Stelara combined with Remicade?

[pcojt10]

Hi all,
I have been experiencing a flare for about a year now, from the first time I was diagnosed. Mine is a very similar story to most people - was very healthy all through my teens and 20s until a flare happened (without knowing what it was at first) at age 30, then I lost a ton of weight, was having diarrhea 20+ times a day, and basically just had a horrible 2016. I started Remicade in June and it has worked somewhat, with my last colonoscopy showing about a 50% improvement in the area that is in active disease, but this isn't enough, especially since I need to pass a medical clearance for a job and going to the bathroom 5-10 times a day is not something I want to do for the rest of my life. My doctor recently suggested combining Stelara with Remicade so I am wondering if anyone else has done this and if it was successful. Also, any words of encouragement from people who have had flares lasting this long would also be helpful, since as it stands now I just imagine that this will be the rest of my life, which isn't a fun thought. Thanks!

 

[aypues]

not sure combining two biologics is safe. I know you can combine a biologic with an immunosupressant to increase efficacy. Are you already doing that? Ex's are 6mp, aza, mtx, cellcept.

 

[ronroush7]

not sure combining two biologics is safe. I know you can combine a biologic with an immunosupressant to increase efficacy. Are you already doing that? Ex's are 6mp, aza, mtx, cellcept.

I have never heard of two biologics together.

 

[Charlotte.]

I saw a publication on pubmed.gov on that issue, I think it was in a dermatology clinic in New York. They had patients on Remicade and Stelara simultaneously, I think.

 

[pcojt10]

I'm already on mtx and Remicade, but have been having daily recurrent fevers up to 103 so they want to take me off the mtx to see if that helps. I've seen some information online about taking both at once, and don't think my docs would do anything that wasn't safe, but this just makes me think I should ask more questions about its overall safety and efficacy.

 

[ronroush7]

Agree

 

[Maya142]

My daughter's doctors are also planning to combine two biologics, if they can get insurance approval (though they're planning on using entyvio, not stelara).
There are studies now that are exploring combining biologics. I think it will be done a lot in the future.

It is a bit scary, since it is immunosuppressing, but I am sure you'll be monitored very, very closely.

 

[my little penguin]

They are looking at two for ds as well
Given he has auto immune and auto inflammatory
So hence the different meds