Imuran and remicade

imuran and remicade

Has anyone taken Imuran along with Remicade?? I am currently on remicade every 8 wks and also taking entocort. I seem to do well for a while and start to go off entocort but then flare up again. My GI said I might have to try imuran with remicade. I know this increases cancer risk but not sure how much.
Thanks for any info
Becky

I tried Imuran and it did not agree with me at all. Was like I had eaten some bad seafood!!
But that is just me Im a weirdo when it comes to meds in my body.

I hope it works for you

I was on imuran before I started remicade but is wasnt doing enough. My GI said now they say that taking the 2 together can be helpful

Yeah thats what my GI says too. Works better when you pair a immunosuppressant (imuran) with a TNF blocker (Remicade)

I started Imuran and Remicade at the same time in November 2008. I was also coming off of prednisone at the same time, and have been on pentasa for years.
I too was worried about the incurable type of rare cancer that has been seen with combines Imuran/Remi use, so I asked my GI if I should quit one or the other. He was thinking to quit the Remi but left the decision up to me, and I quit the Imuran. I was on the two together for about 9 months I think. I am in 95% remission right now.
On the brighter side, that type of cancer was usually found in adolescent males. It was just a chance I didn't want to take for too long.
Good luck with your decision, sometimes we have to take risks now and hope for the best later.

Hi Becky - I just pulled out my notes from this conference I went to back in July and found this:

If you are just taking immunomodulators alone (6MP/AZA) your risk of getting non-Hodgkins lymphoma is .04% (or 4/10,000). If you combine anti-TNF's with immunomodulators your risk increases from 4/10,000 to 6/10,000. I also made note that if taking only immunomodulators your risk of dying from lymphoma is .01-.02% (or 1-2/10,000). I have also heard what MBH said about the risk being higher in adolescent males.

^ very interesting, thanks Peaches

Thank for the info!

Imuran and Remi

Hi Becky-


I have been on this combination for some time. Probably 2004 - 2008, then off for a year in 2009, but flared off and on all year in 09. Found that I could not go without the Imuran and Remi combo. The Imuran sort of made the Remi last longer. Without Imuran I was flaring after 4 weeks between 8 week Remi treatments. I was nervous about the cancer risk as well, but nothing else has worked so good for me. So for now I am back on it again. With 6 week infusions, instead of 8.

I was told when I was on it immuran/remicade too avoid the sun

gadget- normally week 6-7 I start having problems. I go see GI on the 23rd so that is when I will start.

Rob- thanks for the info. Good thing I am not a beach person!!

I am on Imuran and Remicade, (as well as prednisone, pentasa, belladonna, bentyl, percocet, was on entocort but quit that one!) I am not seeing any improvments I have actually gotten worse. I have had three infusions and been on Imuran for about four months and on and off steroids for over two years. I am to the giving up point. Has anyone on here just quit all the meds and dealt with the pain? I mean, it's not healing me, or making me go into remission, so what is the point? I feel I should just manage my pain and cut all the other meds out. It's just too much.

Hey there I started remicade just 8 weeks ago and had my third infusion but Im on Imuran too. My doc told me research is constantly flipping between taking both or just remicade but currently she believes studies show its best to be on both. Peaches info there was pretty interesting. Nice to know I only have a .01-.02% of fatal lymphoma from this. Thanks for that.

sick'o'crohns said:

I am to the giving up point. Has anyone on here just quit all the meds and dealt with the pain? I mean, it's not healing me, or making me go into remission, so what is the point? I feel I should just manage my pain and cut all the other meds out. It's just too much.

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I have a friend who did just that. Was on Remicade and Imuran and couldn't deal with the side affects. The Remicade was slowly not working anymore and he was getting pain back only a few weeks after his infusion. He did some research and found out that a gluten free diet could help him out. He's been medication free for months now, and has found that it works well for him. I don't know much about it, but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to check it out if that's an option you'd like to try.

Umm I highly suggest not 'just dealing with it' as things will get worse unless some diet somehow woks for you. I was on asacol for 2 years just dealing with it and at 16 I thought I guess this is how it is... I went from mild to quite moderate status almost had 2 sections of my colon swell closed, mouth ulcers, and substantial weight loss. Im now much worse off because asacol was doing nothing for me for 2 years.

I also found a study that said imuran and remicade combo puts 60% of people in remission at 24 wks, the next highest treatment is steroids at 41%. i made a thread called remicade review in treatment with the link if anyone wanted to look at the study.

I was on Humira for six months With no results I have been taking Remicade and I'm on my second infusion but still no luck wondering what to do next .

Jimmy g said:

I was on Humira for six months With no results I have been taking Remicade and I'm on my second infusion but still no luck wondering what to do next .

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If you are in an acute you have to do an at least short prednisone taper as the Rem may keep you in remission but not get you there.