I hope this helps-
From, Mary
I like that idea of the ice pack before hand. I'll have to try that this week. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I too have the stinging...as you all do. My husband gives me the shots right before I go to bed. After all the kids are in bed and all I have to do is relax afterwards. That seems to help me. If I can have the shot and then just lay there a while and not worry about anything except relaxing.
The injections period have been somewhat of a tramatic experience for my husband and myself but I will admit we're both getting better as it as time goes on. Thank the Lord for a wonderful husband!! I'd never be able to do this without him.
Another thing that helps is to inject the Humira sloooooooowly. If it starts hurting, stop for a few seconds, until it stops, and then continue. (Don't withdraw the needle, just stop pushing the plunger of the syringe.)
When it hurts, I try to think of all the good it is doing me, and that helps. I'll be doing my first Humera injecton on the 31st of May. I'm used to giving myself injections (methotrexate and enbrel) and I have never had any discomfort. I am a little concerned with this information that Humera hurts when injected. Am I reading somethng into these messages or is it an expected part of using this medication. My Dr never mentioned THIS side effect.
I have had three Humira injections so far and they are going well-great results and only mild stinging. I do let the Humira set out for 30 Minutes first. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I kind of look forward to it, thinking i may get even better results. I've been diagnosed for one year and thisis the first relief I've had. I'm thrilled. I can walk without limping!
ggal
I'm now on MTX 22.5mg & Humira weekly. Do you take MTX as well as Humira? (And I look forward to Saturday's too....don't feel bad; sometimes I feel like a junkie
Hope your success continues. Lovie hello all i have been on humira off and on for about two years at first i through it helped then i got the pains up my arms then my legs then my chest now i have severe copd thanks to humira not only do i hurt now i can,t breath all thoes shots were killing me i told rummy what was going on and he said its not the med igot so bad i saw a lung dr. it was the humira so just be careful and listen to your body rosa
I've started to have some trouble with that here lately myself...hopefully this will be just an isolated case; but it's taken about a month to get through this. I'm now on my third antibiotic to clear up bronchitis. It does have me slightly worried becuase Humira and MTX have really made a difference for me. Welcome to the group. Hope to see more of you here. Lovie Although I've only injected Humira twice this month--I was diagnosed with RA in March and started Humira in August--I find it to be pretty easy and painless. I let the syringe sit at room temperature for thirty to forty five minutes, so I don't feel a cold jolt. During that thirty minute waiting period I try to focus myself with meditation. Personally I don't want to engage in some stimulating or distracting activity while I wait. Then I wash my hands, wipe the area with an alcohol pad and let the area dry completely. Then I push the air out of the syringe, "pinch an inch of flab" and holding the syringe on the sides with my fingers (like throwing a dart), I inject at a forty five degree angle. I release the flab and now, holding the plunger, VERY SLOWLY inject the Humira. I pull it out slowly at the same forty five degree angle. That's how I was taught and it seems to work very well. The only change I made to my training was restricting my injection sites to the left and right abdomen. I couldn't inject into my thighs--not enough flab there--too bony. Diag RA March, 2005; Daily dose: 1 g Naprox, 15 mg Prednisone, 1 mg Folic Acid; Weekly: 25mg. Metho; Bi-weekly: Humira 40 mg. My Humira shots do not sting or burn. I leave my syringe out for 20-30 min at room temperature. I also do NOT use the Kendall alcohol prep pads that come with the med. I used them once before when I ran out of my usual brand when I was taking 25mg Enbrel (which does not sting). Every shot I gave myself using those alcohol pads burned and stung bad. The burning and stinging stopped only when I went back to my usual brand of alcohol pads. hi all when my chest started hurting i went my medical dr i had bronctis took the antibotic .went back on humira i was alreeady weak and keep getting worse started weesing. it was the humira lung dr told me he wanted to put me the hospital i took meds at home and finley i am getting much better with no meds from rummy never again will i take those meds at lesst i can get up and not feelsick all the time i had a severa recation and it came on slow but hit hard no more for me yes the infection came from the humira rosa I just started back on mine after being off for a month myself....I pray that doesn't happen to me; but I do know it's possible just from my own track record. It makes a huge difference in my life though. Huge. I have given my