I recently started Humira treatment last week. This is in addition to my current regimine of Arava, Prednisone, Oxycontin, Toprol and Sular. I have been diagnosed with sero-negative ra, scleroderma and reynaulds disease. It has progressed from a nuisance back in 2000 to reducing me from not being able to perform self sustaining activities (brush teeth, open doors, etc). I am only 37!!!!
I have been out of work now for almost 3 months and really I am starting to feel very desperate and depressed. Nothing has seemed to work, including alternative treatments like colchicine IV and/or traditional RA treatments like MTX.
MRI's show inflammation not only limited to joints but also tendons/muscles, as well as, bone erosions. I also now have major joint involvement as its spreading RAPIDLY!
I don't want to get hyped up on Humira, but I am praying that this can finally bring some relief and then finally I can get on with my life.
Any thoughts or advice re using Humira with Arava would be greatly appreciated. Especially if its a good story.
I also just began taking Humira. I take it with MTX. I took Enbrel for 6 weeks and felt alot better except that I had really bad migraines from it. I switched over to the Humira and just took my second shot tonight. I feel that it is working even better than the Enbrel re: the RA and no side effects either. I have noticed a slight drop in my energy level, which was great with Enbrel, but my joint pain is much much less with the Humira than it was on the Enbrel.
I am pretty satisfied with the Humira. I hope you get results too.
Thanks Crunchy...
I have a very strong drop in energy, so much so the first two days after the shot it was difficult to keep my head up! However, my energy is slowly getting better but my joint pain AND swelling have been reduced by about 10%!!! Only on 1st week so I am not holding my breath as I have been dissappointed much too often. Seems like it is working...
I am also taking prednisone and arava so I hope the humira works well enough where I do not have to take the steriods.
Thanks again and god bless
I've been on Humira for more than a year and a half...I take it weekly with 25mg of Humira. I've finally gotten to the point I'm starting to even out.
My next dose of MTX I'll lower it to 20mg. That's good progress in my book.
Hope you steadily progress. It takes a while.....stay positive.
Good Luck. Good to see ya here.
I haven't ever been on Humira or Arava so I don't have any personal experience to provide to you. I just wanted to offer my support and hope that this works for you.
-HUGS
Thanks Lovie and Tracy...
One of the first things my rheumatologist advised me is to be PATIENT as she knows all too well of my Type A personality. Before this illness I never had a sick day in my life so I really let this go for such a long time before actually seeking help. I should bear some of the responsibility for that.
But, I am doing as much research as I can and I believe I have a good team of doctors, as well as, one of the best family physicians out there. He is basically quarterbacking my care, with the rheumatologist and since they both work in the same practice, I am getting a lot of coordination between the two of them.
I hope the Humira or at least another biological starts to work as I am desperate to get out to work. Besides, its financially difficult to survive without adequate income. Thankfully I worked very hard most my life so I had some savings for an emergency and this obviously qualifies.
As I am getting better and the pain/swelling is going down (especially my knees), I would be interested in exercise suggestions from the experienced. I have gained weight over the last few months, especially since I have been on the prednisone so any suggestions about which type worked best for you would certainly be considered.
Take care
Chris
Hi, I wish I could give you some support on using Humira as I am still using Enbrel and have been for more than 5 years. Enbrel was a miracle drug to me but I feel it is beginning now to fail me. Listening to others on Humira is giving me hope for my own future. My RA Doc has already mentioned this as my next drug to use. I have been very nervous about it and putting it off while trying to find relief with the Enbrel and adding Celebrex. As I posted here awhile earlier I am now getting side effects from Celebrex, so it looks like I may be joining you soon with the Humira. Any good comments on this drug are welcomed words to me. As for Enbrel while it worked, it worked fantastic.
You know guys....over times I think you kind of work your way out of certain medications. Grandma; you've experienced this already. Had you started on Humira instead of Enbrel it would likely have been the same way. As you've seen over time certain medications that work great for a couple years kindof loose their strength after a while. It's just kind of the nature of the treatment on my personal opinion.
Other's might disagree with me on that; but over the years I think maybe two to three years is as long as I have stayed on any one particular treatment.
That's probable a good topic for survey. What's the longest one particular treatment has worked? I wonder what the results of that would be.