Staph Infections & Remicade

[MINI Cooper]

It's been a while, I know. Life has been crazy, but after 3 years
of a flare I am finally in remission. Since July. But since I have been on Remicade,
I keep getting really bad Staph infections.
Anyone else have this problem? I am pretty sure my first one was when
the ER put the NG tube up my nose to pump my stomach back in June.
The Staph developed in my nose first shortly after and has moved around my
body since then. Keep using different antibiotics. It's gone for a while, but
new infections keep popping up. Granted, I would rather have this than my
horrible Crohn's flares, but I am wondering how common this is with anyone else?
The Staph is currently being treated in my armpits right now. Weird, right?

 

[Chinook]

I am going to have to keep a good watch out for all them bugs as I am out back on Remicade myself. I had a cyst that stopped me after week zero's treatment two months ago.

Crohn's is definitely not consistent, person to person...

 

[Peaches]

Been on Remi for 5 years and (big old knock on wood) haven't had any infections of this sort. I tell ya, the hospital is just the worst place to go when you are sick!! Hope you can get it cleared Mini - do they say it is being persistent because of the Remi? That only knocks out a very specific cell of your immune system, so I'm thinking not, but who knows.

 

[Jennjenn]

I am on Remicade and have not experienced any infections or illness. I rarely even get a cold. I hope I am not jinxing myself by saying that but I have been very lucky I guess to not even have the common cold that is going around.

 

[Peaches]

unjinx unjinx unjinx I hate saying things like that outloud too!

 

[Creepy Lurker]

Welcome back Mini

I haven't been on Remicade for very long yet. Haven't had a any infection issues yet.

 

[imisspopcorn]

Hi Mini....Did anyone mention anything about you being carrier?? Have you seen an infectious Disease doctor? Just throwing some things out there.....I am going to do a Google search to see if this is a common occurence with Remicade. Good luck,

 

[MINI Cooper]

Thanks guys.
I have, indeed, seen an infectious disease doctor. When he first looked up my nose the words that came out of his mouth were:
"Oh my God..."
:ylol2:

He said if it doesnt clear all the way up, they have to go up into my sinus cavity and surgically remove it. Seems it has cleared mostly up, but my follow up CT scan will prove that. In the meantime, I have other infections I am trying to rid of. woohoo!

Despite all of it, my blood tests always come back normal. The docs say not all infections show up by raised white blood cells. And yes, every body is different and reacts different to meds. Just thought I'd throw the line out there.

 

[MINI Cooper]

Oh and I have to say, I don't know HOW you males out there do it!
I can't shave my armpits until the infection there is cleared and it is DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!!! :ylol2: :voodoo:

 

[katiesue1506]

LOL welcome back mini!

 

[Peaches]

He said if it doesnt clear all the way up, they have to go up into my sinus cavity and surgically remove it.

Gawd - let's hope they don't have to do THAT. WTH? Did they indicate you should come off the Remi to get that stuff cleared? Yikes....

 

[MINI Cooper]

They have not. Though believe me, that was the first thing I wanted to know-
if i could still get infusions with this crap going on. Doc said he couldn't
promise something horrible wouldn't happen, but said if I didn't then on
top of the infections I would have Crohn's flare ups too.
So i opted to continue...:lol:

 

[Peaches]

Well, the main thing that is jumping to my mind (because you are the first person I've read about with something kinda serious happening with Remi on board - and it has my brain going at this point) is the fact that they have that warning with Remi about fungal infections while on Remi and the fact that they can become non-localized (I guess this means dispersed and systemic?? Imisspopcorn may correct me on that). I would just watch for any signs of that while you are trying to clear this other stuff as it is directly stated on the Remi warning (I'd read it again, I am sure I'm not stating it exactly correctly).

I *really* hope you can get it cleared - no fun to have extra worries with this friggin' disease......

 

[MINI Cooper]

I have become used to being a freak of nature :tongue:

but I found this:
"According to a 2006 study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic,
Remicade and its chemical cousin Humira can TRIPLE the risk of cancer
and DOUBLE the risk of life-threatening infection."

Although I have infections, so far am not TOO worried, as my blood
tests have been normal. I'm fairly sure anything uber serious would
show up in my labs, such as elevated WBC's. My GI doesn't seem
alarmed, but I don't think anything but my death would alarm him :lol:

I really hope I won't have to stop Remicade. I don't know what I would
use next. i am running out of meds that work for me.

 

[imisspopcorn]

Have they had you bathe in Phisohex??? It's been a while since I've used it, it may not be recommended any more. We had to use it due to an outbreak of MRSA on a floor I worked on..It may kill off too much of the good bacteria and make things worse....Hmm....I'm just thinking about stuff.

 

[MINI Cooper]

No never used that. I do take a lot probiotics when I am not on
antibiotics so I am without good bacteria for only a short time.
So far I have not had any trouble clearing up my infections with
regular antibiotics.

 

[crohnsteenmom]

Oh Geez I have just been dealing with this with my girl.She is on her 26th infusion and the past 6 months she has had several infections positive for staph..one massive on on face and armpits too!I am freaking out since she has only been off antibiotics for on week and it re appears in another location, fingers and chest now!!!!I have been giving her bleach baths but I am going to pick up that product someone mentioned for mersa.If there is anything more I can do please let me know!!!oxoxx

 

[Avw]

I was on Remicade when first diagnosed in 2004 and had numerous Staph/MRSA infections in the five years on it. They required many rounds of at home IV antibiotics and were huge, disgusting, painful, etc., etc... Moved on to Humira, then Cimzia, when all those failed two years ago, I was approved for a Stem Cell Transplant which the insurance company denied four times... long story short, I started a few months ago with a few doses of chemo & methotrexate to lower my Remicade antibody counts. First Remicade infusion was two weeks ago and I developed an aggressive strain of MRSA in less than a week. This was definitely not a coincidence because this is the first Staph infection I've had since I was last on Remicade. But, from what I know, once you have Staph, it lives inside your body (or nose, i think)... So it stands to reason that if it is always present but inactive, that serious immunosuppressant therapies would allow it to surface.
Sorry you guys have to go through this crap too, but it is comforting to know I am not the only one who has noted this correlation.. But, on the upside... The Remicade seems to be helping the crohn's symptoms so far! Which is great, because between the lovely side effects of chemo, methotrexate, prednisone, remicade... at least one thing is improving.
Wish you all the best, xoxo

 

[Vinceus]

Hello,

my wife has serious staph infections as well (mostly behind the ears and in the nose). Our dermatologist gave us a whole list of creams to fight the infection (desinfectants and to care for the wounds). However the moment that she stops the treatment, the infection reappears. So that is not so helpful...

One hint for all of you with infections at your arm pits: stop using deo's with rollers.
The thing we learned was that the bacteria are on the roller and you keep re-infecting your arm pits!

 

[Samboi]

I get regular staph infections on my hands and forearms.
The only thing that stops it for me is boosting my neutrophil count with a shot of Neupogen.
They literally disappear overnight.

 

[Juuh]

I have been having problems with Staph Aureus infections for couple of years now. I´m taking only Azamun but I am supposed to start Remicade tomorrow and my doc said staph infections are not a problem. First it started out as folliculitis and then developed to something worse like Impetigo. Few antibiotics here and there and it just wont go away. Only thing that seems to help is cream called Clindoxyl. I have learned to live with it, but its annoying and I hope Remicade won´t make it any worse that it already is.