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Intestinal fistula

Does anyone here have a history of intestinal fistula? I have been on Remicade for crohns since seven years ago and my GI just increased the dosage to 10mg every 6 weeks to see if it helps closing the fistula. According to the MRI, I have a fistula between ileum and sigmoid. I am scared bec I read it can put the body into a septic shock. I am seeing a colorectal surgeon in four weeks. I am also on 6MP since four months ago. My GI is not sure how long the fistula has been there. Is there a chance that increased dosage of Remicade closes the fistula? Or can Entyvio or Humira help? I don't want to have surgery. Any experience or info that you can share will be appreciated.
 
I had a fistula in the same area last year. I was told that increased dosage of humira or any biologic was the best course of treatment and would possibly close the fistula.

I never got to find out if that would work or not due to a small tear in my terminal ileum which caused me to need surgery in which they also repaired my two fistulas.

Are you on antibiotics at all?
 
I have one currently and any answer we give won't help you, because we're not you. I'm currently taking Apriso and Cimzia... they do nothing for me.

I have to do the surgery.

I'm with you; I don't want it either.

Now that I think about it, I have three in that spot where the small bowel intersects the large. I forget what it's called.
 
My surgeon told me after my surgery 16 years ago that I had a fistula from my ileum to my ascending colon. He removed the fistula and repaired the colon with a piece of healthy colon that he had removed because of surrounding disease. I had tried remicade before the surgery but I did not get lasting relief. My doctor did not know before the surgery that I had a fistula. If he had known how bad the stricture and fistula were, he would have sent me to surgery sooner. In those days, remicade was given every eight weeks even in the beginning of treatment. I begged for more sooner but then I couldn't tolerate it. If I had been able to tolerate it, I don't know if it would have healed the fistula. It couldn't have healed the stricture. The damage was already done.
 
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