Does anyone have any info on whether enbrel or humira is the better choice of biologic in treating psoriatic arthritis? Any studies which shows one is better than the other or anyone have any personal experience or any info from their rheumotolgist as to which is more effective in stopping joint deterioration and other symptoms?
Sorry, I have no info to help you out on this subject. I'd be interested to hear from others also on this topic. At this time, I'm not taking any meds other than tylenol. Scared of side effects.
Statistically no difference. HOWEVER Humira seems only to be most effective when used with a DMRD (mtx is the one studied)
I started on Humira and had great results in terms of increased stamina and decreaed overall inflammation, but it wore off after about a year plus. My Rheumy switched me to enbrel and that is working well too. This is a common transitiTion that may be needed again. Everyone responds differently to each biologic at different times. You just have to try them. Luckily there are 5 or so to choose from.
yes TNT is right Humira does work more effectively when used with a dmard. I am on Humira and MTX and have excellent results. I have a family member on Enbrel for skin and they will be moving onto Stelara soon as Enbrel has not been able to keep their skin under control . No PsA involved in the other family member thank goodness.
I was started on Humira with mtx. I did not have much relief and injected it was like injecting lye. I would get a bee sting like swelling that itched and burned at the injection site that lasted more than a week which made it easy to see where I had injected last time. I was then on Enbrel without mtx without much relief. Then I was on Simponi with and without mtx without much relief. Now I am on Enbrel with mtx with partial response. Each biologic I tried for greater than 6 mos. If I don't have more response by Oct my Rheumy will try Remicade. So it appears trial and error is important for individual patients. I read somewhere that there are 5 different types of PsA. I have often wondered if they will find different biologics work differently on different types of PsA.
Hi Grannieapple,
I take Enbrel, I have no experience with Humira, however my cousin has this also, we were the unlucky ones in the family, and went from Enbrel to Humira, and went back to Enbrel. It helped her much more. Everyone is different though. I cannot take MX and it is usually used with Humira.
I have good days with Enbrel, and I am to be on it for 6 more months which will take me to the end of January. Winter will be the true test of this medicine!
I hope you get something that works for you and slows this monster down!
Hugs,
SK
My sister just came off Humira due to cost. Helped her pain in her legs and some other problems but none related to this discussion. Cost was a big problem. My grandson his on Embrol and has had seizures and must have special care for any time of surgery etc. He is going on 18 and was put on it for total body cover of psoriasis. he has had serious compilcations and can not play sports or get in the Military due to being on it. He only has small outbreaks but the complications and the fear of worse problems concerns his family a great deal. Long term is very scary for them.
I was told by my doctors that these meds wear out after a while and they go from one to the other all the time. My Rheumy mentioned once that Humira was somewhat stronger than Enbrel.
i can honestly say that i do not know if humira is working. been on it 18 months. i went off methotrexate 6 months ago because i was told my many people it is poison in the body long term..in terms of long lasting side effects in the future as mthx is a chemo drug even at 2.5 x 5 dosage weekly.i also have fibromyaliga so i take lyrica. i am really confused as to what is working. all i know is that my pain is about aching joints, feet hurt, inflammation, and tired.
..and it all started by finding that i had a purple toe 5 years ago and bad psoriasis on my scalp and private part.
My Rheumatologist told me that sometimes you really don't know if something is working until you stop it. I take Lyrica too, but it is ONLY good for nerve pain, I have Sciatica, and Fibromyalgia, so that usually takes care of it. Besides that and Enbrel, Oxiprozin helps with joint and bone pain. I also use an OTC Sports Cream, available at most grocery and drug stores, you would be surprised at what it can do for sore joints! However, you cannot use a heating pad with it.
Hope that is a help to you, always ask the Dr.before adding anything. Hope you get some relief!
thank you very much
SK said:
My Rheumatologist told me that sometimes you really don't know if something is working until you stop it. I take Lyrica too, but it is ONLY good for nerve pain, I have Sciatica, and Fibromyalgia, so that usually takes care of it. Besides that and Enbrel, Oxiprozin helps with joint and bone pain. I also use an OTC Sports Cream, available at most grocery and drug stores, you would be surprised at what it can do for sore joints! However, you cannot use a heating pad with it.
Hope that is a help to you, always ask the Dr.before adding anything. Hope you get some relief!
very interesting post. great job!
Look at the prescribing guide for each in section 14.
