Re: New member-RA & Humira

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I'm also on Bextra, Methotrexate, Humira. Sometimes they feel that giving a biologic like Humira works better in tandem with Methotrexate. I have had pretty good success with my cocktail, although I still have my days where things hurt. Just not as badly as before I started the Humira. Good luck to you.

gloria

[Guest guest]

Humira has worked very well for me, I am on no other drugs. I

have been taking it for about a year. Recently I have had a

flare-up of Costochondiritis so I am not sure if Humira is now

failing me. Side effects are many, you will read, but I have not

had any that I can feel. To me, it is better than being crippled

permanently and I have had no permanent damage except

ankles that look like I am 80! One thing I will tell you is that

Humira burns when you inject it. I believe that is because the

drug is very acidic. Not much to do about this searing pain,

except some find taking the medication out of the refrigerator

20-30 minutes prior to injection helps. Some ice the area but

that burns your skin too! I've also found that injecting the

medicine slower actually helps too. Not so much pain all at

once. Anyway, you only take it once every 2 weeks so to me it is

worth it!

Good luck,

>

>

> Hello-

> I am a new member of this group. I was " diagnosed " with RA

about 1

> year ago. I am RF negative but sed. rate and other

inflammatory

> tests are very elevated. I have been on Bextra since Oct. 2004

and

> Methotrexate since December 2003. My trouble is that I cannot

take

> steroids (e.g. prednisone) because I also have Type I diabetes

(IDDM)

> and throw in hypothyroidism as well. I am an autoimmune

disease

> landmine.

>

> Anyway, my doctor is wanting to start me on Humira next week

if tests

> come back okay. I was just curious about side effects and if it

> seemed to help syptoms. The Bextra has seemed to work

best. I have

> not noticed ANY change since being on the methotrexate. Last

week my

> symptoms got so bad that I actually had to call my rheumy and

he

> called in Skelaxin. Also, last week I visited my eye doctor

because

> of redness in both eyes that has persisted for about a month.

He

> diagnosed episcleritis and said it was secondary to my RA.

ARGHHHH!

> When is it going to end?

>

> I was just wanting to get some feedback/advice, etc. Thanks!

>

>

[Guest guest]

I

Humira has worked very well for me, I am on no other drugs.  I

have been taking it for about a yea

Really?

I did not know you could take Humira alone...

Pris

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[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed 5 years ago.

For one year I was under big steroids by IV and methotrexate. But

the cocktail was not effective to me.

Then I switched to Remicade (IV) and methotrexate. The combination

worked very well leading me to an almost complete remission of

symptoms. After one year the doctors decided to stop Remicade for a

while (it was their kind of plan in using Remicade, 10 months of use

followed by ten months of interruption). In the meanwhile my

arthritis was getting back to very severe levels.

When I was allowed to start my secon period of Remicade, I had a

awful and very dangerous allergic attack (after the first infusion

of Remicade). So they stopped it and told me I couldn't take it

anymore. Nor the methrotexate, either.

It was a very difficult moment for me: pains were very heavy, my

body was a big baloon (because of the great amount of prendisone I

was forced to assume just to stay out of my bed) and I saw no hope

in the future.

But eventually in 2 months I got a unhoped but greatly appreciated

phone call from the hospital: there was a new drug to be used,

Humira.

And Humira has changed my life dramatically!

In 2 years, now I am almost " healed " ! I have eventually stopped to

use prendisone at all and also my body (and my face!!!!) are slowly

coming back to usual featuers and size.

Only my joints are unchangebly BIG, but I am getting used to that,

since I am so HAPPY to have again a fairly normal life.

About the side effects I can complain problems in my periods,

expecially methrorragies and endometriosis (I had to undergo BC

twice).

But, really, I wish the creators of anti-tnf drugs to win the Nobel

Prize: they deserve it!!!!!

Cecilia