WILL I NEED TO TAKE ANY SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS WHILE BEING TREATED WITH IT?
Immediately after an infusion, you may feel tired and drowsy, especially if you have had medication to reduce side effects. For this reason, it could be a good idea to arrange for a taxi or for someone to drive you home after your infusion
Throughout your infliximab treatment, try to avoid close contact with people who have infections. Infliximab affects the way the body’s immune system works, so you may be more prone to infections. Also, even a mild infection such as a cold or sore throat could develop into a more serious illness when you are taking infliximab. Contact your doctor if you begin to feel unwell and think you may have caught an infection
You may also be at greater risk of becoming seriously ill if you become infected with chickenpox, shingles, measles and pneumococcal disease. Tell your doctor if you come into contact with anyone with these conditions
Take extra care with food hygiene and avoid eating raw eggs, pate or undercooked meat and poultry, as well as unpasteurised dairy products and soft or blue cheeses. You may be more open to the type of infections caused by bacteria such as listeria when being treated with infliximab
You will be advised to have an annual flu vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine while on infliximab treatment
Infliximab can increase the risk of skin reactions, and in rare cases skin cancer. You may wish to take extra precautions when in the sunlight, for example wearing a hat and high factor suncream
Be sure to attend when called for routine cervical screening by your GP. Precancerous cervical changes are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) and there have been some isolated cases of immunosuppressed patients developing a reactivation of the virus. There is no evidence linking cervical cancer to the use of biologics. Your doctor may advise you to have the HPV vaccination if you are eligible and have not already been vaccinated
