This has been a process but I finally started Humira on Friday. I so hope it works. I was in so much pain last week. I believe it was due a doc that put me on 20mg of prednisone for 5 days and no taper… Ouch! That really kicked my butt. Needless to say I will not be going to her anymore. I am so excited with the possibility of getting a little of my life back. This disease is no joke. I will update my progress. Today is the 2nd day post first 2 injections … Not too much change noted yet but it seems that my wrists and ankles feel less tight then previous days.
I hope you're as fortunate as some of us who had quick results-that tightness was a big symptom for me and I started loosening up fast after the first dose of Enbrel. Really quickly the fatigue, weakness, swelling and pain diminished. Scalp psoriasis was gone after three weeks and over about 1.5 months my psoriasis was down to about 20% of what it was, which is where it has stayed and I'm fine with that. I also accept the pain I have from damage already done from the disease. It's not fun, and sometimes I worry the Enbrel isn't working as well as it started out to, but then the pain lets up and I feel good again. Also, osteo arthritis is always there.
I wish it would work that well for everyone! Then people wouldn't have to feel like a guinea pig going from one biologic to the next.
So, good luck--I like to share my happy story because you don't need to pinch yourself-you aren't dreaming or imagining--you are actually already starting to get real relief from the humira. :-)
I have been on Humira for a few months now! Let me give you something to look forward to, IT is wonderful!! Humira has to be the best drug ever created! I just thought in the beginning that maybe I was feeling better because I was desperate to actually feel better, but let me tell ya! My fourth day post injection my feet hit the floor and I was brand spankin new! Im excited for you! I so hope it will be good for you! Im thankful everyday of my life for Humira! Now, you wait and see! Good luck to you! PsA is a real bummer!
So interesting how biologics work different for everyone. So, Wondering, you've got a pretty good chance that humira will work--it's just a matter of when and to what degree. Oh, and for how long. Once it starts working, that will be your main concern ; or, maybe not....I tend to be a worrier, so it is something I think about once-in-awhile--especially when I'm having pain of any sort. I've said before tho, if Enbrel keeps my psoriasis at bay as well as the stiffness and soreness that wasn't osteo, I need to remind myself that it is indeed working.
Rhea, you sound pretty excited about how you're feeling--so good to hear! If you aren't having any pain at all you are doing extremely well! That's such good news for all of us to hear!
Yes, for me the pain comes towards the end of the day. And now that I'm only taking one shot a week, I start getting a little stiffness around the 5th day....nowhere near how bad it was before Enbrel, tho.
Seems like you're on the right track. Don't overdo it, tho. I've found I need to pace myself, but that is sort of because I have a bad back.
I've been using a heating pad a lot (my back). Ice packs on my sore feet are really quick relief for me. Glad you could cut back on the pain pills.
Good luck--you sound very positive!
I also hurt more at night. Most of the time though, the Humira works its magic and I don’t think about it.
With regard to your elbows - is it possible they could be tendons?
I haven’t had lymph node problems with PsA (I got swollen lymph nodes with another inflammatory disorder, but I felt like death at the time, so it doesn’t sound similar), maybe just get the lump checked with a doc?
HI wondering 123, I am so glad to read your comments on Humira, I had blood test on momday and go back in 3 weeks to see my rheumy in the hope of being able to give humira a go, i feel like there is some hope of feeling a little more normal after a long 3 yrs of wondering what was wrong with me then trying to find a medication that will help me .
Wondering123 said:
I so hope it works too. I am so excited to get to the point of working out again and having energy. I notice I was able to take less pain pills yesterday so that is a plus. I am curious if anyone else notices their pain worsensing at night. I didn't do much all weekend including yesterday but noticed about 6pm the pain increasing. I was mostly in my arms (elbows and shoulders). This mornining my arms are little sore as is my low back and neck. But I do notice that there is not as much pain in the bottom of my feet. I hate having to be patient. I know it is a virtue but I have never been good at it. Maybe that is my lesson to learn from all this....Patience and Trust. Thank you all for your responses, I just love having someone to talk to about this stuff.
I'm now 10 days past my initial loading dose of Humira and already a new sworn believer!!! Two nights ago we had a vehicle break down so I had to get our truck ready for my wife to use for work. Had a headlight out, foglight out, and all tires needed to be aired up. I was dreading it, knowing at least the headlight would require a lot of twisting, as well as using the hand that always hurts most. It was THEN that it hit me, this stuff is working!!! I still have pain and stiffness, but I didn't expect the rapid improvement. I called my derm yesterday to ask if I was imagining it, or possible to see improvement so fast and was assured I'm not likely crazy (well, at least on that), and some just see results quick.
