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Humira for Crohns disease after small bowel resection?

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  • 10-05-2017 1:58pm
    #1
    hermajesty
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi,

    I have crohns disease 22yrs now and had my first surgery 6 months ago due to a stricture.. Op went very well and I have recently been back in to see docs. I was told there is evidence of active disease in the small bowel and because of this they want to start me on humira in order to avoid further strictures and ops. I feel great no pain or diarrhoea, healthy weight etc. Is there an alternative to humira. I previously had one infusion of infliximab in 1999 when it was on trial. Doc says infliximab is only for very sick patients now. I know it is a similar drug to humira. Doctor was adamant that I don't have any other options... Also was told to stop taking pentasa which I have been on since first diagnosed. She said it is absolutely no use for my crohns. Why have I been on it so long then!? Any advice is very much appreciated. Thx.


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    #2
    inca2
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭inca2


    hermajesty wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have crohns disease 22yrs now and had my first surgery 6 months ago due to a stricture.. Op went very well and I have recently been back in to see docs. I was told there is evidence of active disease in the small bowel and because of this they want to start me on humira in order to avoid further strictures and ops. I feel great no pain or diarrhoea, healthy weight etc. Is there an alternative to humira. I previously had one infusion of infliximab in 1999 when it was on trial. Doc says infliximab is only for very sick patients now. I know it is a similar drug to humira. Doctor was adamant that I don't have any other options... Also was told to stop taking pentasa which I have been on since first diagnosed. She said it is absolutely no use for my crohns. Why have I been on it so long then!? Any advice is very much appreciated. Thx.

    Humira is generally a step up treatment-wise from Pentasa. So it's not to say that it hasn't been effective before, it clearly has if you are now symptom-free, but that it probably isn't the most suitable choice anymore. Perhaps the doctors are thinking more along the lines of preventing of further issues for you now, which the Pentasa may not be able to do? It's impossible to say without knowing your history though.

    Infliximab is one of the last resorts in terms of this type of treatment. It's very expensive, time-consuming and would have greater risk of side effects than the likes of Humira. You can administer the Humira yourself at home in 2 minutes. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I'm sure you would be flying it after a short time.

    Best of luck with it all


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