topic Re: Humira question in Wellness

Humira question

ccassaday — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:21:59 GMT

I am starting Humira tomorrow. I am scared because I am reading how much it hurts. I do insulin everyday with a pen and have no problem. Does Humira really hurt that bad?

Re: Humira question

Jersey Born — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 13:42:32 GMT

I wish you the best, Ccassaday. I genuinely do. I don't think that any pain caused by Humira injections is what you should be worried about, however. Humira is associated with some extraordinarily severe side effects. That is what I would be most concerned about.

Here is an article about just that. Please be on the lookout for any severe adverse effects from this drug as taking Humira will lower your immune system response.

Re: Humira question

ccassaday — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:40:29 GMT

Believe me I have read all the stuff. Every med has side effects. They send a nurse out for injection training for the first shot. Any have experience with Humira.

Re: Humira question

wvumountiefan — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:22:50 GMT

I have been on Humira for almost a year and I have done well with it. I was on Methotrexate for at least 8 years and was very noncompliant with it because it made me so sick. 2 years ago my dermatologist tried to get me to start Humira and I'm a nurse and know about side effects and I chickened out. I finally dove in and I'm so happy I did because my derm dr told me that the Methotrexate was far more dangerous. I work with small children daily and I did find that especially last winter I would get a little run down quickly, but I do take Vitamin C and D daily to help. The injection does burn but nothing I can't handle. My psoriasis is gone and my self confidence is so much better. I don't regret it at all. HTH if you need anything else let me know!

Re: Humira question

ccassaday — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:33:39 GMT

Thanks. Where do you give it to yourself at. Stomach or thigh.

Re: Humira question

wvumountiefan — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 02:00:43 GMT

Ccass, sorry I didn't get back to you as I work 2 jobs. I have mainly given mine in my stomach and just a few times in my legs.

Re: Humira question

bowlicious — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 02:06:08 GMT

My daughter took it for about a year and she would usually let it warm up just a little before she injected it. She said it helped. (10 min. maybe)

Re: Humira question

minwife — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:33:13 GMT

I've been taking Humira for at least 7years. It's made a huge difference in my quality of life. I take it for RA and Crohn's disease. I let it come to room temp. I inject top of my thigh. I prefer the syringes over the refilled pens. I have more control over the rate the med is injected. If it starts to hurt, I pause, then continue until finished with the dose. The small discomfort is a small price to pay for the benefits it has given me.

Re: Humira question

wherever — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 13:16:44 GMT

I've been on Humira for 3+ years. Originally I injected the medication in my thigh and often that hurt a lot even if I waited 10-15 minutes after removing it from the frig. I learned via the information from the Humira drug company that the drug could be injected into the stomach and found quite a few online references to people who said that stomach injections was much easier. My experience makes me agree with that feedback. That said the worst that happens now is that I sometimes have a few seconds of burn as the medication is absorbed. No big deal, especially considering the quality of life improvement it gave me. Hope you experience similar benefits.

Re: Humira question

ccassaday — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 18:43:15 GMT

Thanks everyone. You now have me more nervous. The nurse had to cancel the training so it's supposed o be this Friday now.

Re: Humira question

winamac1 — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:36:57 GMT

On 8/20/2014 wvumountiefan said: I have been on Humira for almost a year and I have done well with it. I was on Methotrexate for at least 8 years and was very noncompliant with it because it made me so sick. 2 years ago my dermatologist tried to get me to start Humira and I'm a nurse and know about side effects and I chickened out. I finally dove in and I'm so happy I did because my derm dr told me that the Methotrexate was far more dangerous. I work with small children daily and I did find that especially last winter I would get a little run down quickly, but I do take Vitamin C and D daily to help. The injection does burn but nothing I can't handle. My psoriasis is gone and my self confidence is so much better. I don't regret it at all. HTH if you need anything else let me know!

MTX can have liver problems and it can cause nausea. It is widely used though. The issue with MTX is that it does not stop the progression of joint damage (if you have RA or Psoriatic Arthritis). The TNF inhibitors do--such as Humira.

The skin clearance of MTX isn't as good as some of the other biologics though. It's considered the gold standard "start place" though for those with RA.

Re: Humira question

wvumountiefan — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:44:25 GMT

On 8/25/2014 winamac1 said:
On 8/20/2014 wvumountiefan said: I have been on Humira for almost a year and I have done well with it. I was on Methotrexate for at least 8 years and was very noncompliant with it because it made me so sick. 2 years ago my dermatologist tried to get me to start Humira and I'm a nurse and know about side effects and I chickened out. I finally dove in and I'm so happy I did because my derm dr told me that the Methotrexate was far more dangerous. I work with small children daily and I did find that especially last winter I would get a little run down quickly, but I do take Vitamin C and D daily to help. The injection does burn but nothing I can't handle. My psoriasis is gone and my self confidence is so much better. I don't regret it at all. HTH if you need anything else let me know!

MTX can have liver problems and it can cause nausea. It is widely used though. The issue with MTX is that it does not stop the progression of joint damage (if you have RA or Psoriatic Arthritis). The TNF inhibitors do--such as Humira.

