Brief Answer:
Infliximab

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thank you for writing on health care magic

Well, Infliximab is usually a safe drug when used but most of them do come with some side effects.

1. The most important part before using Infliximab, is to get evaluated for Tuberculosis and Hepatitis B/C/HIV. Considering your location, Tuberculosis is very unlikely but the recommendations are to get it checked as infliximab can re activate the latent Tuberculosis lying in our body. At the same time, it can activate Hepatitis B/C Virus if they are present.

2. At the time of infusion, it can cause infusion reactions that is when we start the drug causing chills, fever, rashes. But these are very minor and usually tend to go away with anti allergics.

3. Considering you have hypertension, do get a 2 D Echo done before you take the infusion. Although it does not affect the heart, but if the heart functions( ejection fraction) are low it should be avoided.

4. Yes the risk of infections is a bit more than general population especially Upper and lower respiratory tract along with urinary tract infections. But it is mostly self limiting infections which tend to go off with antibiotic course( rarely requiring admission)

5. But yes, when you say undifferentiated autoimmune disorder, I would like to know what exactly you mean by that??As Infliximab is to be avoided in patients having connective tissue disorder like Lupus. So, if you could throw some light on it, it would be beneficial

All in all, it is a very safe drug as we use it quite often. But i would like to know if Methotrexate has been tried yet? Methotrexate is equally good for psoriatic arthritis and if your joint pains are due to psoriatic arthritis it will respond to MEthotrexate as well.

Do let me know these queries

Await your reply

REgards
Dr Naval

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Brief Answer:
Infliximab side effects

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Sorry for the delayed reply. Was caught up in hospital duty.

Oh k. So that s why they are prescribing you Infliximab as there was no response to Methotrexate.

As long as you dont have connective tissue problem , you are good to take this injection. My only concern would be to be sure the symptoms are not due to fibromyalgia but due to Psoriatic arthritis. I am sure your Rheumatologist has sorted it out before prescribing you with infliximab

Infliximab doesn't not cause weight gain as such. Steroids are the ones mostly associated with weight gain and then a little bit weight gain is known with Etarnacept( Infliximabs brother sorts) but not with this drug. So you need not worry about it.

I hope the information was useful. Do let me know for more queries. Would be happy to sort it out for you

Regards
Dr Naval

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