Remicade and imuran

I have been put through the wringer with Crohn's. 15 surgeries, all of my terminal ileum removed, 1/3 of my large bowel removed, etc., etc,- Those with sever Crohn's know.

I spent years on high doses of Prednisone, Imuran, Sulfasizine and other drugs and nothing worked.

I was even retired from the US Air Force due to its severity.

Remicade has help tremendously. However, some of the side effects listed above, I have also been through. Some of them, have been explained through other factors and those attributed to the Remicade I take other meds to offset them.

For example, Head aches. I figured the head aches were from allergies that I have had for some time. I attributed some of the headaches to the Remicade. The head aches are very sever after my infusions and decrease to a dull roar after that. I take four aspirin and Sudifed PE and this leaves me with a dull roar shortly after the infusions and does away with them till the next infusion - perhaps this will help some of you.

The muscle soreness is horrible and I take aspirin or Tylenol, but that barely takes the edge off.

I started get those little red dots. Then the dots turn to blisters. I get these on my hands, feet and scalp. My GI Doctor said it wasn't the Remicade, but a Dermatologist showed me a recent article that should Remicade could cause Psoriasis. I take Clobetasol Propionate for these and it has cleared them up.

I took the Remicade years ago and then it was stopped - it was the way it was done then - not constant, just three doses spread out over three months.

I got the tingling fingers during those. A neurologist attributed it to the Steroids I had been on. The nerve damage is permanent.

A few years later, they started the infusions again and I experienced no muscle soreness, headaches, etc. and it did not help the Crohn's as it had before. When I talked to my GI doctor he showed me a study that people build anti-bodies to the Remicade over time. They doubled the dose and it started working again. For those who are experiencing the Remicade not working - perhaps this is what has happened to you.

I get the mood swings, but had never considered it might be the Remicade. I will talk to my doctor about this one.

I have the blood pressure decrease during my infusions, but it has not been sever.

More recently, my joints have begun to ache and initially the Remicade had helped to stop the minor joint pains I already had. Come to find out, I have had bone thinning due to the Crohn's.

The one symptom I have started getting this week is random, sever pain in odd locations - not joints.. They have been deep and feel like they are in the bone. One midway up on my shine, one midway down on my foreman and one in my right thumb. Has anyone experienced this. The pain has been horrible and it does scare me.

I also suffer from depression, but have had it for years prior to the Remicade treatments.

Remicade did wonders for me, my Crohn's disease went into remission. Still have muscle pain over a year after not taking it. Maybe that is from the Imuran. When I had my infusions I had to have Prednisone before & during because of an allergic reaction.

Remicade did wonders for me, my Crohns went into remission. Still have muscle pain over a year after not taking it. Maybe that is from the Imuran. When I had my infusions I had to have Prednisone before & during because of an allergic reaction.