self my 4th Humira shot. I alternate thighs. I am feeling bumps under my skin where the shot location was. I tried leavinmg it out for 45min before injection and it helped. I moved my site to my upper thigh, loser fat. I hold real tauntly and as the med goes in very slowly it takes me probaly 5 mins to do my shot. but, it dosn't hurt much it's more my anexity about it. I just say to my self this is working for me! This will work for me! Mind over Matter if you can go there. Remeber your mind is your most power gift! I don't know it helps me. Peace & Health Theresa Q Hi all, my mum has been living with RA for approx 25 years now, and has been on infliximab for the last 2-3. her new consultant wants her to start humira later this month. All your hints and tips about injecting etc have been so helpful. Is there anything else I should tell her? Thanks i'm totally in the same boat as christine. my humira injections hurt so bad i can't stand it. i get dizzy, like christine. and it freakin burns bad when going in. i do it real slow, stop when it hurts & continue till it hurts real bad again. but i've noticed a lot of people say they leave it out for at least 20 min's. i was injecting it after about 10 or 15 min's. hmm, there's a quest for my doctor- how long do i let the injection sit out. you guys are all great. The side effects of this drug are scary too. I hope yoru shot goes okay, let me know, I am scared of my first shot coming up. These boards are great. I took am on plaquenil and MTX as well as sulfasal., prednisone, folic acid, pain pills and more. My rummie says I will be on Hunira and MTX, I now take 10 which is max, he did say he would reduce the dosage of MTX. when I start the shots. Good Luck to you
Mary Ann i've had ra for 1 yr & 5 mo's now. started humira & mtx 5 mo's ago. i had terrible trouble with humira injections at 1st. came on here & got so much great advice. don't freak out. sounds like you are. i know because i was too. focus on your breath & take normal, relaxing breaths the entire time. helps me. i leave the humira out for 15-20 min's. i found injecting in my side abdomen hurts much less than the thigh. it's hard for me to pierce my skin, even though i had my eyebrows, tongue & ears pierced. what helps with that is pretending i'm at the doctor & they're giving me the shot & they're busy & have to get it over with. and it always stings when the medicine is going in. usually it's tolerable. but when it gets bad, i just stop injecting (don't pull the needle out. don't push the medicine in. just hold it where it is). it subsides quickly & then i start pushing the medicine in again. before ya know it, it's over. like i said, calm, focused breathing the entire time helps me a ton. and telling myself it will be ok. it gets easier. i swear. feel free to email me anytime you need to talk. ~ ms joey
mental note to remember- as scared as you may be to take injections, gotta know & remember that's it's worth it. the humira works (at least for me) and it's a blessing for us to have this type of drug to help us. it's fairly new. so we're lucky to have this, even if it sucks taking it. gotta weigh the pro's & con's. would you rather have terrible arthritis pain all the time or a 5 minute poke & burn? (whoa, i sure wasn't saying these things when i 1st started!) good luck, christine. let us know how it goes! Hello all - I am about to start humira and was diagnosed in 2002. I feel really nervous about this and having read all the messages here I have to say I feel even more scared. Thanks for the info about leaving the syringe out for 20 mins or so before injecting. However, what is the general feeling about which site ie. the thigh or the stomach, that is easier to inject? Also is the evening the best time to do it? I have a young daughter and don't want to worry her even further when I am having a flare. I have been looking for a forum for RA for ages and I am so glad I found you all! It makes me feel that I am not alone. Love to all Sally Welcome Sally. I think eventually you'll have to find what's most comfortable for you. My husband does my in my butt and sometimes it hurts....sometimes it doesn't. I've heard most like the stomach the best. I'm a little scared of that myself....but some swear by it. I do mine right before I go to bed for the night. At this point it's just routine; but it's a routine that I'm comfortable with now. On Saturday night about 9 or 9:30 my husband gives me my injection. I then lay in bed and watch TV until I'm ready to go to sleep. Some people like to do it in the morning because they say it gives them a burst of energy they don't want to waist. I haven't had that experience but I certainly can't blame them from doing it early if they do infact get a burst of energy from it. I hope all is going well for you at this point. Welcome to AI. You guys all come over to the RA forum. I'm afraid those with little time seem to neglect this area but there's lots of folks with experience on the RA forum. Glad you are all here. Hello lovie Thanks for your response. I gave myself my first jab on Thursday and