Look, I know we are all different in terms of how quickly new meds start to work with each of us but I am starting to wonder if I should call my rheumy.
I started on Humira four months ago. At about the eight week mark, it had started to work really well and my pain went down to the lowest it has ever been.
Then I got flattened by a serious chest infection and three days into it...it triggered off a flare.
Another eight weeks down the track the flare is still here and I am struggling constantly with repeated infections.
As I thinking about it today I started to come to the conclusion that the Humira is not really working and thought a call to the rheumy may be in order otherwise I don't see him until November. I think we can be so stoic that we tend to put up with things when we shouldn't.
Would love your insights?
Do you take the Humira every 2 weeks or twice a week?
If you are taking it every 2 weeks, then maybe you need to be changed to once a week. I know after 3 months of being on every 2 weeks, I asked to be changed to once a week, because I had 1 ok week and then the next week I would revert back to how I was before taking the Humira.
Good Luck! Let us know what happens.
I agree with joonie. If you're taking Humira every two weeks and the effects are starting to wane, you might want to ask your RD about taking it weekly. BUT, if you're having repeated infections, upping the Humira might not be such a good idea. I would DEFINITELY get in to see your RD sooner than November.Thanks Gale and Joonie.Hi there, I can really sympathise with you here. I have been on Humira for nearly 7 months and once it kicked in I felt better but the infections have far outweighed the benefits. I have had constant infections in my sinus's and bladder. I got an upper respiratory infection about 4 weeks ago that is still hanging around.( having a chest xray today) I am off the humira now and I have decied to not take it anymore. I am looking into AP Therapy when i see my new rheumy.
I hope you get yours sorted out soon, definetly go see your doctor though.
Cordelia~ I responded to Humira the same as Joonie did. I took it every other week for about 6-8 months or so and I started having fewer and fewer good days. My dr switched to taking it weekly and I have noticed a HUGE difference. When i was first on it I noticed I got sicker easier but what i noticed was that the more I tried to prevent it the more i got sick. I havent gotten sick enough to where I have had to get off my Humira since winter of 2005/2006. I had gotten a horrible sinus infection that, I kid you not, lasted from November 2005 to almost the begining of March 2006. But I had also started the Humira in Oct of 2005 so I contribute that mostly to the fact that I was starting a new med that had lowered my immune system. But suprisingly I have not gotten sick enough to where I have had to be off my meds since then. I have gotten a few sinus infection here and there but nothing to where my dr was concerned and had me off my meds. How much Methotrexate do you take? Is increasing that an option also? I would call your dr and tell him your concerns on how the Humira is not working as long as it had in the begining...He may end up wanting to see you back in or he may just say to start taking it weekly and see how you respond to that. I hope the Humira starts to give you more relief that what it has.
~Shannon~
Hi , please get to the doctor. This does not sound good to me. I'm assuming you are taking antibiotics? I don't take Humira. I would have been calling my docter every day!! They would get no rest if I had infections and the meds weren't working. There is no way I would wait until November. Good luck, LyndaShannon - hearing about your experience was interesting. Sounds almost like your body adjusted after a while. And being a sinus sufferer, oh yes, I completely believe you about the one lasting from November until March, lol. I am on 10mg of mtx. I was on 20mg but I was losing a lot of hair and I have never really felt the mtx did very much for me, it has always been hard to tell as I have only had it in combo with other things. I am wondering if I am just experiencing similar to you on the Humira at the beginning, I hope so and that it will settle down.Humira worked pretty good for me at every other week, but my insurance refused to go weekly or even every 10 days.
they were penny wise and pound foolish because now they are paying ginormous amounts every 4 or 5 weeks for remicade which is like 3 times as much.. idiots. they are not the drs and they do not see the patients.
Kathy,Glad to hear you got an appt for this coming month! I hope all goes well, and you get put on something that will help ya.
Keep us posted
Hi I'm one of the few .. out there that actually got to go through the full 6 month course.. and probably ended up on it 8 months then I had surgery. It was a pre-surgery option that was requried to try for me. My insurance covered all of it. The stuff retail is 700 dollars a shot. I'm not going to lie I had no problems with it then again I've been in a family known to have good genes. I know my self you have to be careful when you start the drug .. what you're on when you start it. Do you have a history of the flu or getting sick every year? Well then get a flu shot. If you get sick a lot it'd probably be important to take some Zinc once a day.. on top of the vitamin. I got plenty of rest and the stuff really didn't start to work a whole lot more until 6 months and of course I still needed surgery for fistulas and some other stuff on my stomach. Another thing check the rest of the immuno suppressing drugs you've been on and how long it has been since you've been off them.. I guess it all depends too we all have different body types and places for them to store their secrets.. Me I was at 110 pounds.. not hitting over 125.. I was on Imuran the whole time with my humira too.. I know after surgery I wasn't on the stuff until I recovered.. I'm also in a pretty warm .. dry climate.. if that helps I don't know.. Humira worked great!
If you get sick go to the doctor or call the one who prescribed it. Get that treated quick.
Well, thanks. My philosophy is that all information helps somehow so I appreciate you responding.