Hi all. We moved to northern California this past July and I have a wonderful new rheumy.
She just prescribed Cimzia. I started taking it on Friday, my first of 3 loading doses which consisted of 2-200 mg injections.
I have been totally exhausted all weekend.
Is anyone else taking Cimzia? It was recently approved for PsA. I’d love to hear from anyone else who is using this biologic. I’m also on methotrexate, 1ml injection every week.
Thanks everyone!
I don't have any first-hand experience with this drug, but many people experience fatigue the day after they dose their biologic. Sometimes it gets better over time, and in other cases it does not. The best thing to do is adjust your dosing schedule to allow a recovery day after your injection.
I haven't used it yet, but am awaiting insurance approval. I am also taking the MTX injection weekly. I'll let you know how the Cimzia goes with me, should it get approved here soon (fingers are crossed...and now stuck).
I started the first loading dose of Cimzia on Nov 4. I did feel really tired the next day after the first two injections, it was the same with subsequent loading doses. I felt improvement after the first week, though. I was on Humira for a year when I stopped responding to it and increased to weekly, but that didn't work. I take the full amount of MTX and meloxicam as well. I had my first maintenance dose last Monday (one shot.) On week 6 I saw my rheumatologist and felt better than I have in years, even better than when Humira was working.After a week my toes started to swell again, which is disappointing. I'm worried that I will have to double up on Cimzia for it to work. Right now I am in a holding pattern and supposed to "document" the changes as the treatment goes on with one shot every other week.
Hi, Ibeth, I just started Cimiza yesterday. Holy Hannah, am I tired! I slept 13 hours today and am seriously drained. Just exhausted. But I also feel like I might be getting a cold so maybe that's it. I rather do like the Cimzia syringes and design though. I really felt like these injections have been some of the easiest to use/administer to myself. Some brusing, but not too much.
Hi all! Well, I’ve now had 3 loading doses of Cimzia. I also do 1 ml of methotrexate weekly, injection. It seems that my psoriasis is changing. I think it may be getting a little better. My exhaustion continues, however.
Before Cimzia, I was on (and failed) Humira, Enbrel and Simponi. I never felt this exhausted when on the other three. I’m guessing everyone is different and will have different symptoms and side effects.
I do like the syringes, too, Sunny! They seem much easier to use than some of the others. Since I’ve been on MTX for over three years, they seem more like the mtx syringes and very easy to use, even on my worst arthritis days.