Hi everyone :
I was just on the Remicade website reading the prescribing info, and it says that Remicade can be used without MTX. I would really like to avoid MTX, Of all of the meds that I have read about, it sounds the most miserable. Plus, it would really stink to have to give up my glass of wine with dinner. I was wondering if anyone has had success with Remicade alone.
I am on just Remicade, as I can't take mtx due to liver issues. I had my initial infusion, one 2 weeks later, one four weeks after that, and am now supposed to be going every eight weeks. I had a WONDERFUL month where I felt great, but think I way overdid it on vacation and then injured myself - both of which, combined with stress, led me into a flare - so beware! LOL Even if you're feeling great, you need to ease yourself into being more active. :)
I was also on Enbrel without taking mtx, so that is another viable option. I switched to Remicade in hopes that it will work on my AS as well, which Enbrel wasn't doing.
I am still on MTX and Remicade and Mobic/Melxocam.. I'm doing so well, I don't want to mess with the "mix" lol.. My dr. told me the ins companies usually require you to be on MTX 1st then they can add a biologic like Remicade or Embrel.. After you are on both for a little while they can dial back on the MTX until they wean you completely off it.. They say the MTX "helps" the biologics.. Remicade without ins is over $3,000.. per infusion.. 1 every 8 weeks.. Embrel is a little less, but still around the same price.. expensive!
I am on only remicade. I was on MTX but it did nothing for me, except make me sick. I have had 3 infusions so far. The first two worked like a miracle. But I notice this last one has not worked as well as the first two. I do not know what my rheumy will do about it as I do not see him again till Sept. He did tell me that putting me on remicade gave him more control options to increase the frequency or dosage. So I am thinking that is the course of action he will take.
Wanted to bump this to the top. I have taken my third dose of MTX this past Sunday. I had a really nasty Monday. Felt like I was getting beat up by the flu. I am not a "napper" by any means. I have now come home from work Monday and Tuesday and went right to bed. Still tired now. I am a one-man IT department at work and don't have time for this fatigue. I can't grab time off so that's not an option. I will probably be starting on Remicade in the next week or two. Any other reports from those of you on Remicade only?
The use of remicade as a "monotherapy" is wishful thinking. Remicade is a combination of mouse and human antibody (chimeric monoclonal antibody) Mercs original thought was that by humanizing the mouse portion of it they could fool the immune system. It seems our immune system is prettty good at finding the mouse cells and deciding they don't belong. What has been discovered is that even fully human based anti tnfs can only fool the human body for a while. Adding MTX makes them not only work better (I haven't been able to figure out why) but also prevents the body from developing anti bodies against them. Not having to change bio's is a good thing. So far only Enbrel which is pure synthertic (although its grown in hamsters) has been maintained as monotherapy. None the less remember MTX is also an anti rejection drug.
Now some docs just add the Bio to an existing MTX regime and others add the the MTX to a bio regime when they see the bio starting to "fail" trying to stretch its life and still others like my doc THEATEN to add it to an Enbrel regime if I don't keep up my exercise and stretching and seem to be needing a bit more "punch" to my meds.
So far the threats (and change of NSAIDS) have kept me going. My personal opinion id that if a BIO isn't doing it (all) you keep trying NSAIDS till you find one that works BEFORE you mess with the the DMRDS, But then I then I guess the guys with MD after their name MAY have a better idea.
Good luck........
Thanks for the speedy reply. I was taking Indomethecin as well but it was causing me to urinate ALOT. Doc put me on Meloxicam and all is good on the NSAID front.
I am on remicade alone. I was taking 400mg every 8 weeks. My rheumy & I have saw some improvement but not enough. Next week I start on 800mg every 6 weeks. I have high hopes this will do the trick.
Hi, I take 600mg every 4 weeks and had been for over a year. When it started to fail
my doc added Arava (leufludimide ? Can not spell very well at 2am)
daily which seems to have helped. Mtx was tried before and made me very, very ill. Joints
were no better and was sick for four to five days after shot, so not an option for me. I also take
turmeric, omega3 concentrated and if I miss either of those I feel worse.
Talk with a pharmacist you trust and they can give you the low down on the effectiveness of
these drugs together and as stand alone treatments. Good luck.