So, I’m newly diagnosed (Feb 2017) and started Humira about 3 months ago. Im not site if I’m noticing changes to my symotoms or not. To complicate the process, also in Feb, I started taking Rx vit D supplements. So, now, if my achiness eases up for example, it’s hard to know if its a good day, the vitamin D, or the humira. It does seem, though, the 24-48 hours after a humira injection, I feel pretty dastardly; achy, tired, stiff, etc. Does anyone else experience this? I’m still trying to decide if it has just been the luck that the injections have fallen on rough days, or if it’s the medication.
Hi @Kaia. I can’t say I ever experienced any day after side effects from Humira (or Enbrel). Maybe you’re unlucky with the timing?
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I agree with janeatiu, Kaia, I don’t have any SEs from Enbrel, and I think only a handful of people on this site have mentioned SEs from biologics, but usually not Humira or Enbrel. Not saying it couldn’t happen, though–it’s just not common.
If your achiness eases up, I’d say it’s the Humira working. That’s what the biologics do. The feeling of fatigue and soreness, tightness in hands and general ill feeling is what the biologic, Enbrel, freed me from. I’m not sure, but I don’t think vitamin D tablets can help all the symptoms to that extent.
Hopefully, you’ll continue to improve–sometimes it takes longer than a few months, or you need a different biologic…and hopefully you’ll figure out what’s bringing on the achy, tired and stiff feelings that follow the injection.
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Hi Kaia, at the start I used to get tiredness and GI effects the day after Humira - 3 years on - now I get nothing.
I take Vit D on an off, when I’m close to deficient, and though I’m sure it’s not a bad thing, it’s never impacted my symptoms.
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I used to take Humara, I noticed a few side effects usually for a few days after injections mainly, really really bad headaches, lack of co ordination, feeling like I am constantly walking through water(like when you are walking out of the water at a beach), fatigue, agitation and fairly bad bruising after every set of injections. It would also take me a horrendously long time to give my self each injection, the longest I timed was 45 minutes per pen.
Now I am on Cosentyx. Aside from the walking through water feeling, fatigue, the occasional headache on or after injection day and a general feeling of what I would imagine being hit by a car would feel like, obviously thats an exaggeration but still it was and is a hard feeling to describe. Thankfully after the first year of injections I am pretty much free of physical side effects other than the occasional headache and a healthy dose of injection related anxiety, beats walking with a cane though.
To make a long story short for me I know that Cosentyx is actually working because my side effects dissipated after a period of time where as they only got worse with every Humara injection.
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Thanks to all of you for responding!! I’m sorry it has taken so long to respond. It’s crazy how the head for can really affect us! I actually forgot about this site until I recently received an email about it. Now, I’m beyond relieved because I’m coming up on about 6 months on Humira and I haven’t been sure if it’s been working. I’ve really wanted to know what it should be addressing. This thread has really helped! This past month has been rough! …I must say, though, my achiness is less than usual and my swelling is down. So I’m thankful! Thanks all of you for your responses!
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I’ve had 9 Humira injections and the “day after” issues seem to be improving or maybe I’m so hopeful it will work that I’m ignoring the flu like symptoms. In tracking how well the shots work, it would appear that after almost every injection I feel better a little bit longer, Is this common? Currently my health is better for about 5 days. Twice the injections did zip. Odd.
I have only had 3 injections so far. My fourth is due tomorrow. They are definitely helping. But I have also noticed a difference in effectiveness across the injections. Maybe it’s just to early for me.