I posted about a month ago on my first year's experience with Humira. This is a short update. This last month I have been in a fairly significant flare...the first time since I started Humira. It started with some swelling and pain in my fingers, then moved to my right shoulder...then left shoulder. At the peak, I wasn't able to lift my arms above my shoulder level. I was surprised just how dramatic the effect of the Humira injection was. Within 24 hrs the pain, swelling, and stiffness was mostly gone...pretty amazing! Unfortunately during the flare period the effect didn't last 2 weeks until the next injection...the pain, etc. started slowly returning after a few days. The next injection had the same effect. The third time the flare symptoms disappeared and did not return. It would be nice if we could get some "extra" doses to use during flares. Most of the time every two weeks is fine for me, but sometimes once a week would make a big difference...I think. I have an appt with my RD next month...I think I'll ask if it's possible. I don't want to go on a weekly dose all the time. The experience certainly convinced me that Humira really works...at least for me! Maybe what the researchers need to find is a home "tnf" test that we could use to adjust the dosage each week...like diabetes patients due with insulin...might make these drugs more effective and minimize side effects by reducing the dose when it's not needed. RA is clearly a highly variable disease, yet we're stuck with a constant dose medication.
Alan
Hi, I'm so pleased for you. It is such a joy when these medications work for us. THAT's all we ask, congrats, sarahThats great Alan. Congratulations from me too. I know how severe your RA is.Actually, my RA is in the moderate category...it just occasionally flares to severe. It's also been under pretty good control since the first year. I know there are many others on this board that suffer a lot more than I do from this disease.
Alan
Hey Alan,
That makes sense to me what you said about the Humira not lasting as long when you are in a flare. I seem to notice that my weekly Humira shot does not seem to last all week, when I get back on it after having an infection and being on antibiotics. But I do improve the more shots I get in me. This time around it took 5 shots before it felt like the Humira was lasting most of the week before my next shot.
I will really see how the humira helps me when I start to taper off the pred starting Sunday or maybe Monday. Then we will see how it helps me thru those pred taper flares now that I will have 6 shots in me when I start to taper. I hope the Humira does its job and keeps me from the dreaded pred taper flare.
I hope you continue to improve and stay uncontrol with the Humira. I know there are times I wish I could my humira once a week instead of every other week. I do like the idea about a tnf test so we could adjust our dosage. I would also like to be able to play with my mtx dosage a little bit too. Maybe the times I am not feeling so great i could draw up a little more and just bump up my dosage for that week to give me a little extra oomph to drop the flare and move on with life.
I think I have finally moved back from the severe category to the moderate category!! I could not have done it without my meds and the support from the many people here. It kept me from stressing and worrying and prolonging my already long flare.
Joonie..I wish you the best of luck with your pred taper. You may experience some crankiness while you are doing it and that is normal. I really really hope you can get off the pred and just be on the humira.
I am on just Humira with an injection my rear every now and then, this is only because of bad med reaction and infectons.The Humira also seems to be causing multiple infections so now i am at a loss.There is nothing else they can give me unless a new drug comes on the market.Alan how long did it take for the Humira to work for you? Alan, I just wanted to thank you for the yoga suggestion. I went to Borders to look for the book you told about. They didn'dt have it but I bought a beginner's yoga book (lots of pictures!) and I feel good!
When I started Humira I was still doing pretty well on MTX but having problems with side effects...nausea and thrush. I reduced the MTX slowly while starting the Humira. So...there wasn't a dramatic change...hard to tell if the Humira was working quickly or slowly. Within a couple of months after stopping the MTX I'm confident it was working well, but even then it's hard to be sure because, as I said, the RA symptoms subside on their own sometimes so who really knows???
Go YOGA!!! If you get bored with the beginner's book, you can order Kripalu Yoga from Amazon.
Alan
[QUOTE=pin cushion]I am on just Humira with an injection my rear every now and then, this is only because of bad med reaction and infectons.The Humira also seems to be causing multiple infections so now i am at a loss.There is nothing else they can give me unless a new drug comes on the market.Alan how long did it take for the Humira to work for you? [/QUOTE]After about 6 months on HUmira I switched to weekly and it really helped.
I'd give it some serious thought. I don't think you can switch back and forth though.....but you might can. Something to think about I guess.
Best of luck to you. Hope to see you more around here.