Infliximab

tenbury
tenbury Member Posts: 52
edited 26. Sep 2014, 01:45 in Living with Arthritis archive
Is there anyone on this, my friend has to start it and would love to know more about it, .

Comments

  • As5567
    As5567 Member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was on it for around 9 months.

    It was probably the best drug I've had, it worked very quick and very well. Sadly after 9 months I had an allergic reaction to it and was then taken off the drug. But don't let that put your friend off, you're constantly monitored while the drug is being given for any type of reaction and are in good hands. The first 6 months of infusions there will be a lot of waiting around after the medication has finished, I think you have a 2 hour infusion and a 2 hour wait just to make sure you dont have any reaction in that time frame (That's the time frame you're most at risk of a reaction, although according to the nurses if you're going to have a reaction 99% of the time its during the infusion)

    Your friend is likely to feel tired and sleepy after the infusion so its best that someone goes with him/her if possible so it's one less thing to worry about. The only side effects I got from the drug were: Headache and feeling exhausted. Both of these went after a LONG deep sleep. After my infusion I would often get home around 3pm, go to sleep around 5pm and wake up 8-10AM the following morning feeling rather good.

    It would be a good idea to drink plenty of fluids and have a good breakfast/dinner before the infusion, it helps getting IV access and most importantly it helps the body absorb the drug more effectively. You will also need to provide a urine sample before the infusion so the extra fluids also help with that. Wear something comfy that you can relax in. I'm not sure how your infusion center will be like but mine had very nice electric chairs that extended to a lay flat bed with massage functions, they were really comfy and easy on the joints. It was easy to sit there for 4 hours where as I find most chairs uncomfy after an hour or so.

    If there is anything specific you would like to know let me know. I assume you have been given the information pack and leaflets about the drug?

    If not take a look at this http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/infliximab.aspx This information is what you find on a common leaflet given to patients starting this drug, there is also an information pack that is sometimes given out which comes with a huge booklet and DVD, if you have neither I'd suggest asking for them, they are worth a good read and really can put your mind at ease if you have any worries. Also if you do have any concerns you can talk them through with the infusion nurses, they usually have lots of experience with these drugs and often know a lot more about them than the doctors prescribing them.