I was curious if anyone is taking Humira and Sulfasalazine together (is this normal?) or if anyone was able to stop taking Sulfasalazine after starting Humira?
My PsA had been controlled well with Sulfasalazine for years, but I have been slowly increasing from 1000 - 3000 mg/day. Now that the Sulfasalazine is no longer controlling my PsA at 3000 mg/day, my Rheumatologist recommends going to Humira … but he wants to keep me on the Sulfasalazine also.
When he first recommended Humira, we never discussed staying on Sulfasalazine so I was looking forward to finally get off of the Sulfasalazine. This caught me by surprise and I am a little frustrated by the change in my treatment plan.
It’s common to take a DMARD alongside the biologic in order to help prevent our bodies developing antibodies against it. (I think there may be more complex reasons too, though too complex for me I’m afraid). However Sulfasalazine seems an unusual one, it’s usually Methotrexate.
I would imagine that the fact that Sulfa has worked so well for you in the past has something to do with it. Do you still tolerate it well? If so, this might all work out very nicely. Whatever happens, most rheumys do seem to prefer patients to take some sort of DMARD add-on with bios so you’re not alone, most of us on biologics have another little ‘friend’ on board.
I would ask your Rheumy about at least reducing the dose of Sulfasalazine. It can be hard on your liver, and why take it if you don’t need it. Maybe his plan is to wean you off of it gradually. That sort of makes sense. Hopefully, Humira will kick in and you won’t have any problem going off the Sulfasalazine.
I would definitely take something like methotrexate or sulfasalazine when on Humira. I loved Humira but it only took a year for me to delvelop antibodies and I haven’t found anything that works the same.
I’m new here, but I wanted to let you know that I have been taking Humira in conjunction with Sulfasalazine for years now. I have recently increased my dosage of Sulfasalazine from 2 500mg tabs twice daily to 3 500mg tabs twice daily, but I think it is fairly common to take the two together. I had no idea about the possibility of developing antibodies, so I am relieved to know my doctor did right by me by having me on the two.
