8yr Crohns Patient; What's left after Humira?

Im Brionna, 20 years old. Was diagnosed with Crohns disease in 2008. I was only in the ninth grade.BUT My symptoms began when I was in the 7th. Constant fevers, nausea, vomitting, weight loss, weakness... You name it, I went through it. When I first was hospitalized back in 2008, I weighed nothing but 85lbs! I was put on steroids (prednisone) after being diagnosed and released. I gained my weight back but it seemed to be all in my face!!!!!! What a way to go back to high school! It gave me a serious case of acne also... (FYI) I started Remicade not to much longer after. Every 2months at first... My specialist prolonged my treatment due to the fact that your body gets immuned to these treatments if taken to frequently. I became pregnant at the very young age of 16! My specialist refused to see or treat me. So I went the last 4 months of my pregnancy without treatment. Hell!!!! Finally I found an adult specialist that would see me despite the fact that I was now 17. The Remicade did me good but that 4month window made the medication less and less affective. I was hospitalized in 2010, that's when I was switched to Humira. Ive been on it since and have had my more than share fair of flare ups! Which feels like Hell btw! But I've been sick more than I can count on one hand just in the year of 2013. I'm sick as we speak. I'm more than positive I'll be hospitalized, I'm praying they don't tell me that my Humira is no longer affective? My question is what's next?

Have you ever been on immunosuppressant drugs such as azathioprine (Imuran) or mercaptopurine (purinethol- 6-MP)? There is also a drug called cimzia that is available in certain countries for crohn. There are also the possibility of using methotrexate. Those options being the more typical ones.

Have you tried Cimzia. It is similar to Humira and may work for you. There are also other less commonly used biologic medications and even novel therapies you can get into through a clinical trial. There are also the immunosuppressants as mentioned above.

I am on 6mp along with the Humira. I was on the Cimzia for a very short period of time right before starting the Humira because it was affective.

Was NOT*

There is also Tysabri (Natalizumab) that can be used when Remicade, cimzia and humira fails. On rare and specific occasions it is sometime possible to consider the use of ciclosporine or tacrolimus but those are not commonly used. There is also the good old surgery to remove the diseased area if those are localized. That's usually my favorite option as I surgery has proven effective for me and allowed me to have long term remissions but it differs for everyone. hope this helps a bit!

Fecal transplant, MM, surgery.

Thanks so much I go to the doctor tomorrow! I'm praying all goes well

Welcome to the forum Brionna,

I'm sorry you went trough so much and that now the medication doesnt seem effective....i hope all goes well tomorrow at your doctors visit.

Xx

Prayers for you RolandBri. Let us know how it goes. (((((Hugs))))))

If you have excellent health insurance and your doctor would be willing to try an off label drug, you could ask about Stelara. They are running Phase III clinical trials right now. I have heard of people respond to this drug but had no luck with Remicade, Humira and Cimzia.