Remicade and arthritis

Yes, at my second Remicade infusion, I got a stiff neck and severe pain, like a pinched nerve around cervical 4. The pain radiates down my right arm. It hurts 24/7. I also got this when I took Cipro! Today is my 3rd infusion and the pain is still there. The doctor says it is just arthritis, but this is not arthritis. It is a Remicade side effect. Analgesics so not help the pain.

a full week after my first remicade treatment, i suddenly developed a very severe headache, followed by a stiff neck, a stiff left arm, a sore jaw where i couldn't open my mouth very far and i could not chew, then developed a fever, chills and itching. It came on fast but also subsided a good bit within about 12 hours. has anyone else experienced something like this, a full week after a treatment?

The arthritis/crohn’s disease drug Remicade, manufactured by Centocor is a deadly drug and should be taken off the market. The drug has caused death and permanent damage to patients across the world. The drug company makes billions of dollars and downplays the side effects including the increased risk of lymphoma and blood problems. The company downplays infusion-related reactions saying that those reactions usually occur within 1-2 hours post infusion. Here’s the truth:

*Centocor has been reprimanded by the FDA for publishing false claims in its marketing literature given to physicians. See FDA website for official document.

*The literature lists syncope (drop in blood pressure), bradycardia (slowed heartrate), pancytopenia (dangerous drop in blood cells..platelets, whit blood cells, red blood cells etc, increased risk of lymphoma, serum sickness. The literature says to call MD if you are “pale”.

*Here is a case of what happened to a woman in her 30’s with rheumatoid arthritis after only the 2nd infusion. She was not on methotrexate at all so this is all Remicade’s fault. Approximately 2-3 days after the 2nd infusion the patient began to feel tired and sore but still worked an 8 hour shift that day. By 12 midnight the patient’s entire body flared up…every joint was literally swollen and she was vomiting violently.. She could barely get to a phone to call for help. Her blood pressure dropped to 50/40 and all of her blood counts plummeted. Her Sedimentation Rate (which measures inflammation had always been below 2 and it spiked to 29!!!) Remicade caused the opposite of what it was supposed to do. It also increased greatly her C-Reactive Protein which is also a measurement of inflammation and can cause cardiac inflammatory processes as well increasing the risk of cardiac damage. The nurse in the triage area told the patient that if she had not called for help SHE WOULD HAVE DIED !!! She ended up in the hospital for 5 days in an isolation room. She was in excruciating pain and had to be given Oxycontin every 12 hours and Dilaudid IV every 2 hours to control the pain. For the first 2-3 days she could not even walk or go to the bathroom without assistance. She was given high doses of prednisone to decrease the inflammatory process and get her pain under control. A hematologist performed a bone marrow biopsy which revealed an abnormal population of plasma cells that can develop into myeloma or lymphoma. The hematologist said that the patient would have to be monitored lifelong to watch the pre-cancerous cells. The patient was out of work for 3 months and was forced to change jobs because of her fatigue level and short term memory problems. She also suffered post-traumatic stress due to her near-death experience and total upheaval in her life. She is a healthcare professional. Even 4 years after the reaction her blood counts are still abnormal and she has still had short term memory problems and vision problems.

I have been on it for two months due to severe psoriatic arthritis. I'm taking the max infusions every four weeks, methotrexate injections and prednisone. I'm tired, sleepy, sweaty and somewhat nuts a lot. However, after last week infusion, I have some type of rash-little red dots that feel like pin pricks that itch somewhat. I feel like a thousand fleas are attacking me all at one time! Has anyone had this type of feeling? PLEASE reply-it is driving me nuts.

My husband has been on and off with remicade for 3 years,he was in a car wreck last week,but not hurt,but the stress from it has flared-up his crohn's. Tonight he is in the bed with headache,fever,swelling of the feet and hands,node's under the skin,he tendon,s have tightened up and he is having problems walking,sitting up and just holding up his head. with crohn's he seem's to get a purple color under the eyes. After a while the remicade just want work,he has more arthritis now than he did before taking the remicade,but without it the fistula in his stomach want close up. after the treatment he does good for about 2 weeks and then he starts having problems with his joints.

I have had numerous remincade infusions over the last year or so, and for the last six months I have been fighting an upper respiratory infection and persistent cough. I am now convinced it is a side effect of the remicate that I was not warned about in sufficient detail. This has become a major problem and I will probably no have any more of the infusion, although my Crohn's in now out of control. Has anyone else experienced upper respiratory disress, cough and sinus problems following remicade infustions? email me with your information. Thanks. Max.

I have received two infusions. I get headaches, muscle pains, back ache, and today I had a sudden nosebleed for no apparent reason. I can cope with the back and muscle aches, because I have had them for years due to arthritis, but the headaches are going to kill me. Nothing seems to help them. Can anyone else share any thing on this? Is it because of the Remicade? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Mickey