Humira shot | Arthritis Information

Last night injected my Humira and this morning a couple finger joints are red and painful. My next appt. with rheumy is in Feb. Does this mean he will probably change my Humira? I'm only on Humira and ibuprofen (taken off mtx because of high liver enzymes). This is the second minor flare up I've had in less than 2 months.

Do you take Humira every two weeks?

I take mine weekly....but I also take 25mg of MTX. Ask your doctor to consider another DMARD in combination with your Humira if he hasn't already done that. You don't have to take MTX, maybe try Sulfersalize or Plaquenil or something simular.

Not everone can take MTX; those that can are the lucky ones.

Yes, every 2 weeks. I also thought my fatigue and daily aches and pains would go away with this treatment, but they haven't. I fight fatigue daily (can nap for 2 hours easily) after 7 hours of sleep.

It took a while for me to see results with Humira and even once I did see results they didn't last the whole two weeks. I would sometimes get 9 or 10 days relief from it.

If you've been on it for a while and aren't feeling any better at all I'm not sure weekly doses would help at all. For me it was working....just not working long enough.

I can still nap 2 hours easy any day....but I work full time and that's never possible. Everyday that I'm home whether it be vacation time or the weekends it's rare that I don't take a nap. I just think our bodies require more rest than the average person.

So feeling the need to nap is normal? I'm glad to hear that. My hubby thinks I'm very strange to need to do that daily. I work at home so I'm able to nap usually and thankfully. From what you say, it sounds like my rheumy will have to adjust medication. I've been on Humira for 4 months, twice a month injections. This flare up isn't as bad asmy other flare ups have been, but still....

Thanks for your insight. I was just diagnosed last May and I'm feeling a little lost.

It would be good if you could find some research on the subject and get your husband to read it. I've only been married (For the second time) a little over a year; and I was very hesitant to get involved with another man considering my health challenges. My now husband did his own research. I guess he wanted to know exactly what he was chasing so hard

Don't be surprised though if he doesn't want to. Some men are real stubborn and won't even try to understand. Hopefully you are one of the lucky ones like I am. Having a man in your life that not only accepts you and your illness is one thing; but having someone that honestly understand what's happening to you is priceless.

There's a good article I'll copy and paste for you. You'll love it.

Hang in there.

Kathy;

Here's the article I though you'd appreciate. It's from a lupus website....but it applies here as well. A lot of our members have given this to loved ones in the hopes of helping them understand better. All we can do is try, right?

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2004/11/the_spoon_theory.p hp

Hi everyone, I'm new to your site although I've been a "lurker" for a while. I guess I am only now getting up the courage to post. I was Dxd with RA over a year ago and reading all your message boards has been such a help to me. No one else can understand the pain, fatigue and helplessness we go through, not even our own family.

Anyway, I have been on Humira for about 3 months and my rheumy has told me to increase my Humira shots from every other week to every week for 10 weeks and also my Methotrexate to 12.5 mg a week. I'm also on plaquanil and 5 mg prednizone (was on 10 and 20 before). I couldn't tell any difference after 5 shots of Humira but after my 6th shot, I could tell a small difference but I wasn't sure if it was the Humira. My neck was still hurting terribly and both my shoulders, and my thumbs, hips and ankles. After I took my next Humira one week after my 5th dose, I woke up in the morning and my stiffness was gone. I knew something was very different - I had slept better (I;ve taken Ambian for years just so I could sleep through the pain and stiffness) and could get out of bed without that pain and stiffness. Its only been 3 days now but I'm hoping this is the "real thing" and that the Humira is really helping. It sure is costing a fortune even though my insurance pays most of it. Anyone else with my experiece of Humira? How long did it take for it to start working for you and at what dosages? I don't know if my feeling better (so much less exhaustion, I almost feel normal again) is for real or what?

I hope those of you out there with Humira shots will reply and help me out. I hope I was able to help out others also. Thanks so much! I'm glad there's a site like this for us RA sufferers.

Yes; I had simular experience. It seem to take close to two months for me at every two week doses to really work well for me and that was with 20mg of MTX. After 6 month I switched to weekly doses and now up to 25mg MTX (As I'm sure I've already mentioned...sorry).

I start draging late on Thursday.....and get both my meds on Saturday night. I rest the majority of Sunday and by Monday morning I'm up and down the stairs with very little problem. I remember saying to my husband on Monday of this week; 'Oh what a difference a day makes"

I know it sounds as if I'm only getting a few days relief out of it....but it's honestly made a huge difference in my life.

Again; we're glad you're here. Hope you'll be a active member.

I have been on Humira since November but I also take Mtx. I found the Humira didn't change anything overnight. It took awhile and I would find I could do somthing I hadn't been able to do in awhile and it surprised me. It has made a huge change in my life. I am walking better, my hands and wrists don't hurt as much (they are still a problem but not as bad), amd I am actually working out via some DVDs and walking sometimes on my lunch hour. However, I still have some days when I just feel crapy. I HATE getting out of bed in the morning--but I always have. And yes, it does cost a fortune. My insurance company is paying for most of it too or I would not be taking it. Give it a chance and discuss it with your doctor. Good luck.

Before I started mtx in the mid 90's my pinky knuckle was purple. It took maybe about a month before I started noticing a difference. The purple went away. I've used mtx for a long time now..I can't imagine having to be off of it.

I'm one of the lucky ones where humira worked the next day. I haven't had an injection in a month because I went off of it for a cold...so the real test is gonna be when I get my next injection... I hope it works for me the next day again.