Remicade Side Effects

There are a series of adverse effects that are associated with taking Remicade:

• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Headache
• Back pain
• Runny nose
• White patches in the mouth
• Flushing
• Vaginal itching or burning and pain sensations.
• Signs of yeast infection

There are more serious adverse effects that are associated with taking Remicade:

• Types of rash which can include rashes on the cheeks or arms that worse under the sun
• Chest pain
• Sudden weight gain
• Swelling of the feet, stomach, ankles or lower legs
• Shortness of breath
• Blurry vision or other vision changes
• Weakness in arms or legs
• Joint or muscle pain
• Numbness or tingling sensation in the body
• Seizures
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Dark urine
• Loss of appetite
• Pain in the upper right part of stomach
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Bloody stools
• Paleness of skin
• Red and scaly patches or pus-filled bumps on skin

Adults who receive Remicade injections are more likely to develop skin and other types of cancers and lymphoma than autoimmune patients who do not receive Remicade.

Warnings & Recalls for Remicade

There are certain conditions that hinder a patient’s ability to be prescribed Remicade:

• Yellowing of the skin or the eyes from liver problems
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Demyelinating disease
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome
• Sudden blindness and pain associated with moving the eye
• Resolved Hepatitis B
• Relapse of Hepatitis B infection symptoms
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatosplenic T-cell Lymphoma
• Chronic Heart Failure
• Severe Heart Failure
• Pneumonia caused by Legionella Pneumophila bacteria
• Chronic Hepatitis B
• Infection that has been caused by a virus
• Abscess in the abdomen
• Liver Inflammation caused by the body's own immune response
• Hepatitis
• Liver problems
• Severe liver disease
• Lupus-like syndrome
• Abscess
• Seizures
• Candidiasis yeast infection that can spread throughout the body
• Abnormal liver function tests
• Infection due to Candida fungus
• Infection caused by Coccidioides fungus
• Type of infection caused by Histoplasmosis fungus
• Infection caused by Blastomyces Dermatitidis fungus
• A fungal infection – Aspergillosis
• A mother who’s lactating and breastfeeding
• Infection caused by a fungus
• A fungal infection that occurs under certain circumstances
• Active tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis of lungs that can spread to other parts of the body
• Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis Carinii
• Infection by Pneumocystis Carinii that’s not present in the lungs
• Severe infection
• Infection that lasts a long duration
• Inactive Tuberculosis
• Reactivated Tuberculosis
• Sepsis Syndrome
• Malignant Lymphoma
• Malignant Tumor or Cancer
• Leukemia
• Infection caused by the bacteria Listeria Monocytogenes
• Reduction of the body's resistance to infection
• Acquired decrease of all cells in the blood
• Decreased blood platelets count
• Decreased white blood cell count
• Decreased neutrophils a certain type of white blood cell

In 2002, there was a recall initiated by the FDA in response to customer complaints about a lack of a vacuum in the vial and other defects.  Other than that, there hasn’t been a voluntary recall by the FDA or the manufacturer Centocor, Inc. regarding this drug.  It is worth noting however that the FDA issued a “Black Box” warning regarding a cancer scare with this drug in 2009.

Remicade Treatment and Use

Remicade | Infliximab is a drug that comes in the form of an injection.  It is used to relieve the symptoms associated with autoimmune disorders, which are conditions in which the immune system attacks otherwise healthy parts of the body which in turn causes swelling, pain and damage.  Remicade is used to alleviate rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, anklylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis.  Outside of autoimmune disorders, it can also be used to treat Behcet’s syndrome.  It is an artificial antibody.  The drug classification of Remicade is that of a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor.  It works by blocking TNF-alpha, which is a substance found in the body that causes inflammation.    In the US, it is marketed by Centocor, Inc. and won approval by the FDA in August of 1998.  Remicade can cost $25,000 a year per patient and can be covered under major medical insurance rather than prescription drug insurance.  The time intervals between injections last 6 to 8 weeks and injections are usually done at hospitals or at clinics.

Other Names for Remicade

Infliximab Injection

Lawsuits & Legal Information for Remicade