biologics | Arthritis Information

 

anyone have any luck with biologics working?? was on enbrel, didnt work enough and it burned going in, now on remicade and i think its worse than the enbrel Welcom to the forum. I've been on Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, and then went back to Humira with an increase in MXT.  I've been in clinical remission for the last 6 months.  Am able to golf, hike, and do many of the things that I love but put on hold.  It's taken me 10 years to achieve clinical remission. 

I was on Humira for 8 months and it didn't seem to help much. I have been on enbrel for 8 months now and I have 3 or 4 good days a week. If the weather is humid, raining, snowing or any kind of precipatation, nothing helps but pain pills. I have much more energy and my morning stiffness is virtually gone. It wears off a couple of days before my shot is due but hey, I will take those 3 or 4 good days!I have had very good results with Rituxan.  It is a B-cell inhibitor.  I have been able to stop using both MTX and prednisone.  After having RA for 8 years, this has been a wonder drug for me.I take Humira and it works well. I have to have a high dose of MTX with it....but consider it successful. Lynn49, taking enbrel.. feeling very good for five days.. then a little less for the two leading up to the next shot.. but I'm hopeful with successive months (I've only been able to go one month of shots without getting an infection)  I will find myself feeling much better Enbrel was wonderful  It worked great until  it simply quit working.. I've been on enbrel (w/mtx) for almost a year now and it seems to be working fine for me. I'm still on my first biologic, Humira.  It works pretty well.  I get a pretty good week, some transition days when I feel pretty good with an NSAID boost, and a few not so good days before I start over again...every two weeks.  It's not perfect but it's a LOT better than constant pain, stiffness, and fatigue.  Good luck! I'm on Humira, I've had some decrease in pain and swelling. I do have terrile days but not seemingly as terrible as in the beginning, but then I may have just gotten used to it. Just started on methotrexate, will see how I do in the next few months, combined they are supposed to work better than alone. I'd keep my fingers crossed if I could :)i was on enbrel for about i think a little over a year. i had some good days each week and the 2 days before i would get the shot i would start to feel worse again, esp. the day before the shot. my dr was not happy with how my ra was still very active so he wanted to try a diff boi, so the insurance co approved remicade over humira. so i have been on remicade for app. 6 months and i dont get too many good days anymore, i am going to ra dr wed. for my remicade infusion and this past week leading up to it i am tired alot, very stiff, achy and sore, and my joints SUCK!!! both of my arms , right wrist  hand fingers, left elbow and shoulder which goes throughh my entire arm, feels like i got stabbed or somethin, then 3 days ago i started getting a pain like in my hip or butt area so i am guessing its a hip joint that is starting up. i had flares up in knees , but dr shot them with cortisone right into the joints and they have not bothered again that much like in the past. Been on Humira for 8 months and from the day after my first injection I've had full use of my hands back.  I went from not being able to hold a knife and fork to no pain at all  It may be helping a little with an old nerve injury in my lower back but apart from that, sadly it hasn't helped other painful areas of my bod.   In fact my hips, shoulders and feet are worse than ever but because my hands are so good I know I'm doing a lot more physical work.   All my fortnightly test results look better than they have for years. Momof6, Sharon, Lynn49 Hey Mother Actually, on the remicade you can go as high as 15mg per kilo of weight every 4 weeks-thats the dose I am on!!  I am using it for sarcoidosis, which its not fda approved for but it is helping.

Those of you using humira, know that it can be used every week instead of waiting two weeks.  I did humira weekly for over a year before switching to the remicade.  Talk to your rheumy if you feel its wearing off before your scheduled 2 weeks.
max recommended dose is 10mg/kgOn Enbrel 2 shots weekly and 15mg MTX.   Doing fine, but still can't wear those stilettos.

Also do gluten and dairy free diet, take flax and starflower oils, and epsom salt baths, all of which is supposed to help with inflammation.

Anna

Thanks Sharon!  I did take me a long time to find the right med, but now I'm doing great.   The surgeries will make things even better for me and my ailing shoulder, so I reluctantly have agreed...LOL

I hope the Orencia works well for you.........

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