Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

Humira Question

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Martinco
Regular Member
Joined : Oct 2015
Posts : 148
Posted 1/23/2021 6:16 PM (GMT -7)
Hi folks,

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I experienced a decently long remission and checked now and then.

Any way, according to my doctor now instead of mesalamine > biologics, the research has shown that in the long term starting with biologics is best. I’m also hoping for relief from my terrible arthritis so I’m open to it.

Can anyone share their experiences? Will remission happen very soon (if I respond well)? How long could it last? Will the drug stop working soon? How strict does a person need to be with their diet?

Thanks!
profile picture
FlowersGal
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 913
Posted 1/24/2021 4:04 PM (GMT -7)
I went on entyvio a year after diagnosis after mesalamine didn’t put me in remission and only prednisone relieved my symptoms. Took about 4 months to be symptom free which is normal for entyvio but I had many small improvements along the way. Been in remission for almost 4 years now and can eat normally again. I don’t limit foods or even think about it most days.

Good luck!!!!
profile picture
noodlesnoodles
Regular Member
Joined : Nov 2015
Posts : 381
Posted 1/26/2021 1:51 AM (GMT -7)
There are people that have been in remission on biologics for decades.
profile picture
iPoop
Forum Moderator
Joined : Aug 2012
Posts : 16194
Posted 1/29/2021 5:33 PM (GMT -7)
Welcome back!

Will remission happen very soon (if I respond well)? Remission can take 3-6 months roughly. Healing is a slow process but steady improvements are a good thing.

How long could it last? I'm 8 years within a remission on remicade. A few forum members started remicade during the clinical trials of remicade in the late 1990's and are still on it last I knew. Never a guarantee, some switch biologics in a year or few.

Will the drug stop working soon? There's a 20 percent chance of loss of initial response. Many regain response by increasing dosing (more frequent shots/infusions).

How strict does a person need to be with their diet? I am not. Eat whatever I want. Biologics don't cure food intolerances (an intolerance to gluten or dairy does not go away). In a Remission you can generally eat a wider variety of foods.
profile picture
Martinco
Regular Member
Joined : Oct 2015
Posts : 148
Posted 1/29/2021 5:53 PM (GMT -7)
John,

I very much appreciate your response. This forum is so great.

When I first started here there was a guy who was on a spinach and sunflower butter only diet. Do you remember that?

Anyway, I’m hoping to get on it soon
profile picture
Jane974
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2017
Posts : 418
Posted 1/29/2021 8:58 PM (GMT -7)

Martinco said...
Hi folks,


Any way, according to my doctor now instead of mesalamine > biologics, the research has shown that in the long term starting with biologics is best. I’m also hoping for relief from my terrible arthritis so I’m open to it.

Can anyone share their experiences? Will remission happen very soon (if I respond well)? How long could it last? Will the drug stop working soon? How strict does a person need to be with their diet?

Thanks!

I'm very confused by your post. I have consulted with many GI's at the top research institutes and have never heard anyone recommend a biologic as first line over mesalamine unless someone doesn't respond or in very severe disease. In fact, all GI's were reluctant to consider entyvio fo me after I developed intolerance to mesalamine because I have mild or moderate disease. Mesalamine is way safer than any biologic overall and you are not suppressing your immune system. Your immune system is your most important asset so you really don't want to mess with it unless you are out of options.

If I am understanding correctly, you want to go on Humira to manage arthritis even though you wrote you have been in remission (this is unclear)? There are way safer options for arthritis than Humira, unless you have RA. Talk to a rheumatologist. I am part of the FB entyvio group that has about 10k members. Humira gets some mixed reviews and people mention some pretty scary side effects they experienced that made them withdraw from the drug too, like medication induced lupus, lung infections and skin cancers. Enytvio has fewer dangerous side effects, but is also not easy to manage for some at least. I wouldn't do it unless i was out of options and didn't respond to mesalamine.

You can max out mesalamine, switch to another mesalamine formulation, try sulfasalazine (this helps with arthritis too) or add daily rectals (budesonide if needed) before considering a biologic as well.

Are you benefitting from IBD-AID diet? I think it's a more balanced and less restrictive than SCD and I like the focus on anti-inflammatory foods and probiotic rich ones.

Post Edited (Jane974) : 1/29/2021 9:07:51 PM (GMT-7)

profile picture
poopydoop
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2018
Posts : 922
Posted 1/30/2021 3:02 PM (GMT -7)

Martinco said...
Any way, according to my doctor now instead of mesalamine > biologics, the research has shown that in the long term starting with biologics is best. I’m also hoping for relief from my terrible arthritis so I’m open to it.

I've also heard this before and wish I'd started biologics sooner instead of having under treated inflammation for years. I've been on a few different ones and have no significant side effects to report, other than 4 colds in 4 months on entyvio.

Diet is a very personal thing. It helps some people and not others. There is no one right diet to follow. I avoid foods that make me feel worse when I'm flaring, and try to eat a healthy and balanced diet in general.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply

More On Ulcerative Colitis

Prebiotics And Probiotics: A Simple Guide

Prebiotics And Probiotics: A Simple Guide

Living With An Ostomy

Living With An Ostomy



HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter InstagramInstagram PinterestPinterest LinkedInLinkedIn
© 1997-2021 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.