Goodbye Enbrel, Hello Humira

Rheumatologist said he wasn't sorry to see Enbrel go and put me on Humira. I am really hoping Humira will at least be as good.

I know I am still in a lot of pain, but I was quite grateful to not be super miserable and was more or less content to be a little better, now I'm afraid to change. I guess I think it might get worse. Not very logical, just hard to let go of the one aid I have had so far. Really a once burned kind of feeling

Sounds nuts right?

I'm mother of the bride, wedding in 2 months, scared of possible skin outbreak he warned me about, scared of losing control of the little bit of pain relief I have had. Not a good time to spiral. I think this disease is making me neurotic. They say it's your mind you miss the most.

Have you had good results changing from Enbrel to Humira?

I haven’t had any experience switching from Enbrel, but Humira was my first bio. I actually started it for psoriasis, a year or two before the PsA diagnosis. It was my wonder drug…my P started to clear in the first two weeks, and was completely gone (including the redness after the plaques cleared) after only 3 months. I looked like I had no skin problems!



After a couple of years, I did have to switch drugs, as I built up antibodies to the Humira. My doc had recommended taking MTX a year into treatment when I developed PsA. I wish I has as it he’s prevent that antibody formation. Something to keep in mind as you begin your Humria journey.



Another tip, ask your doc for a short course of steroids, just in case you are having a rough time for the wedding and it’s events. That’s the only way I was able to survive my wedding. I was in the middle of switching from Humira to Remicade at the time and had little of the Humira still left in me. I was also having my first flare. Yikes! You want to be the best you that you can be that day so that your daughter gets to have a happy mom on her happy day.



Good luck with everything. If you have any worries, I’m here for you!

Wow- that's a lot to figure out! How long have you been on Enbrel? How long do you have to be off of it before starting Humira? I agree with Grumpy - steroids to cover you during the transition and as needed during the wedding would be helpful. I hope the transition goes smoothly for you!

I corrected this second paragraph. Hopefully it makes sense now!
After a couple of years, I did have to switch drugs, as I built up antibodies to the Humira. My doc had recommended taking MTX a year into treatment when I developed PsA. I wish I had as it helps prevent that antibody formation. Something to keep in mind as you begin your Humria journey.

I switched from Enbrel to Humira. I went six weeks with no meds because of nauseau caused by sulfasalazine which I was taking with Enbrel. Humira was a slow start for me (Enbrel worked more quickly). I have very mild P on my scalp and it didn’t change for the worse with Humira but I do notice a couple of small patches of P (very small, very mild) on the outside of my upper arms two or three days after my shot. I don’t notice any difference in injection site problems (have none with either medicine) and I get no nausea or other side effects.



Good luck as you switch drugs. And I would take Grumpy’s advice abut having some steroids on hand in case you need to ride the wave through the wedding madness! Cheers!

Listen to the wise GrumpyCat! :)

GrumpyCat said:

I haven't had any experience switching from Enbrel, but Humira was my first bio. I actually started it for psoriasis, a year or two before the PsA diagnosis. It was my wonder drug....my P started to clear in the first two weeks, and was completely gone (including the redness after the plaques cleared) after only 3 months. I looked like I had no skin problems!

After a couple of years, I did have to switch drugs, as I built up antibodies to the Humira. My doc had recommended taking MTX a year into treatment when I developed PsA. I wish I has as it he's prevent that antibody formation. Something to keep in mind as you begin your Humria journey.

Another tip, ask your doc for a short course of steroids, just in case you are having a rough time for the wedding and it's events. That's the only way I was able to survive my wedding. I was in the middle of switching from Humira to Remicade at the time and had little of the Humira still left in me. I was also having my first flare. Yikes! You want to be the best you that you can be that day so that your daughter gets to have a happy mom on her happy day.

Good luck with everything. If you have any worries, I'm here for you!

I personally can't afford to get on the Biologicals because... well let me say this, I can certainly afford it now with my current Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance but I'm going to be be dumped due to the new ACA markets here in Virginia. I saw it coming, so therefor never got on them for 3 reasons.

1) I'm going to be forced into the ACA markets as of Jan. 1, 2015.

2) I have reviewed the ACA markets, and there is NO rider plan in Virginia that will supplement the costs on ACA.

3) I've read horror stories of those that have been on Bios for several years and then suddenly taken off of them.

But good luck to you switching.

I changed from Enbrel to Humira when the Enbrel stopped working more than a year ago. I had to wait several weeks between, but did feel better before long. I didn't have any real trouble changing, except that I had to inject less often. I personally prefer the Enbrel, I'm not sure why that is.

I've had this disease for years, and don't feel great, but I get by. I saw my dad suffer for many years only on methotrexate, because that is all there was at the time, no biologics at all. So I don't complain, because I've seen how it can be with nothing much to help. They didn't even know about the folic acid to cancel out the side effects of methotrexate, so in the end, having one kidney, the methotrexate did him in. I don't complain much at all about biologics, and I certainly don't worry about them much. Not everyone is like me, however.

The manufacturer has a program that will pay for the whole cost of the treatment. I am on Humira now and pay nothing at all for my medicine. Check it out.

Here's a place to start http://www.genentech-access.com/patients/find-patient-assistance?cid=gas_we_F001055_P000517&gclid=CJXOs9Cis7wCFcQ9QgodOSAARA

I am sorry to be whining, and I'm aware most are not as lucky as I am. I have worked for the same company since 1978. I don't take 12 weeks of FMLA. I took off 3 days sick since the 2 1/2 years I was diagnosed and I pay 425 a month for insurance.

Every time I see a letter from my employer, I figure today's the day they drop me and it will cost me three times as much for less.

I'm sure it's a matter of time that only the wealthy can get this kind of care. And that will leave most of us out.

Maybe that's why people quit their job to get insurance.

And really maybe biologics do so much good it looks bad when patients quit taking it.

I have so much damage from not being diagnosed, I wonder if I would be far better off today, if treated with biologics earlier.



Bewildered said:

I personally can't afford to get on the Biologicals because... well let me say this, I can certainly afford it now with my current Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance but I'm going to be be dumped due to the new ACA markets here in Virginia. I saw it coming, so therefor never got on them for 3 reasons.

1) I'm going to be forced into the ACA markets as of Jan. 1, 2015.

2) I have reviewed the ACA markets, and there is NO rider plan in Virginia that will supplement the costs on ACA.

3) I've read horror stories of those that have been on Bios for several years and then suddenly taken off of them.

But good luck to you switching.

Nice to know, is there somewhere on this site for things like that? If not maybe we should get that done.



jennyb said:

The manufacturer has a program that will pay for the whole cost of the treatment. I am on Humira now and pay nothing at all for my medicine. Check it out.

Here's a place to start http://www.genentech-access.com/patients/find-patient-assistance?ci...