New to Humira

[teeberg]

Hi everyone,

[CaMama]

Hi Tee! Congrats on sucessful first shot! It is a big deal! I'm terrified of needles and doc wants me to start Enbrel someday!

I believe there are a few people on Humeria here...hopefully, they'll get to you soon. It's been a pretty slow few days around here.

Take care, I hope relief is coming your way soon.

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[shoregirl]

Hi Tee!
I recently started Humira and already i can say you should be very proud of giving yourself that injection, because I still haven't been able to do it. My doctor gave me the first two, and my hubby just gave me my third.
After my first shot, i felt better by the second night. Kind of took the edge off. After the second shot, i seemed to have
pain back, but not as bad as i was before i started. Just had my third shot and i still feel better than before i started.
I still have stiff and sore joints (some swollen), but they seem to have eased up as far as hurting.
I am hoping to feel even better as time goes.
Congrats for giving yourself the injection and good luck.
Caprie
PS> No side effects as of yet! Knock wood.

[curley]

Hi,glade that you are giveing the chance to try humira.I would like to say that Humira has really helped me,I was on Methotrexate first and then Humira was added to the mix and at the time I started Humira I was in a wheel-chair becausethe pain so so sever and I was so swollen (edema)that I could no longer walk.When I started Humira I did take my first shot in my Rheumatolagist office to make sure that I did not have a reaction to it.I then started giveing my self the shots I was all ready use to giving my self shots because of the methotrexate so that part was not a big deal to me.I was on humira for about three and half months when I srated noticing that it was working and I was able to get out of the wheel-chair for a few minutes and then back in to the chair but I had to have theraphey because I had lost all the streanth in my legs.So I wish you much luck and hope that it works for you like it did for me.

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Thanks

[teeberg]

Thanks for your replies and positive notes.  I will be chatting with you!

 

Take care of you,

Tee

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Dx: Fibro, RA,Osteo Arthritis,  Polyarthritis, Asthma, IBS, Migraines, TMJ, Insomnia, Ischemic Colitis, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Vasovagal Syncope, Low Blood Pressure, Allergies, Bladder etc...

 

 

 

[user11]

Dear Tee,

[Sudz]

Hey Humira Users;

Just the read the following article you might find interesting....

BOSTON, June 26 (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories Inc. (ABT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday that U.S. regulators have approved a new delivery device for its rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira.

The company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Humira Pen, which has a needle that is not visible during the injection and is less painful for most patients than the current method of injection beneath the skin via a prefilled syringe.

Humira is approved for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The dosing schedule remains the same.

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-SLE, RA & PA....it's all about the acronyms!

-Current meds: Plaquenil, Sulfasalazine, and a little NSAID du jour for flavouring. Mmmmm NSAIDs.

[RedRose77]

I too am new to Humira and was wondering how long it takes to see ANY effect. My first injection was Tuesday night and I had BAD nausea Wednesday and Thursday. I felt good for a few hours today but am back to pain so bad I want to cry.

My hubby injected me because I have a needle phobia. My doctor said if he is ever unavailable I can come in and get it done for me. I just can't handle needles. I about had a panic attack just picking up the medication. My needle phobia stems from some rather abusive medical professionals who were responsible for blood draws and IV placement when I was a young child. Some people should NEVER be given control over anyone- and most especially they should never be given a needle either. Having bad veins doesn't help given how often I have to get blood work and IVs.

I have SLE and psoriasis. My rheumy suspects either RA or PA. I also have osteoarthritis and lupus arthritis and spinal fractures. I refused vicodin and other narcotic meds but am begining to regret it as tramadol is not working very well. I am now on celebrex and pray for the return of vioxx. I am lucky in that my psoriasis is limited to 2 locations. Scalp and another I prefer not to name. It was really bad and I have thin skin and thinning bones so steroids are a bad idea even when absolutely necessary.

I really appreciate how lucky I got with the psoriasis when i read about people who have it as bad as some who posted here have described. I wish these nasty diseases would all be cured. In the meantime could someone who has been on humira tell all of us who are new to the drug how long it takes to know if it will work and the soonest benifits can be seen. I would also love if someone could help me understand how long it will take before I know if this is RA or PA given neg RF and neg on a more specific test but that fewer RA patients test positive for though positive results are almost exclusive to RA patients. THANKS.

