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Below are Remicade (Infliximab) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 12 ratings/reviews, Remicade has an overall score of 6.50. The effectiveness score is 8.67 and the side effect score is 5.50. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence. | Remicade review by 47 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | RHUEMATOID ARTHRITIS |
Dosage & duration: | | 5MG TO START AND THEN UP TO 10MG taken first dose then 2 weeks then 6 then 8 for the period of 1 YEAR |
Other conditions: | | NONE |
Other drugs taken: | | IBUPROPHEN 3200 MG DAILY | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | AT FIRST IT KEPT MY SYMPTONS TO A MINIMUM, AND MOOD IN GENERAL INHANCED. THIS FOR ALMOST A FULL YEAR....THEN I NEEDED TO UP DOSAGE FIRST WENT TO 6 WEEKS...THEN TO EVERY 4WEEKS...DOSE INCREASED TO MAX OF 10MG |
Side effects: | | AT FIRST ALL GOOD--FELT WONDERFUL MOOD AND PHYSICAL SOME ITCHING ON CHEST AREA AND COUGHING FOR 2 DAYS AFTER DOSE
THEN STARTED BREAKING OUT IN SORES WHEN IN SUN...THEY WOULD NOT HEAL FACE, EARS AND SCALP HAIR LOSS AT SORE SITE ESPECIALLY IN SCALP WHICH HAS REMAINED SOMEWHAT PERMANENT. SOON NO LONGER GETTING PHYSICAL RELIEF FROM RA SYMPTONS...STOPPED TREATMENT AS RELIEF BECAME LESS THAN SIDE EFFECTS
I REALLY WISH THIS PARTICULAR DRUG WOULD HAVE WORKED FOR ME...OR ORENCIA WHICH HAD A LESS TIME CONSUMING AND LESS FREQUENT RATE OF IVS!
ALSO--FINDING A VEIN BECAME DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND COLLAPSED VEINS WERE NOT UNCOMMON IN GROUP IVS
ONLY ONCE DURING IV PROCESS I BECAME HORRIBLY NAUSEOUS AND THEY BECAME QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT CONVULSIONS THEY SLOWED THE DRIP AND I MADE IT THRU THAT AFTER THAT THEY KEPT A CRASH CART NEARBY IN CASE OF AND I NEVER HAD ANOTHER REACTION LIKE THAT ---CONTRIBUTED IT TO LACK OF SLEEP, FOOD AND PAIN DEGREE I WAS HAVING |
Comments: | | REMICADE IS AN IV DRUG ADMINISTERED OVER A 3 HOUR PERIOD. USUALLY A GROUP OF 4-5 PATIENTS ARE SCHEDULED IN SLIGHTLY STAGGERED--LUNCH IS GIVEN IF TIME GOES OVER LUNCH TIME, WATER ENCOURAGED DURING AFTER AND BEFORE FOR HYDRATION....A STERIOD, SALINE AND ANTIHYSTEMINE ARE ALSO ADMINISTERED-STERIOD,SALINE BY IV AND ANITHYST BY MOUTH...BLOOD PRESSURE AND TEMP ARE CHECKED PERIODICALLY DOSAGE IS BY WEIGHT OR MINIMUM AMOUNTS, A SALINE IS THEN FLUSHED THRU TUBBING TO HYDRATE AND TO FLUCH OUT ANY MEDS LEFT IN TUBE
I AM NOW WAITING FOR A DRUG TO BECOME AVAIABLE THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A SECOND LINE DRUG SUCH AS METHOTREXCIATE(SP) OR SULFASALIZINE AS I HAVE HAD REACTIONS TO BOTH THESE BUT STUDIES WITH NEWEST DRUGS REQUIRE A SECOND LINE DRUG AND UNTIL THEY BECOME AVAILABLE TO GENERAL PUBLIC I HAVE TO WAIT---ALSO WITH THE DRUG SCARES THAT HAVE HAPPENED BEXTRA ETC (STILL HAVE SCARRING FROM THAT ONE ON ARMS FROM SEVERE SUN BURN) THINGS SEEM TO BE TAKING LONGER TO COME OUT |
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| Remicade review by 51 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | Extremely Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | crohns disease, psoriatic arthritis |
Dosage & duration: | | 1 IV infusion treatment per month (dosage frequency: 1 \treatment per month) for the period of 3months |
Other conditions: | | crohns disease, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, fibrymyalgia |
Other drugs taken: | | asacol, methotrexate, neoral | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | skin and joints were better |
Side effects: | | I could not breath during treatment; first time was fine, 2nd and 3rd times treatment could not be completed; vomiting, felt like throat/lungs were closing up. |
Comments: | | an iv infusion in the doctor's office. |
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| Remicade review by 22 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Moderately Effective |
Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Crohns Disease & Colitis |