I have no other medications to compare it to though, since I went straight to Humira after many years of only insisting I was fine.
OH, last night I opened a tin can with my old military "John Wayne"/P-51 too!! LOL, for anyone who knows what those are, that was a new feat to do without taking a break!
Scooter, that is great news!
Scooter said:
I'm now 10 days past my initial loading dose of Humira and already a new sworn believer!!! Two nights ago we had a vehicle break down so I had to get our truck ready for my wife to use for work. Had a headlight out, foglight out, and all tires needed to be aired up. I was dreading it, knowing at least the headlight would require a lot of twisting, as well as using the hand that always hurts most. It was THEN that it hit me, this stuff is working!!! I still have pain and stiffness, but I didn't expect the rapid improvement. I called my derm yesterday to ask if I was imagining it, or possible to see improvement so fast and was assured I'm not likely crazy (well, at least on that), and some just see results quick.
I have no other medications to compare it to though, since I went straight to Humira after many years of only insisting I was fine.
OH, last night I opened a tin can with my old military "John Wayne"/P-51 too!! LOL, for anyone who knows what those are, that was a new feat to do without taking a break!
Hi Wondering123,
glad you got started on Humira. Be patient and remember if you have a bad day it is most likely just a bad day. Not a week or a month, and it doesn't mean the Humira stopped working. After feeling cruddy for so long it is easy to look for any slippage in progress and see it as a failure of the meds. I've been on Humira for about a year now, and it was a really slow starter for me but that's probably because I had been off all meds for a couple of months before I started it and was in a pretty miserable flare.
About your elbows: I get really bad tendinitis for seemingly no reason at all. Lifting a grocery bag can do it. So can carrying a laundry basket. As can sleeping with my arms bent at the elbows and my hands close to my face (which now I think about it is a boxing stance--wondering what an earth I'm dreaming about!!). I have had all kinds of treatments for my elbow tendinitis and I have to say that Voltaren Gel (prescription anti-inflammatory topical) is the only thing that helps relieve the swelling quickly. If you have the time and inclination to sit and ice your elbows for 30 minutes then that will do the same thing--but I have Raynaud's so when I do it my fingers go blue and really hurt. So I use the gel and watch the bumps on my forearms go down without dipping into the ice dispenser.
Have you noticed any more lymph node swelling? I did an injection of Humira on Friday and had a nasty couple of days- nose and eyes were running, lymph nodes became swollen, super intense headache- like a really weird, really bad cold... I still feel weird and bad- slept almost 16 hours last night and my pain is much worse. I am hoping I don't need to do it again. Glad it's working for you! I didn't experience anything like this with Enbrel or Cimzia.
Wondering123 said:
One more question...I noticed that my arms are hurting now on the inner part of the arm near the elbow in bilaterally.
This is new. The only thing I can think is lymph nodes. I also noticed yesterday have a bump in my Right Armpit. I am also thinking lymph node. I called the doctor to let them know but I am curious if anyone else has swollen lymph nodes with PsA or PsA treatment?
Wondering, that sounds good. It could be both: less pain and more energy. Enbrel did that to me. Now starting my 5th month of Enbrel soon, I also need less sleep. I go to bed late and get up early--take one Tylenol pm every night, but don't usually get more than 6 hours of sleep--many nights it's 4 or 5, and I function pretty well during the day. Some days I'll take a short nap if I can fit it in. I did not feel like this 4 months ago, and I'm having a hard time remembering how I felt exactly. Best described as just feeling ill all over and not happy about it.
I sure hope you keep improving and can eventually say it's hard to remember how horrible the PsA was!
Wondering, that is fabulous news! Feeling a distinct improvement less than two weeks into the therapy is really good news. Not everyone is as lucky as you are, but when it happens we all do a happy dance! You say that you haven’t felt so “clear and good” for a long time. I remember the “clear” feeling, the lifting of brain fog, started happening very soon after I began enbrel. I had steady improvement for the next many months, and I felt that it was about nine months for me to see the full effect of medication.
What good news!
I don't think you'll jinx it by talking about it, BUT, I understand what you're saying--it's like, could this be for real??? I've gotten to the point where I just can't imagine how hard it would be if Enbrel stopped working for me. I have to keep telling myself if that does happen, there are other options. So, try to keep a positive attitude--it's much easier to do the better you feel!