[user11]

Hi RedRose,

Awe, I don't blame you for the needle fear.  Sounds as if it was terrifically traumatic.  Just so you know, I'm a lovely stick!  I was taught well, and give marvelous injections & blood draws! So gentle nurses & techs are out there.  I know the ones you speak of!    When I was on the unit patients were apprehensive sometimes about needles.  Rest assured when I told them I give myslef 2 injections a week...they felt a lot better.

Now with the Humira, depending on the combo of meds with it & the severity of the arthritis...realistically look to 3 to 6 months.  Some folks swear that after 3 or 4 weeks they have marked improvements...but each person is unique. 

Personally, it wasn't unitl almost a complete year on Humira then upping the dose to every 4 days and adding Imuran did I start to get results.  Well, the RA stopped getting worse that is...but for me, that was good.

It's never too late to reconsider opioid pain management.  Narcotics will not help inflammatory pain, but they will assist with pain in general & in all make things easier.

Remain optimistic but try not to get your hopes up for immediate results.  Keep strong mentally & don't lose your determination.

Sincerely,

erin

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Active, Severe Rheumatory Arthritis. Crohns. AS. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. Partial complex seizures. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung & Heart. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.

[RedRose77]

Thank you so much for replying to me Erin. I am already on 200mg plaquenil bid and 150mg of Imuran. I also take 200mg celebrex bid changed from 1000mg relafen bid a little less than 2 weeks ago. I take tons of allergy meds as well. I do really well on 30-50mg prednisone but my bones are already thinning and my bp goes sky high as I retain TONS of water on even 5mg pred. I have been on the plaquenil a year and the Imuran started at 100mg last September then upped to 150 in December. I have other problems that are going untreated and undiagnosed as many doctors blame the SLE for everything even when what is happening has NEVER been documented as caused by SLE. I am just hoping for a few hours a week when the pain is not so bad I want to cry. The choice to not take narcotic pain meds was made because my mother was a drug addict (she took many things while pregnant with me and I am told it is a miracle I have my mind so I know I am lucky in some ways). I try not to let this get me down but I had the arthritis under control a few years ago on plaquenil and viox (25-50mg a day depending on how bad things were and weather conditions) but my blood work went negative and the doctor I was seeing then announced I had been misdiagnosed, nothing was wrong with me, and yanked ALL meds. It only took 3 years on plaquenil and vioxx for the blood work to be normal.

Now all my blood work is normal- even when my joints are twice their normal size or bigger, red, hot, and so stiff I cannot move them. Funny how things work out. Only by showing up in horrible condition with pictures of my rashes and a history of pericarditis and a year of severe pluersy did I finally get treatment restarted by a new doctor who thinks the one who stopped treatment is an idiot. Now after a year my organs are safe again and the pluersy is gone. Yet the severe joint problems/arthritis (multiple types) have failed to respond. I am not a canidate for methotrexate due to malnutrition from lack of hunger and GI issues (no GI doc so far has been able to figure it out so I have been labeled possible IBS or lupus related problems). I take so many pills and my joints continue to lose cartiledge. I just want to be able to walk in a few years- heck in a few months the rate things have been deteriorating.

I know about the nice nurses and lab techs- finally met them this last year of constant blood work and IVs but the fear remains. Tried therapy, but was told that this is not a fear that is vital to overcome and as trying to deal with it would cause extremely negative memories to have to be recovered it was not something to be done until my health is stable as the therapist feared making the lupus worse with stress.

[user11]

I completely understand.
There is a medication called Megace. It's used primarily for AIDS and cancer patients (but not exclusive to just those 2 conditions). What it does is act as an appetite stimulant so people can better handle medications.
Too bad marijuana is still illegal! LOL. So many people could benefit from the "munchies". Take good care,
Erin

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Active, Severe Rheumatory Arthritis. Crohns. AS. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. Partial complex seizures. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung & Heart. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.