Dosage & duration: | | n/a (dosage frequency: 4 infussions) for the period of 3 months |
Other conditions: | | Anemia |
Other drugs taken: | | Iron 150 | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | Helped my abdominal pain and bowels. A little more energy after the first infussion but not much after the rest. Helped with fistulas. |
Side effects: | | After 2nd and 3rd infussion: Itchy scalp and bumps like a pimples in scalp soon turned into lessions(dried patches/scabs). Itchy rash/bumps on chest. Night sweats, warm to touch but no tempature. Waited to get 4th infussion Doctor said not related to Remicade (not true) Recieved 4th infussion 7-9 weeks later discontinued remicade.
Developed full body rash,hives,pustular psoriosis looking rash on palms and soles. (Very itchy) In between fingers and toes.
Different looking rash on shins and legs. Really red and itchy after showers.
Genital bumps/dryness, cracks in vaginal area and buttocks.
Major hair loss on top of scalp and throughout scalp.
Ear problems, ringing, crusty scabs and drainage with an odor.
Swollen lymphnodes behind ears and groin.
Swollen ankles and feet. Joint pain. Heart palpitations
Tiredness,anxiety,depression and mood swings.
All of these symptoms have been in a cycle rash looks like its going away and comes back before it's gone. Hair is still falling. This is all during a 2 month period. |
Comments: | | First two times had the IV steriod for an hour or so. Last two times took benadryl before. Recieved Remicade IV for 2hrs. Always slept after. Nurse would check on me during treatment everything was normal. |
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| Remicade review by 50 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | No Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | psoriatic arthritis |
Dosage & duration: | | 400 mg taken every 8 weeks for the period of still taking it |
Other conditions: | | osteo arthritis |
Other drugs taken: | | Lexapro, Immuran | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | This drug has helped the pain and swelling in my hands and back from psoriatic arthritis. My fingers were also starting to twist, and this has helped to slow that down. The psoriasis on my skin has almost gone completely away. About a week or two before time for the next dose, a little comes back, but nothing like it used to be. |
Side effects: | | I don't notice any side effects. |
Comments: | | I go in to the office for an inter venous infusion every 8 weeks for two hours at a time. |
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| Remicade review by 51 year old male patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
Side effects: | | Extremely Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Stills Disase |
Dosage & duration: | | According to my weight (dosage frequency: every 3 months) for the period of year |
Other conditions: | | Major Headaches and High blood pressure, nasty skins sores |
Other drugs taken: | | Ultram | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | To relieve muscle aches and joint pain |
Side effects: | | Started getting severe headaches from the medication.It cause high blood pressure that lasted 12 to 14 weeks after my last infusion. Also sores on my scalp,arms, laegs and buttocks that hurt so bad and our so sore.They clear up and come right back at the same exact spot.
I ended up in the hospital. When I was at work a collapse to the floor and I didnt know what was going on until they found my blood pressure sky high and I had severe chest pains. They gave me nitro pill for my chest pain and medication to drop my blood pressure but it took almost 14 weeks before those side effects to go away. I stopped taking it back in 2004.
However the sores have nevr gone away and I keep getting these major flare ups with the sores all over my body.
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Comments: | | The treatment is was fine how ever the side effects where much worest than the treatment.
