Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications Anyone here on Humira?

I have been on Humira now for about 2 years. No major problems. It is slowly losing affect and I take it once a week. One issue once they had me take methotrexate with it. The Methotrexate seemed to make me more sensitive to getting side affects. On Humira alone I have a lot less problems.

Tim

Hey Sue,

I was also started out on Enbrel and then moved onto Humira. If the Enbrel was 35% effective then Humira is about 45%. Not much difference for me. I am completely unaware of any side-effects and your post has me wondering...maybe I should dig out those info sheets because I don't remember any warnings? Gulp.

I do tend to get some wicked headaches when I've missed my shot though? Not sure if that is related or not yet.

Hi, (Sorry - don't know your name?)

Thanks for your reply. I had my 2nd Humira shot last week and can't say I've noticed any improvement yet. However, am definitely getting an increase in my jaw pain, but whether it's psychosematic (sp?) or not I've no idea! I'm having inxd IBS symptoms as well, especially on the days following mtx!

Have you found any of these meds help with your UC, or are you on something else for that? My daughter also suffers from it. She's on something like Sulfasalazine, but w/out the sulfa, as we're both allergic to it

Good luck and best wishes,
Sue

Hi Tim

Thanks for your reply.

Sorry to hear the effects are starting to wear off now. Did it help a lot to begin with? How long were you on mtx? Had you been on it w/out Humira with any problems? Are you going to talk to your rheumy about trying something else?

I had my 2nd shot last week and I've had severe jaw pain (like I used to get!) the last few days. I think it may be worse since I took mtx a couple of days ago (I have 7.5mgs 2 x weekly), tho it could be a coincidence or even my imagination?! I know that, whenever I've needed Prednisone in the past my jaw pain inxs as well.

I also seem to be having a return of some IBS symptoms lately - including heartburn - which I've not had in ages, even when I was on Enbrel.
I wonder if things will settle back down again in time or continue to worsen?

Take care,
Sue

At the moment, I'm on Gabapentin, Tylenol 3s and Humira for the AS and Asacol for the UC. To be honest, it's hard to keep track of all the drugs they've pumped into me.

I had a severe reaction to Sulphasalizine just before I was sent to the hospital for three weeks a couple of summers ago - Prednisone saved me from crapping in a bag for the rest of my life (knock on wood) and the Asacol has kept things mostly under control since then.

Beyond that I'm just taking it one day at a time and trying to sort out the insane repurcussions of being diagnosed with two incurable diseases.

Best of luck and I hope the Humira has a more dramatic effect for you - I'm not sure if it just doesn't work that well or if I'm just becoming a bigger whiner as the months go by?

Thanks again for your reply and good wishes.

It certainly is hard work trying to keep track of all these meds!
The stuff my daughter's on is Masalazine (she and I both got pretty sick on the Sulfaszlazine too!)Don't know anything about Asacol?
Sorry you have to deal with both UC and AS, although I know there's a strong link between the 2.

I'm not sure if the Humira is doing anything for me either (had my 3rd shot last night). Definitely not my "miracle cure" so far anyhow

Best of luck to you too.

Sue

Well I'm in the military...until January anyway, and they are paying for my meds. I was reluctant to continue using Humira because of the costs involved but my doctor talked me into staying on it. He said, if there is an improvement, even a small one, then it's worth it. I think he's right...next year, if I'm stuck having to pay for it myself, I think I might change my mind - maybe it'll be cheaper to become an alcoholic or something?

Just kidding.

I hope things are going well for you.

Ok I am busting out laughing! I swear I have thought the same thing..
I have been on Humira for about 3 months now and I don't know if I am any better. I don't have as much pain but I don't know which is worse..pain pills or Humira. Hope you get better so you don't have to pay for it or take it.

Hey Sue,

I hope this works for you. I have been on Humira for about 3 months and I still have pain. I am not sure which out ways the other due to the effects. I do have some good days and actually feel like I am my old self but it comes and goes. I am so new to all this and these drugs I can't offer alot of usefull advice but I do understand what you are going through.
Best Wishes

I was on MTX for about 6 months with Humira. My liver started failing so he put me on Humira once a week and dropped the MTX. The main reason he started the Humira is because I was going blind. They were going to send me home with no treatment. I had Iritis and Uvitis mainly in my left eye with it starting in my right. I could see only shapes out of my left with permanent dilation. The MTX nor any other treatments did not help. This was on top of the joint and tendon swelling. I was allergic to Oral steroids and was a steroid responder with my eye's. The other problems were in my lower back, upper neck, chest, hips, wrist, fingers, arm, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Within two weeks of being on Humira all problems with my eye's have stopped. I still have permanent dilation and cataracts. No more problems with acute glaucoma either. Humira has most affect on my eye's, hips, lower back, and upper neck. Less affect on other areas. Because of how my joints are being damaged and which ones are being affected he diagnosed me first with RA then later added AS. I take NSAIDs with the Humira.

For me I do not think it will ever settle down. I've tried NSD for about a year with minimal success. probably because I do not fit the classical RA or AS. No RA factor. I am negative for the gene. But as soon as I lesson the medication or overdo it the symptoms overpower everything.

Prednisone besides being one of the worst medications for symptoms can kill me. But for you I would be careful. It has a very long list of issues. MTX I would not wish on my worst enemy.

Tim