HI, REMICAIDE , along with other biologics can cause a great deal of side effects just as the other biologics, but if it will make one feel better, I am all for it and hope the benefits outweigh having the disease effects. I have been on Remicaide in the past and then it stopped working after a few months. But you must remember as with all medications, they interact in each person's body differently. I have been on Remicaide, Orencia was the longest biologic which lasted me or two years, Simponi which did not work at all, Humira was the first one I used only lasted a few months then I had a ba flare and crashed, Cimzia and Enbrel, and now I am on Rituxan and have not been on it long enough to know if it will hold me or not.
Some of the side effects are:Back pain; headache; mild stomach pain or upset; pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; runny or stuffy nose; and tiredness. Some even cause growths and lymphomas. One must just have to hope and pray for the best. Your doctor should be advising you of all the possible side effects as well.
The medications are expensive and there is assistance from some of the companies with payment that is not covered by the insurance companies. Rituxan is $10,000.00 per infusion which is given four times a year. What can one do, but hope that the medication will be covered by insurance. Good luck and keep us posted.

I used Remicade for about a year - it worked for the first few months and then stopped working, but that seems to be how meds work with me. It is expensive, but different insurance companies cover it differently. When I started it, my insurance company wanted me to pay about $500 per infusion (I applied for assistance from the pharmaceutical company, so most of that was covered and I think I needed to pay about $50 - if your insurance is really expensive, look into their assistance program). But when I got my insurance that I have now, the medication was covered at $20, plus the $25 office visit copay, which is much more acceptable.

I didn't really have many side effects from the Remicade - I'd get really tired the day of the infusion and need to go home and rest and sleep early, and still be a bit worn out the next day. Once I got a pretty bad sinus/ear infection after an infusion, and the last infusion I got I got all itchy, but no hives or anything, and the nurse giving me the infusion told me that itchiness could happen and to take some Benadryl. If it had actually helped control the pain, I wouldn't have minded staying on it - I didn't really get sick or anything.

thanks Ladies !! is is med hard on the liver like mtx ? my Rheumy did tell me about the chance of lowering my immune but dont they all? but she thinks this will control Ra and my lung disease.

Hello,
I started Remicade in April and got almost instantaneous relief-noticeable difference as soon as I stood up after the infusion. Thought it was my miracle drug.
But after the initial infusions, the relief only lasted 5 weeks and the goal is 8 weeks...Upped the dosage this last time and started itching with just 3 hives on my left arm. Stopped the drip, given more benedryl and then finished the infusion at a slower rate. Felt fine when I left, 90 minute drive home in traffic, 2 stops at stores along the way and still felt fine. Couple hours later started having significant back and leg pain and then extreme nausea. On call dr had me up my pred to 20 and then taper which helped, back to normal after 3 days. Of course then I had a bad flare after tapering back down to 5 on the pred. Feeling okay now, most joints under control just have my left knee which is always the worst but it's manageable. Not sure what we'll be doing next month when I am scheduled to go back.
On the plus side it hasn't affected my liver at all. Had issues when taking MTX and Azulfidine and had to stop but enzymes were well within normal last check when I was just having the remicade infusions.
I have United Healthcare for insurance and I just pay 25 copay for the office visit.
Don't want to cause you any alarm, it definitely does give relief. If it's up to me, I will continue but at the lower dose and just go more often. Not sure what my rheumy will advise though. All these drugs are a little scary.

If you have lung disease are you seeing a pulmonologist as well?

I was on Remicade for five years, then had to go off it because my liver levels were a problem. I would do it all over again - it helped me so much. Just be sure to be tested regularly to nip any problems in the bud.