Hi Everyone,
This is my first posts here, I've done a little reading but not a huge amount so if this information is posted elsewhere, my apologies.
First off, I have to say that I wish this forum didn't have to exist, but I'm glad that people are open to this nasty disease and there is communication other than the Dr's office about RA.
I don't have RA, but my wife has suffered for roughly 12 years, since she was 18. She hates writing in forums so I'm going to be her communicator I guess.
She has been using Humira for about 7 years now, she got in during the experimental times before FDA approval. She was going great and was actually using double the "normal" dosage by doing one injection every week.
About a year and a half ago she started having a flare and it has never let up. About six month ago she started getting a rash on her legs, mainly around the injection area on the thigh. Then it spread to her lower legs and looked a lot like flea bites all over her legs, with extreme itching. This continued to spread to most all parts of her body, with the bumps growing in size to what looks like a soar or pimple. Soon after a few patchy areas started to become inflamed and the patches started covering her body as well. The bumps would start out small and itchy then progress to larger painful bumps and the itching would lessen.
After dealing with a Rhuematoligist and a Dermotologist for several months and ruling out Mucha Habermins (do a search and the rash/bumps look almost identical) we finally came to the conclusion that it's being caused by the Humira.
She has now stopped the Humira and has been applying liberal amounts of Calendula lotion and the bumps are starting to heal. She has been off the Humira for three and a half weeks so it's still working out of her system.
There was also another lady that goes to her Dermotologist who uses Humira for Croans and is showing the same symptoms, I don't know how long she has been using Humira though. My wife is now being photographed and used as a case study for a write-up on this by her Dermo.
I just wanted to post this up for anyone using Humira to be on the lookout. We are not 100% sure that it is the Humira but it's looking very much like this is the case.
My wife is still very worn down from all the healing (60+% of her body was covered) but has been able to make it to work most of the time.
I'll keep this post updated as to the progress and findings.
Best Regards,
Lance
The articles say a rash is a side effect of humira. Hope she feels better soon.
Heres a quick link to PLEVA (Mucha Habermanns). This is what her rash resembles.
http://dermnetnz.org/scaly/pityriasis-lichenoides.html
[QUOTE=jjarmani]The articles say a rash is a side effect of humira. Hope she feels better soon.
Its funny, kinda, the day the Dermatologist called her about the Humira I had found two articles online about Humira rash's that I was going to take him at the next appt.
Thanks!