After getting an F in Enbrel after six months, my rheumatologist switched me to Humira. I took my second Humira shot on Friday. Both the first and second shots cleared up little patches of psoriasis on my scalp and face for two days after I took the shot (I don't get psoriasis anywhere else).
I've noticed a couple of patches of rough skin on my upper arms for a couple of weeks. Well, this morning after showering, the patches were much more noticeable and much larger. No itchiness, no flaking and very little redness, but very clearly there.
Any of you have similar experiences with Humira?
I wouldn’t worry about it; typical to get minor flares or dry skin. The dry skin is good indication that healing is occuring as long as it’s not prolonged (several months)
Sorry about the typos! When you take your bi weekly shots, it’s typical to get minor flares. The longer you are on the medication, the flares will be smaller if anything at all. Thinning and dry skin is an indication of healing. Just use moisturizer for the time being.
I emailed my rheumatologist and he’s put me on a twenty day tapered course of prednisone. I’m no stranger to it as I took it for eight months. I had to do the same thing when I started Enbrel. It seems my body needs a bit of a boost while adjusting. It’s reassuring to think that the skin flare could be from healing.
Oh, and about the typos…every time I think I’ve sent a message that looks pretty good I find I’ve goofed somewhere! I just blame my unresponsive fingers 
Hi Laura, yeah I’m not worrying at all. Cool. Cucumber. Me. I like the notion about packaging. I’m a sucker for things that look fun while being functional. Because I’m back on the steroids I’m holding off on using topical creams as most of the ones I use are…steroidal!
Laura E D said:
I definitely wouldn’t worry…there are times when packaging makes all the difference and when hands are disobeying
Janeatiu, hopefully those red spots on your arms disappears as quickly as they came there and that you get an A+ in Humira. In the last few days I have developed psoriasis on either side of my nose, never had it on my face before. I just finished a taper from prednisone which I was on for this past 9 months, could be from that, I don't really care to be honest as long as my face don't turn green and grows a huge wart on the edge of my nose its all good lol.
I hope that doesn’t happen to you either, but you’d save a bunch on a Halloween costume!
But seriously, after eight months of prednisone my psoriasis was pretty much gone, even when I tapered off. But I know we’re all different. I did get a couple of PsA flares on prednisone but I was also ill for one of them. The other was from decreasing my prednisone dose too quickly. I hope I get an A+ in Humira, too. My GPA took a hit from Enbrel. It was like in my final math class in high school. Started off so well and showed such promise but failed to deliver at the end of term.
Easternlady said:
I don’t really care to be honest as long as my face don’t turn green and grows a huge wart on the edge of my nose its all good lol.
I don’t mean to be negative, but approximately 10% of patients acquire clinical remission on Humira. If your psoriasis is as resistant as mine, then multiple treatments might be the only option. The more stress you have, the more likely you are to have flares.
Very similar story to yours. Have been on Enbrel a little less than a year, fabulous results compared to no treatment. But have been getting flares more, increased inflammation in my knees, and skin is so/so. Starting Humira tonight as it took a few months for the insurance company to approve the change.
Everything I have been reading says the shots are much worse than the Enbrel. Could you provide any feedback/comparison? I’d like to share notes so maybe that way we can both get As!
Hi CandiP,
I found the Enbrel auto inject pen to be a torture device so I switched to the pre-filled syringe. I had zero problems with that process. And the auto injector was only bad because you have to make your skin taut so it always left a bruise on my thigh.
When I switched to Humira they gave me the auto inject pen first (they're switching my script to be the pre-filled syringe). However, with Humira they ask you to inject into a pinched up fold of skin. This is how I give myself the regular (not auto inject) shot. So, when I took my first auto injected Humira, even though it is spring loaded, it doesn't bruise. It has bled one drop of blood each time and I think that's just because the spring loaded device shoots so darned hard! I've experienced no irritation at the injection site whatsoever.
Leave the pen out of the fridge for twenty minutes before you give yourself the shot. Pinch a nice inch or so in your belly and press the button. I like to take a deep breath in and once the trigger releases I blow it out slowly and...all done!
In my view, the Humira auto inject is better than the Enbrel one because of how you inject into flab rather than taut skin. I will let you know what I think of the pre-filled syringe comparison when I get there! So far I think the Enbrel gives a little more of a sting as the liquid goes in than the Humira.
I hope this is helpful.
CandiP said:
Could you provide any feedback/comparison? I'd like to share notes so maybe that way we can both get As!
Hi mataribot. Jut checking are you saying it's negative (Humira?) because ONLY 10% of people achieve remission? Not sure what you mean so I thought I should ask.
My psoriasis has been very well controlled and has been limited to my scalp and face for twenty years with only very mild and periodic outbreaks. It was hard for me to know that that was what I really had. It was more like agressive dandruff than anything else. Since developing PsA it has gotten worse. When I was on Enbrel my skin was great and even when I was only on prednisone and MTX it got better. I was essentially untreated for several weeks prior to starting Humira because of nausea from sulfasalazine and that the Enbrel had become so ineffective. I can only surmise that the outbreak on my skin is from starting Humira as nothing else is going on. And I mean it about stress. I'm not. At all. I'm not stressed at home, at work or with/about my PsA. Thankfully I have a very responsive rheumatologist who is all about dipping into the drug goodie bag for more fire power. How's that for a mix of metaphors!
mataribot said:
I don't mean to be negative, but approximately 10% of patients acquire clinical remission on Humira. If your psoriasis is as resistant as mine, then multiple treatments might be the only option. The more stress you have, the more likely you are to have flares.