Starting Remicade Tomorrow

[Hal Silver]

So, of course I've talked this up and down with my doctor but some stupid warnings list that I just HAD to look at the night before mentioned something about cancer risk being greater in younger people and it woke up all the old anxieties.

I'm 20. How likely is it, REALLY, not from a "trying desperately to talk me into stronger medications" perspective, that something like that will happen to me?

 

[theOcean]

It's pretty unlikely, honestly. You're going to be actively monitored, getting regular blood tests, and if anything does happen they'll catch it.

Going untreated opens you up to complications and cancer as well. So: you have to pick your battles, unfortunately. But it's a 1:10000 chance of getting cancer and you're far more likely to get in a car accident or have other things happen so in reality: pretty good odds!

If it helps: I've been on biologics for over a year with no problems plus immunosuppressants which increases the chances of cancer and I'm fine. I also have a friend of mine (male, which is more likely to get it than female) who has been on Remicade without any problems for 9 years.

 

[Orchid]

If you'd really like the hard numbers distilled down by professionals for patients this pdf is excellent. The short version is your chance of certain cancers goes from approx 2 in 10,000 to something akin to 4 in 10,000. So while your cancer risk is doubled, it's still incredibly low.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Keep in mind the scary side effects are so rare. If large numbers of people were coming down with cancer the drug would never have been approved or it would be pulled from the market. For the most part, people are fine and reactions are minor and manageable.