10 weeks ago my Rheumy said we would increase the dosage of Remicade, last infusion, they said insurance had not got back to them, so did not get the increase. So this time I called a week before my next infusion, the nurse checked with the lady that deals with insurance, they had still not called back, so they called insurance, they said they needed additional info, so they did that. Good thing I called! In a lot of pain the last week of the infusion, so I am more motivated then the doctors office… Both insurance and the doctors office are incompetent!
I was wondering how you were doing? So have you got the approval yet for the increase given the further information required? I so hope so.
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I started on Remicade the beginning of August.
I was pretty excited when my psoriasis almost immediately started to decrease right after the first infusion.
Now almost 3 months in I’ve seen nearly all of my psoriasis disappear however my joints are still just as painful as they were with MTX, and Enbrel.
No, this was just yesterday, I wanted to give them a week before my next infusion to get the approval…
The way the insuance has been, they will probably deny it.
What intervals are they doing the Remicade infusions? They can make it every six weeks, then if that does not help increase the dosage. Sometimes it is difficult to seperate the painful joints that might be caused by something else, like OA. It is a different pain then PsA, that comes and goes.
Let’s hope not. Seriously let’s hope not.
Got word from the insurance company that the increase is approved!
i go in today for my infusion, the last week has been hell…
We are having a scheduled 9 day retreat, so they put me on for leading the 2 hour meditation right before I get my infusion. At least I will be able to fill out the pain chart easily…
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Brilliant news Jon, on the increase that is:grinning:. Best of luck with the pain chart too.
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Got my infusion, it went well, they are doing 7 vials. I told the nurse I figured out I could reduce my weight to 180, before they cut back my meds, she said “knowing you, you will show up with rocks in your pockets, to skew the scales” I said “no, nickel coin rolls!” She said I can reduce my weight to 175 and it would not affect the amount of medication. I am at 183 now, down from 195. So the drug is now retail at $10,000 for 7 vials an infusion, insurance will pay out $5,000.
I did have some problems with my vien, kept having to move my arm to different positions to keep the juice flowing, if I hyperextended my elbow, that was best, but I could not do that for 2 hours!
I contacted my Rhumatologist in December and let him know there was no improvement in joint and other pain, he is adjusting to every six weeks and increasing the dosage, we will see what happens.
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Increasingto 7 vials every 6 weeks has helped some.
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Stopped working, right after my last infusion, that was a little over 2 weeks ago. I don’t see the Rheumy for another month.
Ugh. Well, seems like a theme, not a short term flare 
. Sorry. That is never a good feeling.
If it were me I’d call my Rheumy’s office, and ask for an emergency cancellation appointment. You deserve to be seen earlier if it’s possible.
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I was thinking the same thing, thanks.
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So the latest update, the Rheumy is keeping me on Remicade, even though last month was a disaster, figured it might have been do to a lot of stress.
She is mulling raising the dose, and calling it seronegative RA, then she can raise it to 10mg per body weight (I think) it is at 7 now. I don’t know what the difference is between PsA and seronegative RA? I guess I could have both.
If anyone knows the difference, I would be interested to know. My other Rheumy was always thinking it might be RA, so she kept checking the bloodwork. Haven’t did a RA blood test for a couple of years.
There was a lady getting a all day infusion for RA, forgot which biologic it was. My 2-3 hours is long enough for me, thank you… At least the veins are behaving, I have been drinking “liquid IV” before going in, to up my electrolytes.
Went for a follow up and asked the Rheumy about what she had previously said of changing my Dx to Seronegative RA, she denied suggesting it, saying that I was on the max dose for either Seronegative RA or PsA, that was weird… I did not pursue it, I guess she was mixed up last time.
She id increase my MTX injections to .8 ml from .6 ml, never really noticed MTX doing much, but worth a try.