Johnson and Johnson sent me a certified letter pertaining to my problems with the side effects and I answered their questions but they never did get back to me at all about my condition. |
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| Remicade review by 28 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Reactive Arthritis (Presents like RA) |
Dosage & duration: | | 600cc (dosage frequency: 8 weeks) for the period of 18 months |
Other conditions: | | NONE |
Other drugs taken: | | METHOTREXATE | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | Until Remicade, I wasn't able to sleep without waking from the pain of moving my legs, so I exstatic about that relief. I no longer have any stiffness, except for when its cold or if I grip something for a while, but it doesn't last for hours like it used to. The swelling in my joints has signficantly decreased. Unfortunately, the medicine has not stopped my flare-ups, which only last for a 2-4mnths at a time on a finger joint or toe joint. Nor has it prevented osteoarthritis in my feet. I am also struggling to find that right dose that helps with the fatigue. |
Side effects: | | I got pneumonia after the first treatment and it took 3 months for it to go away. My breathing hasn't been the same since, I've to see a pulmonary specialist every couple months to manage the constant asthma that I now have. I have also gained approx 25 while taking the medicine, although it's not supposed to be a side-effect. This is what bothers me most, extra weight puts more strain in my joints. I also have frequest yeast infections. I have almost constant sinus congestion. |
Comments: | | I recieve an infusion every 8 wks. Since I started a year 18 months ago, we have, recently increased the dose and have shortedn the interval at which I recieve the medication. I use this medicine in conjunction with methotrexate, which I self inject every week, 10ml (I HATE that part). |
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| Remicade review by 31 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
Side effects: | | No Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Crohn's Disease |
Dosage & duration: | | 5ml/mg taken week 0, 2, 6 then every 8 weeks for the period of 10/2009 to Present |
Other conditions: | | None |
Other drugs taken: | | None | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | I have a bad case of Crohn's disease. Mine is fibrostenotic crohn's. I had a stricture that was causing my pain, but severe bathroom visits. The stricture was fixed with surgery. The frequency of the bathroom visits is lessend with Remicade. It helps within 1 to 1 1/2 weeks. The only bad thing is that I find myself needing it desparately at 7 weeks. I suffer for 2 weeks then until I can get it and let it start working again. |
Side effects: | | No side effects for me. |
Comments: | | It takes 10 minutes to get registered. Another 30 minutes to get my IV started and my medicine ordered and brought up. Then it takes about 2 1/2 hours to infuse. |
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| Remicade review by 46 year old male patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Moderately Effective |
Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Colitis |
Dosage & duration: | | Not sure (dosage frequency: 8 weeks) for the period of Still taking |
Other conditions: | | None |
Other drugs taken: | | None | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | Stopped bleeding and relieved some abdominal cramps. |
Side effects: | | After only 3 treatments I have developed common side effects, as in dizzines which keeps me from being too active. I am always tired even though I am finally sleeping most of the night, I have developed the bumps on the forhead that everyone talks about, and I have the need to constantly unrinate. I have been reading reviews online now for a week and am getting concerned because most comments show that people find the side effects worse than the condition and I have just started. I believe that I am also suffering from depression, but because I am a single parent I try to keep myself busy with family issues which allows me to put aside the bad feelings temporarily. |
Comments: | | Have done 3 infusions, starting with 2 weeks after first and then 4 weeks. Now I am awaiting my 4th which will be 8 weeks. The staff have been great, from the nurse who does the procedure to the councillor at Bio-Advance, but the one draw back is that I have been telling both the nurse and the councillor about my side effects and they acted so surprised. So why did I find out by going online myself that these side effects are common? |
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| Remicade review by 41 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | CROHN'S WITH FISTULA IN ANO |
Dosage & duration: | | 300 mg taken 0, 4 & 8 week three doses taken for the period of THROUGH IV - 3 to 6 hrs |
Other conditions: | | IBD, Anemia loos stool 12 to 15 times a day |
Other drugs taken: | | Tab Mesacol & some times steroids. | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | Fistula is considerable reduced. Almost healed. Fluid developing in the fistula is also healed. Frequency of stool passing is also reduced to twice a day. |
Side effects: | | No major side effect. But itchy scalp and bumps like a pimples in scalp which turned into dried patches/scabs. Weight gain also. Swelling in legs after 1st dose. |
Comments: | | All three doses given through NS (IV). Before given Remicade, Injection efcorlin (Hydrocortisone sodium succinate) were given every time.
