Cimzia for Crohns

by Jennifer Perugini
(Lenswood S.A)

my name is Jennifer Perugini and I have suffered with Crohns disease for over twenty years ten years ago I had just had yet another operation and was at my wits end when my G.P suggested I go on a trial drug in which I agreed to do as there was nothing else out there that was working .I have tried every medication there was and none of them worked.it took six weeks before the trial drug started working for me and I was able to live a more normal life,I can go out and do shopping,see friends and the best thing of all is NO more operations.I have been on this trial for ten years now and as a result of the drug which is now named Cimzia they found that it helped arthretic people as well. Cimzia is now released in Australia but only for people with Arthritis and not for Crohns.as I said before I have been on this drug for ten years and now the government are taking my medication away from me, which means my illness will come back in full force and I will loose my quality of life.This medication can help a lot of other people as well as my self.I am now begging the government to please,please allow me and others to have this medication as it is vital to my,quality of life as well as my mental health.

Comments for Cimzia for Crohns

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cimzia NEW
by: jackii

I am also on cimzia. I lost my insurance and it was going to be taken away from me. My dr contacted the makers of cimzia which is simplicity and they are giving it to me at no cost. Try to contact them its "Simplicity" in Kentucky. If i csn help in any way let mr know. Lots of luck
Cimzia for Crohns NEW
by: Lydia D.

All doctors can prescribe any medication for off-label use, provided that well-founded reasons are presented. This takes time and most doctors are unwilling to invest this extra time required for a patient that does not respond to standard therapy.

If you have already tried Remicade and Humira, which I believe must be authorised for the treatment of Crohns in Oz, then you would appear to have run out of options.

In order to move forward you should collate all your medical reports and with the help of your personal notes/your patient diary put a case together for your doctor to rework, sign and forward to your health insurers to convince them of the necessity for Cimzia for your well-being.

I suggest that you:

1) Read through the Australian clinical guidelines for IBD/Crohn's and check that you have had all the treatments listed. Ask your doctor which guideline he consults. If there is not an Australian guideline - use the British one. There is also a global IBD clinical practice guideline,

2) Contact the manufacturers in Australia and ask them if there is any possibility of extending your treatment on compassionate grounds. Say that your health has significantly deteriorated since you stopped the medication. Ask if there are any trials still ongoing. Beg for the medication if needs be - make sure you inform your doctor what you are doing because they are not going to supply you personally with any medication. They need a doctor's name,

3) Write to your health insurers with regard to the off-label use of Cimzia and what paperwork is requred,

4) Prepare a case yourself for your doctor to rewrite and submit. Provide your doctor with a table of medication, dates, side-effects, reason for stopping, etc.,

5) Prepare a history of your health tabulating Date(s)/In- or Outpatient/Symptoms/Diagnosis/Treatment.

6) Familiarise yourself with these links:
http://www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au/useful-links.php
www.worldgastroenterology.org/ assets/ downloads/ en/ pdf/ guidelines/ 21_inflammatory_bowel_disease.pdf
s3.gi.org/physicians/guidelines/CrohnsDiseaseinAdults.pdf
http://www.clinicalguidelines.gov.au/search.php?searchString=inflammatory+bowel+disease&itemsPerPage=10&pageNumber=0&pageType=1&Submit=Go
ex trucker NEW
by: mark

cimzia has a program wher they will give you this med. for free ,i know because i was on it for 1yr. Try contacting them at cimzia or cimplicitry.com .Hope this helps you

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