Starting Remicade with a cold?

General
1

I have a slight head cold, feel pretty icky and am due to start my first Remicade infusion today. I called and spoke to the nurse yesterday who said that it's up to me, as long as I don't have a fever. I figured I'd turn to the REAL experts...you all...to ask what you would do!?!??!

Thanks!

~jackie

2

If it were *me* getting my FIRST infusion, I'd consider putting it off until I felt better. I find it very important to know how I react to drugs, and would probably not get an accurate picture of how I reacted to it if I were feeling icky in the first place. But that's me.

I've been on Remicade for a while and would totally get an infusion with just a slight head cold. I usually feel lousy for a couple days after my infusion, so recouping from cold and infusion together wouldn't be too bad.

So, yeah, that probably wasn't too helpful. LOL Good luck on making the decision. :)

3

My rule of thumb with getting my Remicade is if I don't have a fever I go. I frequently feel flu like when my inflammation is high. I get chills, slight nausea and headache and no appetite. I can feel really icky like I am coming down with something really bad. I seem to do this 2 weeks before my infusion and for 2 weeks after. I have sent a note to my doctor hoping we can reduce the interval between infusions. So I would get the infusion. There you have it: the experts all have a different take but that is what makes this such a great site, each of us is an expert on our own experience with PsA and hopefully will help you become an expert on yours. Good luck, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as you get your first Remicade.

4

HI JDT, I was getting over a bug when I got my first infusion and I was fine. The first dose should be lower than what you will ultimately get. Starting with my 5th infusion, I'm wiped out for 2 days after the infusion - but everyone is different. Some people don't have any after effects.

5

Every time I go they ask me if I had any infections or colds. I had just gotten over one but it had only been about 4 days since stopping antibiotics and I had to reschedule. Better safe than sorry.

6

They rescheduled me! I’m glad because I’ve felt progressively worse as the day has gone on. Thanks everyone! Until the next time…

7

Good luck JDT ! The Remicade has worked wonderfully for my pain, I hope you also get good results.

JDT said:

They rescheduled me! I'm glad because I've felt progressively worse as the day has gone on. Thanks everyone! Until the next time....
8

Thanks, Frances! Knock on wood, right now my pain is minimal! I have a shoulder impingement that I had injected a couple of weeks ago and that bothers me depending upon what I reach for, but other than that, things are quiet for the moment. So glad it helped you, and hopeful that it brings my inflammatory markers down.

~jackie

Frances said:

Good luck JDT ! The Remicade has worked wonderfully for my pain, I hope you also get good results.

JDT said:

They rescheduled me! I'm glad because I've felt progressively worse as the day has gone on. Thanks everyone! Until the next time....