Potential side effects of Remicade include infections, infusion reactions, stomach pain, and headaches. Most people, however, tolerate the medication without problems. If side effects do occur, they are usually minor and easily treated. However, if you experience more serious Remicade side effects, such as difficulty breathing, seizures, or unexplained bleeding, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately.
An Introduction to Remicade Side Effects
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Remicade® (
infliximab). However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Remicade. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Remicade side effects with you.)
Common Remicade Side Effects
Remicade has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which the side effects of a group of people taking the drug are documented and compared to another group not taking the medicine. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
In these studies, the most common side effects of Remicade included:
- Infections -- in up to 74 percent of people
- "Infusion reactions" (fever, chills, or other side effects that happen while Remicade is administered intravenously) -- up to 20 percent
- Headaches -- up to 18 percent
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain) -- up to 12 percent
- Coughing -- up to 12 percent
- Anemia -- up to 11 percent
- Heartburn or indigestion -- up to 11 percent
- Blood in the stool -- up to 10 percent
- A rash -- up to 10 percent.
Other common side effects of Remicade, occurring in 7 to 9 percent of people, included:
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