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New member...

Hey everyone, Im new to the site, definatly not new to crohns disease tho!
I was diagnosed dec 2004, at the age of 14. I was malnurished (sp?), anemic, wayyy underwieght. It got to the point that I was in the hospital, 5'5", and only 65lbs. I developed a stricture in my small bowel (I only have crohns in my small bowl as of now), and needed surgery to remove it, but I was not healthy enough to survive a surgery. I was put on a feeding tube that went past the stricture for 2 months, and gained enough weight to have the surgery. After, I was able to eat again but the crohn's was still out of control. It took over a year of high doses of prednisone to finally get it in control. But recently I have started a flare, and Im not responding to the pred. My doc is putting me on cimzia, and Im pretty worried about it. From what I have read it sounds risky, Especially since I have had valley fever when I was young.
Anyway, just wanted to say hi and tell a lil about myself!
 

Crohn's 35

Inactive Account
Hi Scott Welcome:welcome: Glad you are here and you will get alot of help from people here.

You sound like you have been through alot of pain, and we understand fear of the drugs of any kind. Remicade, Humira and Cimzia are the biologics of choice Cimzia being the latest that I know of. Even though you read alot of side effects you may never get any... The trials in the studies have to list all, even if on a placebo. We all are different in our disease as well as the drugs that we take. You have to decide what is the best recourse for you. Scary as it seems, getting the Crohn's under control is the first place to start. You must be in a bad flare for Prednisone not to work, I would sooner be on Cimzia (not in Canada) than Prednisone but that is my opinion. I have been on Remicade and Humira but was't my drug. Hopefully you can decide what is best for you so you can get the relief you need. Take care, let us know what you decide!
 

imisspopcorn

Punctuation Impaired
:welcome: Scott....Valley Fever, a fellow desert rat..that is a nasty illness to get. I was tested for it when I was first ill before I got my Crohn's diagnosis...Were you able to get over it or do you have it chronically now?....There are a few people here who are currently on Cimzia....I hope it can help your current flare.
 
Jettalady said:
Hi Scott Welcome:welcome: Glad you are here and you will get alot of help from people here.
You sound like you have been through alot of pain, and we understand fear of the drugs of any kind. Remicade, Humira and Cimzia are the biologics of choice Cimzia being the latest that I know of. Even though you read alot of side effects you may never get any... The trials in the studies have to list all, even if on a placebo. We all are different in our disease as well as the drugs that we take. You have to decide what is the best recourse for you. Scary as it seems, getting the Crohn's under control is the first place to start. You must be in a bad flare for Prednisone not to work, I would sooner be on Cimzia (not in Canada) than Prednisone but that is my opinion. I have been on Remicade and Humira but was't my drug. Hopefully you can decide what is best for you so you can get the relief you need. Take care, let us know what you decide!
Thank you! That is good to know. Im so tired of Prednisone, Im in a way happy (yet scared) to try something else, even if it is more risky.


imisspopcorn said:
:welcome: Scott....Valley Fever, a fellow desert rat..that is a nasty illness to get. I was tested for it when I was first ill before I got my Crohn's diagnosis...Were you able to get over it or do you have it chronically now?....There are a few people here who are currently on Cimzia....I hope it can help your current flare.
I was able to get over it, I was young and when I started to have respritory problems again, the doc said I had Valley Fever when I was very, very young.
 

imisspopcorn

Punctuation Impaired
Then I don't think you need to worry about again? Or has the doctor said it is an issue...I was born and raised in L.V. and most people here are exposed and don't have issues....My father in law who is from Rhode Island originally had a portion of his lung removed from Valley Fever, but he has no other issues......

I am just curious because I am on Remicade, it was never mentioned to me.
 
Honestly in not sure if I should really be concerned, its just having that history and still having unresolve respritory problems that worries me about going on cimzia
 
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