Remicade: How long until remission?

[SdN]

How long did it take for you to get into remission with Remicade? One infusion, two, or more? I've just had my third infusion and it is absolutely helping but I'm also not in full remission just yet so I'm curious to hear about other people's experiences.

 

[kristen]

How often do u have infusions done I start remicade in two months

 

[SdN]

How often do u have infusions done I start remicade in two months

You'll get 3 loading doses then maintenance doses. The loading doses are 0, 2 weeks, then 6 weeks. After that your maintenance doses may be every 8 weeks or every 6 weeks.

 

[Lydia]

I started going into remission about 4 days after my first infusion, and by the second infusion I was eating real food again and having 1 normal BM a day, like a normal person. I have been like that ever since.

I dont know if my experience is a typical one though.

 

[Sha0913]

I've been on remicade for 2 years and have had great success with it but I don't believe I've ever been in FULL Remission, I have had no Pain for 2 years and have had more energy, except for my anemia, than I have had in a long time but my colonoscopy shows different, my GI says there is still alot of active Crohns and inflimation, so in my case i'm doing great but definitely not in full remision. Hope this helps a bit Shannon

 

[deedee]

It's different for everyone, but I started feeling better literally the day after my first infusion. I started Remicade and 6MP at the same time, right after my diagnosis. I felt much better in the weeks following my first infusion (which is too early for the 6MP to do anything, so I'm assuming it's from the Remicade). I gradually got better and better, and I felt really good after about 3-4 months. It's been 9 months and my GI and I have not discussed the word remission, but I certainly consider myself in remission. But like I said, I started 2 meds at the same time, so it's hard to say. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Cmk]

I also just had my second infusion fo UC...now i wait four weeks till.my third...not in full remission, not even sure what that is i suppose!!! But i also noticed positive affects literally days later it has helped immensly...i have way lesstendency to have to run to the throne...i can be wY more normal! Good luck

 

[crazycanuck]

Litterally days for me. I had my first infusion and then 2 hours later was eating tacos which I couldn't eat at all before. 6 Days after my first infusion I went on an all-inclusive trip to Mexico and spent the entire week eating a ton and wasn't sick once with bathroom trips only twice daily. It was amazing and I wasn't exactly sticking to just salads and fruits either.

 

[SdN]

Thanks for all of your experiences it really helps when determining where I fall in line with everyone else and what I should be expecting from the medicine. When this flare first started I was having 10-12 bm's a day, I'm now down to 2-3 so it most definitely has helped. That being said there are still a few symptoms I'm experiencing that may require me to get bumped up to the 10mg/kg dose (as opposed to 5mg/kg) and/or maintenance infusions every 6 weeks rather than the desired 8 weeks.

For those of you who are in remission what's your dose and how often do you get the maintenance infusions? 4 weeks, 6, or 8?

 

[Lydia]

I get it every 7 weeks.

 

[crazycanuck]

I'm every 8 but have only gone my loading times plus 2 and my third regular cycle infusion is this coming Thursday. Have to talk with my doctor after this infusion about moving to 7 but I'm not so sure my insurance companies are going to be happy about that.

I've never personally heard of anybody going every 4 weeks.

 

[Piatchi]

I achieved remission 5 days after my first infusion. I am also on prednisone, though.

Ridiculous turnaround thanks to Remicade

 

[Mountaingem]

I think it depends on the flare, actually. Bowel flares clear up for me about two weeks after infusion; joint flares take two to three infusions to clear.

 

[techgirl]

Question

It sounds like this drug has worked quickly (between the first and third dose) for most people.

I'm going in for my 4th infusion (had the 0, 2, 6 wk infusions, now the 8 wk) and I'm very much not in remission with frequent BMs and pain. Is there a chance it can still work for me if I 'wait it out'?

Thank you so much for raising this important question and wishing you all the best of health and lives!

 

[SdN]

If you're like me and most of your inflammation is in the bottom part of the gi tract you might also give a Mesalamine enema a try. It's helping me out a lot. Yea... not fun but way more fun than the alternative if it works and way cheaper plus less serious side-effects.

I go in Monday to talk to the docs about my future doses and frequency I'll try to remember to post here afterwards. So far I've had the 0, 2, and 6 week loading doses at 5mg/kg and I'm 2 days shy of the 4 week mark from my last dose.