the severity, as well as the lifestyle. I would much rather give myself an injection rather than sit in an infusion clinic for 3hr every 2 months!!! But why change a good thing I hope whatever he chooses will work well, and maybe get into remission!

 

[David]

Based solely upon statistics presented in studies I have read, I like Remicade the most. I'd also throw some enteral nutrition into the mix as I LOVE the data on it as well, but that's just me