Just a quicky: I injected Humira on Wednesday & for the first time soon got a big red patch around it. Two days later it's still there and stinging a bit. I'm inclined to ignore it so am just checking out whether that is the right course of (in)action.
I'm on the fence. Since it's the first time, I would probably just put a call in to the rheumy and let them know. I don't think you have to DO anything other than treat the symptom. You could use ice on it to quiet it down, anti-itch lotion or an antihistamine if that's the issue.
I use Enbrel and get an injection site reaction every single time, and have since the 2nd or 3rd shot. It's less than 3 inches across, and never even itches. My rheumatologist is perfectly comfortable with it, and doesn't have any concerns about having to stop the medication, since it's a minor reaction. She did say that she had someone who was having big (12inches plus) site reactions that were bothersome, and that patient had to stop using the medication.
By the way, mine appear within 24 hours, and take almost the rest of the week to go away completely. Maybe that timeline helps you out.
Have you thought of calling the Humira helpline? The number is usually on the packet.
I sent this pic to my Dr. and they acted like it was ok which shocked me and they thought I should rub benadryl on it ( LPN opinion), when I talked to the Dr. the next injection they changed me off Humira but I also felt very ill as time went on. This was 2 of 3 injections, and I felt it was obvious that I was allergic. Super itchy and raised and then just feeling bad, bad!
Now am on Remicade and they give me IV Benadryl first, right from the beginning. It may just be how it goes, but I would make sure that your Dr. knows exactly what is going on every time you have something that looks like allergy.
When I change drugs I make sure my husband watches me at least 30 minutes. I have seafood allergy and have had anaphylaxis before, it's scary, you just need to be careful.
I never had any reaction to Humira or Enbrel. Didn't have a reaction to Remicade either, but that is one that you can develop an allergic reaction at any time, so the folks at the infusion site always added both an antihistimine and steroid push into the iv line prior to infusion.
Hi Sybil. I got a site reaction like that after about the 5th through 10th Enbrel shots. But it didn't burn or hurt at all. After that it stopped and there's no reaction anymore. Hopefully, its just temporary for you, too!
Hi Sybil,
I got a reaction after my second injection when I did it in my leg. As I found it painful anyway, I've stuck to my ample belly since. I've had a further small reaction there and I think it's to do with me bodging the injection slightly. If the needle jumps out a little some of the stuff goes in the upper skin layers. That's my theory anyway. In both cases a bit of Boot's insect bite cream seemed to do the trick.
Hey Sybil, I know that both Humira and Enbrel come in both the auto pen injectors and the pre filled syringes. Most of the folks who see my Rheumy always request the auto pens, but I found that I bruised much more and had more injection site pain when I used it, so I always requested the injections instead. Never had a single problem with them (other than the meds hurting like crazy going in because the nurse neglected to tell me to let it come to room temp first). Once I figured that out, it was just in time for my last few injections...sigh. Glad to hear that the redness is clearing up.
The Remicade might not be available in the UK, I really don't know. I do know that it is kind of a step beyond Humira and Enbrel, as you cannot self-inject it - it has to be infused through an IV at a doctors office, clinic, or hospital.
Remicade is a "Yellow card" medication in UK. I think its called infliximab.
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/3236
I'm not sure I get the soccer refrences. If god had intended us to play soccer instead of tackle football, he wouldn't have given us arms
I know its a warning. Thats about it. My number five son shamed the family by becoming a soccer player. (his older brother made it into the NFL) I tried my darndest to figure that game out. When Moses was ijured and had tobquit the game, I was stillvtrying to figure it out. To this day I haven't figured out "off sides" Moe was on the olympic development team so it isn't like I didn't attend a lot of games (although they are hard to see with a disguise on)
I assume the NHS calling soemething a yellow card is similar to what we call black box warning.
Is it supposed to be like hockey “off sides”?
tntlamb said:
I know its a warning. Thats about it. My number five son shamed the family by becoming a soccer player. (his older brother made it into the NFL) I tried my darndest to figure that game out. When Moses was ijured and had tobquit the game, I was stillvtrying to figure it out. To this day I haven’t figured out “off sides” Moe was on the olympic development team so it isn’t like I didn’t attend a lot of games (although they are hard to see with a disguise on)
I assume the NHS calling soemething a yellow card is similar to what we call black box warning.
I remember when I was struggling 33 years ago trying to push out a baby frank breach (or breech?) and the doctor was talking about hoping to get finished in time to catch the afternoon's NFL game on TV! I think the fact that I remember the conversation means it must have taken my mind off the event at hand for a short time!
sybil said:
I suppose it must have something in common with hockey off sides. But in football the off-side rule has this mythic status as being completely incomprehensible. I've tried 3 times to post a link to various sites that 'explain' it (not to me they don't) but each time the link hasn't worked. I love that we've gone from Humira site reactions to the offside rule!
Grandma J said:Is it supposed to be like hockey "off sides"?
tntlamb said:I know its a warning. Thats about it. My number five son shamed the family by becoming a soccer player. (his older brother made it into the NFL) I tried my darndest to figure that game out. When Moses was ijured and had tobquit the game, I was stillvtrying to figure it out. To this day I haven't figured out "off sides" Moe was on the olympic development team so it isn't like I didn't attend a lot of games (although they are hard to see with a disguise on)
I assume the NHS calling soemething a yellow card is similar to what we call black box warning.
There has to be a defender between the receiver of the ball and the goal (other than the goalie) when the receiver is in the opposition's half of the pitch. See below--#2 is offsides as there is no red dot between him and the goal (besides the goalie). Simple. Now, please explain the LBW rule in cricket.
And there you have it everbody gets a participation ribbon. Amazing they even keep score. (actually they don't in some youth leagues.)
A good offense gets penalized because the backfielders are slow makes no sense
I was lost until someone said LBW! Hurray! Being married to a Brit, I know what that means.
See this is what I don't gety about the Brits. You play this thing call football where you run around half naked and should you mow a guy down or out run him you get thrown out of the game. Then you play an easy going game like baseball and you call it cricket. The batter as we cal him is covered up with pads to protect him from the pitcher who can throw the ball at him. If you hit him in the front legs (LBW) hes out, here if the pitcher throws the ball at the "batter" he takes a base if he gets hit OR both benches clear for a fist fight.
Near as I can tell, in the US we keep the violence on the field and entertain the fans, where as in cricket and especially soccer folks are so bored the violence occurs in the stands using offsides and LBW as an excuse.
thanks for leading us down this rabbit warren. I just read this: comparison of cricket and baseball and I learned far more than I wanted or needed to--like the term Mankad, for examle. I probably forgot something really important as a consequence!
I think sybil has forgotten all about her itch. Nothing like getting a historian off on trivia......