The skin clearance of MTX isn't as good as some of the other biologics though. It's considered the gold standard "start place" though for those with RA.

I regret taking that drug!! It makes me sick just thinking about it. My liver enzymes have always been WNL so I'm thankful for that!!

Re: Humira question

divine — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:59:15 GMT

Re: Humira question

winamac1 — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 13:28:42 GMT

On 8/25/2014 wvumountiefan said:
On 8/25/2014 winamac1 said:
On 8/20/2014 wvumountiefan said: I have been on Humira for almost a year and I have done well with it. I was on Methotrexate for at least 8 years and was very noncompliant with it because it made me so sick. 2 years ago my dermatologist tried to get me to start Humira and I'm a nurse and know about side effects and I chickened out. I finally dove in and I'm so happy I did because my derm dr told me that the Methotrexate was far more dangerous. I work with small children daily and I did find that especially last winter I would get a little run down quickly, but I do take Vitamin C and D daily to help. The injection does burn but nothing I can't handle. My psoriasis is gone and my self confidence is so much better. I don't regret it at all. HTH if you need anything else let me know!

MTX can have liver problems and it can cause nausea. It is widely used though. The issue with MTX is that it does not stop the progression of joint damage (if you have RA or Psoriatic Arthritis). The TNF inhibitors do--such as Humira.

The skin clearance of MTX isn't as good as some of the other biologics though. It's considered the gold standard "start place" though for those with RA.

I regret taking that drug!! It makes me sick just thinking about it. My liver enzymes have always been WNL so I'm thankful for that!!

That's good news that your liver enzymes are WNL. I do know many don't like taking MTX, but the Dr.'s use it a lot in RA. Plus, it's cheap being generic.

Re: Humira question

LilacTree — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:50:23 GMT

On 8/25/2014 winamac1 said:
On 8/20/2014 wvumountiefan said: I have been on Humira for almost a year and I have done well with it. I was on Methotrexate for at least 8 years and was very noncompliant with it because it made me so sick. 2 years ago my dermatologist tried to get me to start Humira and I'm a nurse and know about side effects and I chickened out. I finally dove in and I'm so happy I did because my derm dr told me that the Methotrexate was far more dangerous. I work with small children daily and I did find that especially last winter I would get a little run down quickly, but I do take Vitamin C and D daily to help. The injection does burn but nothing I can't handle. My psoriasis is gone and my self confidence is so much better. I don't regret it at all. HTH if you need anything else let me know!

MTX can have liver problems and it can cause nausea. It is widely used though. The issue with MTX is that it does not stop the progression of joint damage (if you have RA or Psoriatic Arthritis). The TNF inhibitors do--such as Humira.

The skin clearance of MTX isn't as good as some of the other biologics though. It's considered the gold standard "start place" though for those with RA.

MTX was the first med I was put on when diagnosed with RA. It made me sick as a dog. All I did was throw up, I could not function at all. I've never taken it again. I was then prescribed Plaquenil and thought I had died and went to heaven. That med worked beautifully on me for six months and I thought, "OK, I can handle this." Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to it and had to come off it.

They wanted to put me on the biologics next, but I was too afraid after reading about it (and hearing about it on TV). I know it works for many, but I also know I would have side effects. Like everyone else who takes them, they work for a while, and then one has to switch to another one, and another one.

So I wound up on low dose prednisone for the last ten years, which is a miracle for pain, but over the years destroyed my bones. I now have severe osteoporosis and last year back surgery which did no good at all. I have aged twice as fast as I normally would have. I am down to 5-6 mgs a day now, one day 5 mg, the next day 6 mg. I am hopeful I can get off altogether but don't see that happening.

I should take more vitamins and eat better. But I don't expect to ever be cured. Autoimmune diseases don't get "cured."

Re: Humira question

wvumountiefan — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:55:30 GMT

On 8/18/2014 ccassaday said:
I am starting Humira tomorrow. I am scared because I am reading how much it hurts. I do insulin everyday with a pen and have no problem. Does Humira really hurt that bad?

How's everything going? Hope all is well! Hang in there and remember you have our support if you need it!!

Re: Humira question

ccassaday — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 00:06:38 GMT

Ok finally had my first dose and training today. THis is why you shouldn't Google health stuff. Almost everything I read people were talking about how much it hurt. Some even said it was the worse pain they have ever experienced.Lol.. I barely felt it. I was like where is this so called pain. I hope it works well for me.

Re: Humira question

elainemasey — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:27:33 GMT

I was on Humira for RA. I was told to ice the area before the injection. The shots were never too bad. Good luck!

Re: Humira question

ccassaday — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 17:25:08 GMT

No short term side effects with the first dose. I noticed a difference within in a couple of days. I have psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. It is also making me feel for energetic. I hope with the second shot it gets even better.

Re: Humira question

Mindy D — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 08:07:08 GMT

Lymphoma, is not just any side effect. The question is, does the benefit outweigh the risk? I might risk the side effects if I had the severe pain associated with RA or with psoriatic arthritis,and Chrohns ,but I would never risk it for psoriasis, without the arthritis. It has been awhile. How do you feel, now?