The second infusion went fine. I did not become violently ill but was nauseated for a few days afterwards. It is really quite scary thinking what this medication is doing inside your body.
It seems to effect me the first few days almost like you would imagine chemotherapy effecting a cancer patient. Nausea, and just a general feeling of sickness.
Is it worth it??? I guess that is the question without an answer. If my fistulae stay gone, yes I guess. If I grow a third arm in a few years, then no it wasn't. LOL
I don't know why the remicade has not been the miracle drug that everyone said it was. I don't have any great energy burst or feel tons better. The benefits I have recieved are the fistulae are gone and my joint pain is less.
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis this past week. Well I have been seeing a rheumotologist for joint pain. He ordered a bone scan and seems at the age of 43 my bones are old. They have started me on 1500 mgs of calcium a day for that.
I can do this because the vioxx gives me great diarrhea so the calcium is constipating and they work well together. My diarrhea is much less since I have started on the calcium. I am very happy about that.
But see..... that is the big killer about this disease. I try so hard to take the medications that I need. I am not dealing with Crohn's Disease right now. I am dealing with side effects (bone damage) that medications caused. It is very hard. The Vioxx makes me able to move in the morning but gives me diarrhea so severe that my blood work showed my postassium and magnesium to be low (this happens with watery diarrhea). So I take the calcium and it is constipating and it helps. It is like a vicous circle inside my body.
Let me be clear hear the osteoporosis is caused by LONG TERM STERIOD use. Please be careful. I am only 43 years old and my bones are shot. Try to avoid steriods unless it is absolutely neccessary.
My last remicade was yesterday (11/8/00). When dealing with fistulae you get three initial treatments. So now we wait and see if the fistulae stay gone. It is a great relief to have dry underwear again. Not have to worry whether a fistulae will bust and drain and leave a mess for you to find. I can sit without being in pain. And once again I am capable of having a sex life which was pretty much put on hold for a long time.
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