Testing post Remicade

You can have tests done, but after a year, it is completely out of your system. What they would be testing for while you were on it is CBC, liver function, kidney function, and inflammatory markers. If they are not normal, it would be due to factors other than the Remicade. I developed my aching joints before going on biologics.

Jan

Kristi -

I was on remicade as well and now have a jpouch (8 months). I have had the achy feeling and joint pain ever since the j pouch came. Always thought it was from being on steroids and remicade for so long. Now, I believe it is from the removal of the colon. I have seen other posts that we all have or have developed this type of pain over time or have it immediately. That is my take on this issue!

Roberta

If you have pouchitis, joint pain can be associated with it. In my case, my enteropathic arthrtitis was an autoimmune disease that was related to my UC, but with an independent course. I probably had it going on before my colectomy, but was on such a high dose of steroids, it was masked. Once I was weaned off of the prednisone after my j-pouch surgery, I had a lot of pain, so much that they thought maybe I had avascular necrosis. A bone scan showed inflammation in both SI joints, my knee, and shoulders. Ten years later it got much worse. THEN I went on biologics! So, you see, in my case for sure, not related to the biologics. They were the treatment, not the cause.

I had bouts of various tendinopathies decades before my colectomy, but always assumed they were something else. Turns out they were all related.

Jan