Ist dose given for ten minutes and waited for any reaction. No adverse effects were noticed. Then it was completed in 6 Hrs.
IInd dose was given on 2nd week. This dose was completed in 3 Hrs.
IIIrd dose was given on 6th week. This dose was also completed in 3 Hrs. |
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| Remicade review by 55 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | ULCERATIVE COLITIS |
Dosage & duration: | | 300MG taken 8weeks for the period of 18MONTHS |
Other conditions: | | NONE |
Other drugs taken: | | NONE | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | STOPPED THE SYMPTOMS OF ULCERATVE COLITIS W/I 2 WEEKS |
Side effects: | | AT FIRST NO SIDE EFFECTS. I FELT GREAT. VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE REPRIEVE THIS MEDICATION GAVE ME. HOWEVER, I STARTED HAVING BONE AND MUSCLE PAIN THAT ARE PRETTY SEVERE. NOW MY HAIR IS FALLING OUT AND I HAVE SCALP LESIONS AND SCALY AREAS THAT LOOK LIKE PSORIASIS. |
Comments: | | 300MG BY IV EVERY 8WEEKS INCREASED TO EVERY 6WEEKS.
I NEED TO GET OFF THIS DRUG, GO BACK TO ORAL MEDICATIONS AND PRAY THEY WORK FOR AWHILE |
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| Remicade review by 40 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | severe ulcerative colitis |
Dosage & duration: | | not sure given intravenously (dosage frequency: every two weeks) for the period of three to four hours in total |
Other conditions: | | none |
Other drugs taken: | | bymycin for rosacea | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | I have been suffering from ulceratibe colitis for the past three years, was put on steroids long term, then pentasa granules, then imuran which i had a severe reaction too then cellecept tablets which i had a reaction too also. This drug infliximab is given over two hours into a vein then you are monitored for side effects for approx an hour. My severe pain, feeling of passing out, unable to do a bowel motion without feeling like i am going to die is gone. |
Side effects: | | I have had two doses of infliximab over a four week period my next dose has been pushed out to four weeks. I have has pressure up the back of my neck into my head, pains and aches all over, shivers at night after the first two doses Its been two weeks since my last infusion and my next one is in two weeks time I have since broken out in water blisters on my leg unsure if this is side effect. Overall before i started this drug i was in severe pain, severe diarrhoea, wanting to pass out with pain, and generally unable to live day to day. The pain has eased 70%, the diarrhoea is gone and I feel like living again. |
Comments: | | The first infusion is given to you in hospital over a two hour period, you are then monitored for a futher hour, the second infusion i received two weeks later same procedure, the next infusion is scheduled for four weeks later and then four weeks after that to maintain. |
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| Remicade review by 15 year old female patient | | Rating |
Overall rating: | |           |
Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | Treatment Info |
Condition / reason: | | Crohn's disease |
Dosage & duration: | | N/A (dosage frequency: every 6 weeks) for the period of over a year now |
Other conditions: | | anemia, lactose intolerance, acid reflux, etc |
Other drugs taken: | | asacol, iron, omeprozal, etc | | Reported Results |
Benefits: | | Calmed my crohns and inflamations. Allowed me to eat more foods. Made bathroom trips easier and less painful |
Side effects: | | Ringing in ears
swelling, itchiness, and soreness in just my fingers and toes
Joint pains
Gas
Nausea
B/c taken by iv I experience soreness of vein and after and while in treatment |
Comments: | | Given a hospital take 3-4 hours. Doctor assistant visits at the end. Nurses are wonderful but when I get to the 4.5 or 5 week mark my intestines go insane. |
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