There's tables as to the effectiveness of each. If you go back to section 12 or 13 there's some other tables talking about how much your joints are protected.
You can also call the Enbrel and ask to talk to a pharmacist, who can walk you through the prescribing guide.
I was on humira for 6 months and was not working. When dr. added mtx took about 3 months then the combined of the two finally worked. I am still taking humira every 2 weeks and 22.5 mg of mtx weekly but it is working good for me. I also had to stop both medicines twice once for infection and fever and then again with cold. because your immune system is suppressed on meds I had to stop to fight infections and colds.
Hi all,
This post is a coupla months old but was very helpful... I've been on Humira for about three months and although it's still keeping me mobile my PsA symptoms are still prevalent and are a drag! I'm goin; to my Rheumie on the 11th and will ask to take it once a week as I know I tolerate the stuff well... It's good to know I have an ace in the hole with Enbril if the Humira ever stops being effective.
Happy New Year !
Hi Michael,
Very interesting. I didn't realize there were 5 differentiated types. I'm going to do a search to try to ascertain which one I have. I do hope you find your perfect cocktail of medicines to bring you some relief soon! Thanks for the info! :-)
michael in vermont said:
I was started on Humira with mtx. I did not have much relief and injected it was like injecting lye. I would get a bee sting like swelling that itched and burned at the injection site that lasted more than a week which made it easy to see where I had injected last time. I was then on Enbrel without mtx without much relief. Then I was on Simponi with and without mtx without much relief. Now I am on Enbrel with mtx with partial response. Each biologic I tried for greater than 6 mos. If I don't have more response by Oct my Rheumy will try Remicade. So it appears trial and error is important for individual patients. I read somewhere that there are 5 different types of PsA. I have often wondered if they will find different biologics work differently on different types of PsA.
This seems to be exactly where my Rheumy is going too..........he gave me the reading materials for the Humira and said he'd like to start me back on the MTX (after a few weeks of being on BC) at a higher dosage and see how that goes, but because he doesn't seem to think it's going to be enough alone, he's going to give me Humira with it. I'm beginning to understand that this is a rather common combination. Good. I suppose it wouldn't be unless it had been successful for lots of people. Good News! :-)
jot1 said:
yes TNT is right Humira does work more effectively when used with a dmard. I am on Humira and MTX and have excellent results. I have a family member on Enbrel for skin and they will be moving onto Stelara soon as Enbrel has not been able to keep their skin under control . No PsA involved in the other family member thank goodness.
Thanks SK!! I'll be buying some OTC today!! I love this site!! So informative!
stevenpain said:
thank you very much
SK said:My Rheumatologist told me that sometimes you really don't know if something is working until you stop it. I take Lyrica too, but it is ONLY good for nerve pain, I have Sciatica, and Fibromyalgia, so that usually takes care of it. Besides that and Enbrel, Oxiprozin helps with joint and bone pain. I also use an OTC Sports Cream, available at most grocery and drug stores, you would be surprised at what it can do for sore joints! However, you cannot use a heating pad with it.
Hope that is a help to you, always ask the Dr.before adding anything. Hope you get some relief!
None of the studies I’ve seen for PsA differentiate much between Humira (+ MTX) and Enbrel, though as Lamb says, you do need the MTX for Humira to reach maximum effectiveness.
However, there are a number of studies that show two completely independant things, from which you can draw your own conclusions;
- that a small percentage (between about 5 and 15 %, depending on the study) of seronegative arthritis sufferers (referred to as SpA, and generally including PsA), have significant indications of intestinal inflammation, both symptomatic and diagnosed through evidence of inflammatory ulceration on endoscopy/colonoscopy, and
- Enbrel does not work on inflammatory bowel disease (eg Crohns or ulcerative colitis), but Humira does (though my Rhuemy tells me Enbrel works on the arthritis symptoms common in Crohns)
I have some indications I’m probably one of those 5-15%. I’m taking Enbrel, partly because I’d like to avoid MTX as much as possible (I’m having a lovely Sauvignon blanc as I write this), and partly because I want to have what I hope, do me, will be the big guns left for the future. The Enbrel works well for my arthritis, though a 5 day cycle is much better than the subsidized 7 day cycle.
Do remember though that the success rate is only between 60 and 70% - so if it doesn’t work first up, don’t lose heart, there are others to try and it’s likely one of them will . Good luck!