I must say it was pretty difficult to do. Funnily enough getting the needle in didn't hurt at all! It was plunging the humira in that really gave me a shock. I think I will leave it out for 20 mins as has been suggested for the next time. I went swimming the following monday but then slept all day! Does the humira affect the fatigue in anyway? Love to all Sally I have been on it since March and I love it! I was so scared to give myself the first injection that my mom came home from work to support me. I give mine in the thighs and I've noticed that if I don't do it in just the right spots it hurts like hell to get the needle in. I also have spider veins which does not help. If the needle hurts to put in then I try again in another spot. It stings a bit going in, but it's not unbearable. You just have to make sure you have enough skin pulled up when you put the needle in. Sally59 & Jane3558 Sally 59 --You will be a pro before you know it! Leaving the humira out for 30 minutes will help out. I usually inject in the thigh. Make sure that your knee is level with your hip (45 degree angle) so you are not stretching your quads/thigh muscle during the injection. This may make your injection more comfortable. Yes, I do experience slight fatigue with humira. I am tired for about 24 hours but then back to normal. I inject in the evening so I only have about 10 active hours with some fatigue. It is well worth it for me! Also, if you get an infection be sure to temporarily stop your humira. I had to stop injecting for a month and a half recently. I could really tell the difference when I was not on humira! Jane3558, I remember you helping me out when I first started Humira! I also get reactions at the injection site. Itchy red rash started a day after my 3rd injection. I noticed that if I inject to close to an old site that the rash is worse. Even if you are alternating your sites try to be at least an inch and a half from your last injection site. I have some scars so I use them as landmarks (being careful not to inject on them) for my injection sites and rotate accordingly. I use an anatomy sheet for my other thigh and mark the sites so I don't forget where I injected on that leg the last time. Let me know if it helps you any. I took my first shot last week and followed the instructions of using a cold compress first, inject the stomach area and let it sit out for 20-30 minutes before injection. Yes it hurt somewhat but pales in comparison to the constant pain I have been in without treatment. Plus, looking at all the violence in the mid east and seeing young children with bleeding arms, legs, heads, etc....how can I get so upset about a shot? Seriously, I don't want to minimize anyone's feelings but I honestly feel that there is truth to the mental aspect of it....i.e. people seem to scare themselves by thinking about it too often. So, anything thact can calm you down, music, a pleasant thought, remembering a happy experience, anything to help you get your mind off it can help. What do you mean that it makes you feel horrible? Five days of feeling horrible doesn't sound great. What sort of side effects are you getting? I haven't started with Humira yet but I'm gathering all the information to make the decision. With thanks, Caroline Hello. I am new to this site. I have been recieving treatment for RA since my 5th miscarriage this past December. Now, they are not sure if I have RA or Crohn's. I am on placquenil and prednisone-can't take alsufladine or imuran because of the side effects. I did a few months on Enbrel but my eyes continued to flare, uveitis and I still had really bad swelling and pain. I just started HUmira less than two weeks ago. My first dose I did 2 injections right away. And, yes, it stung like crazy!
I see my rheumy tomorrow and will ask her about doing weekly injections for a while instead of the every other week dose. Dose anyone here jab themselves weekly? I am new here and have had RA and Fibro for almost 20 years i was on Enbrel for a long time and it helped me but then went off because I lost health ins. I had to go on Humira because I could get it throught their PAP program. I also get Lyrica that way also. but now I am not sure as I was just granted disability and that lousy 1000.00 a month changes my income bracket but I cannot afford 579.00 a month for ins. and pay for drugs and eat etc. and all that jazz.
not be working to well for me. Has anyone been on
Enbrel but then had to go onto the Humira.? Lynn
plaquenil or MTX. She's putting me onto Humira right away. It's not that
I'm in such bad shape - it's that it's moving so fast through my body, and
that it's taking so much cortisone to give any relief. Every day, some new
joint is involved.
I'm not thrilled to be taking such a serious class of drugs, but I'll do
anything to stop the crippling effects. I appreciate all the information on
how to do it, because I'll get my first shot next week, if all goes well.
horrible for about 5 days, then i feel better. I guess it isn't too bad
compared to the pain of RA.
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