Remicade Infusion time in US

[ravii_39]

HI all,

I reside in USA and recently I came to my home country India for the treatment and doctor suggested to take remicade for my inflammation. Here they are taking about 7 hours to inject Remicade(300MG). I hope in USA they don't take this long. Can somebody share their experience Since I will be continuing maintenance dose in US. Also I have basic insurance How much do we have to pay co-pay for Remicade just for an estimate. I appreciate your comments. Thanks in advance

 

[Lisa]

Hi, My Remicade infusion total time from when I put my rear in the chair to the time I am able to leave is generally 3.5 hours. The actual infusion time is @2.5 hours. The way the infusion works is they start it very slowly, then every 15 minutes for the first hour they bump up the rate, then it is every 30 minutes until done. Not sure whey they would say 7 hours unless in India they follow a different protocol.

As far as insurance coverage, the best thing to do is call your insurance company and ask them. I have pretty good insurance through my job, and actually do not have a co pay at all. Many others have a minimal co pay, and there is usually help available through the company that manufactures the drug.

 

[Jo-mom]

Same for my son - 2 to 2.5 hours for the actual infusion time (Canada).

 

[kiny]

Here they are taking about 7 hours to inject Remicade(300MG).

7 hours is abnormally long. Remicade is given to patients slower the first time, but it is generally 2 or 3 hours, not 7.

(300MG).

Remicade dosing should be expressed as mg/kg, the dosage is rarely expressed as an absolute number, which makes me wonder if they take into account your weight.

One should be put on a scale before the infusion to determine the weight so the dosis is appropriate, and the dosis should be made on the spot right before the infusion.

It should not be a static number, Remicade should never be given in static doses, it is highly sensitive to changes in body mass.

Flexible dosing is also needed to minimise potential side effects, which is load dependent. When a patient loses weight, dosing of infliximab should come down accordingly.

 

[Jo-mom]

With my son, they weigh him just before his infusion, and they calculate it right there. This is Ontario Canada. I know I've read threads somewhere on the forum - that in the USA - they don't calculate it just before the infusion but by the weight the person was at their last GI visit (so I think I remember reading it somewhere). And of course, with crohn's, especially at the beginning, many gain weight that they lost during a flare, etc, and so I agree that the dosage should be calculated right before the infusion.

 

[ravii_39]

Hi, My Remicade infusion total time from when I put my rear in the chair to the time I am able to leave is generally 3.5 hours. The actual infusion time is @2.5 hours. The way the infusion works is they start it very slowly, then every 15 minutes for the first hour they bump up the rate, then it is every 30 minutes until done. Not sure whey they would say 7 hours unless in India they follow a different protocol.

As far as insurance coverage, the best thing to do is call your insurance company and ask them. I have pretty good insurance through my job, and actually do not have a co pay at all. Many others have a minimal co pay, and there is usually help available through the company that manufactures the drug.

They said they want to monitor for any allergetic reactions that can occur during infusion that’s the reason in India injecting slowly. They reduced to 6 hours from second time onwards stills it’s a long time though.

thank you all for your comments

 

[TraceyA]

My daughter started Remicade infusions in December 2019. The first four doses took about 6 hours each time from start to finish because the infusion rate is very slow to avoid an allergic reaction. The doses were at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks

About 6 weeks before starting she was put on a weekly low dose of Methotrexate which she continues to take. This also inhibits the body from rejecting the Remicade.

The latest CAT scan indicates that the ileal has reduced inflammation.