I'm about to start Humira every other week. I am newer here and so far I've only been on prednisone and methotrexate. I was diagnosed several months ago after having symptoms for 5-6 years. I've never had any skin psoriasis. I was just taken off the mtx because of bad reactions so my doctor prescribed the Humira next. The thing that I'm curious about is that my doctor (and her medical assistant who drives me crazy but thats another story) keep saying "you need to start this, it's going to fix you!" ... so I guess my question is "what do you think they mean by "fix"? They also gave me celebrex but I just got it so haven't taken it yet. Currently my problems are just aching and exhaustion rather than swelling, also a new thing for me, lower back pain that is pretty sharp and constant. Again, when I had my appt last week and reported my new painful back I was reassured that the Humira was going to fix that too.
Has anyone had the Humira and Celebrex as the only med they take? and how did that work? I kind of feel like my doctor is getting tired of answering my questions and maybe she's frustrated with me because it took me so long to accept this diagnosis - in my defense, with no skin issues and the fact that they told me 5 different diagnosis before telling me PsA, it has taken a while to absorb the information. I'm in the medical field in a different specialty so I know just enough to make me dangerous and skeptical lol. I think I am starting to be more depressed leaving the doctor's office than feeling hopeful. Thank you for any information or comments
I take on Enbrel, nothing else. For me, it's amazing. I was walking with a cane and unable to sleep at night because of my swollen knee. Now I'm 100%. Humira is similar.
Don't get depressed. Be hopeful. If the doctor thinks it will "fix" you than he thinks you will respond well to the drug and feel much better.
You'll always have the disease. Meds will help, then not help, then something else will help, then stop working. Basically, it's a lifetime of taking it one medication at a time. The biologics are a massive breakthrough and have helped SO MANY. Some people are nonresponders though.
They don't stop working with everyone. I've only been on Enbrel 16 months now so II can't say, but I asked my rheum. There's people who started on Enbrel when it first came out in the late 90s and it still works for them.
If you don't respond to Humira, there's Enbrel, Remicade and Simponi with Cimzia and Stelara coming this year. There's also a few RA biologis like Orencia which are sometimes given for PsA. Chances are that something will work for you.
I can only tell you my experience on humira.i have been taken humira since last August and it has helped me a lot.in the uk we do what is called a das score to see how bad you are.on my first test a had 28 tender joints and and 11 swollen joints and my crp was 28 and esr 55.after taking humira for 12 weeks at my next rheumy appointment I had 9 tender joints and 3 swollen and my crp was 5 and esr 24.i started to notice a difference from taking humira after two weeks and by the time my 12 weeks check up came a had stopped useing my crutches.i do take mtx 17.5 mg ( says humira works better with it) and sulphsalzine 4 tablets per day but I have cut back on the pain dullers( not painkillers lol) and feel I much more normal person again.
I had to stop taking it for a while as I was having a op and I was counting down the days to when I could start it again.I don’t say it going to fix me as my psa is never going to go away but with the humira it now in the background and not the first thing i think about in the morning or last thing at night.i know taking it can be one of the most scary things in the world but living in the world with limited movement and so much pain
Is not that much fun.i decided I was willing to give anything a try it was better than living the way I was.
I guess your doctor is saying try it as he sees so any people it has helped but you are one person and need to take it all in first.i too was diagnosed with psa and had no psoriasis at the time.that showed up about 3 years later and then only a small amount were no one can see it.but at the end of the day you are the only one who can decide what’s you thinks best for you.i hope go’s well what every you decide
Best wishes
Tracy
on humira, MTX and naproxen . Humira worked for me in 12 hours. It saved me. I have been on humira for 2 years. It is still as effective as ever but disease progression is takng it's toll. good luck to you
Tracy, it really helps me to hear you didn’t have Psoriasis either when diagnosed. Sure did make it hard to figure out what was happening to me. I am scared to start humira but i haven’t read too many people say they had bad side effects. If it helps with fatigue I’m willing to try it. Pain is bad, but pain WITH fatigue are whats making me want to give up. Then i read the support everyone gives each other here and i get some fight back in me. Just have to fight through the exhaustion
It was hard to give me a name at first but he said it was inflammary arthritis and he said it did not matter what name it had he was going give me the same meds.but I wanted to know what I had.i lived in the land of deniel for a very long time and still do sometimes .rheumy doctor did ask me if I had ever had psorisis or anyone in my family and I said no.turned out when I went to visit my aunt who lives 300 miles away she told me my mum had psorisis and I never knew.my son came out with psorisis a year ago and he was covered in it but he had the one if you treat it quickly it can go away and maybe not come back .
The fatigue has a very big part to play in how we feel ,I remember trying to do the housework ,i would do 15 mins have a sit down and fall asleep wake up and start again .i will say the humira has helped with that a lot .i think I got used to the pain and pills helped but the fatigue can be so bad.i don’t go to bed for 2 hour naps in the afternoon very often now only when I was off humira for while due to having a operation.
The only side affect if I have noticed is a bad head after taking the shot and more tired that day but I have started taking it at bedtime instead of morning and that helped.it started working very quickly for me but noticed a few days before my next shot it started wearing off but once it had time to build up in my system that went away as my rheumy nurse said would.think I have rattled on enough now but hope my reply helps
Best wishes
Tracy
Hi Madseason, Humira didn't work for me and I've started Remicade infusions, but that doesn't mean it won't work for you. Only telling you this in case it doesn't work, don't get upset, there are other meds you can take.
I have PsA, and it was fairly severe. I couldn’t take the caps off of water bottles. I took Enbrel for a couple of years, and it was a miracle. Enbrel began to give me rashes around injection sites, upper legs. So Humira was my next biologic, and it works just as well. They both began working quickly for me. I did have an unusual skin cancer that was removed…related? I’ve been on these drugs for about 6 years, and I’m still about 95% better than I was. If Humira stops working, or gives me other symptoms, I’ll try another one. Do it!
