A week ago I was into my 7th week of Humira and doing fairly well. Still some pain and swelling and fatigue but improved. Tuesday, 30 Nov, I inject Humira and two hours later feel I have the worst case of the 'flu ever. Wednesday I get up up after a very bad night to find I am 'lobster man' with the flu. Head to toe covered by a red welt except for a few select spots. No itch, no soreness; just red and swollen and feeling bad. Off to hospital and treated for a severe allergic reaction to who knows what (or cares it seemed). Treated with cortisone and allowed to go home. Friday, I see rheumo and he says it could be 1. I'm producing anti bodies against Humira 2. I'm allergic to the preservative in the Humira solution, 3. as I have high white blood cell count I may have a mystery infection. He takes me off Humira and puts me on a high but slowly reducing dose of predisone until January 20 . Saturday, the strain on my body causes my heart to atrial fibrillate so back to hospital, electro cardio conversion back to normal rythm and home. ( the drugs used made think I was piloting a shuttle in the film 'Alien', the visual were fantastic and I became conscious again laughing ). Despite danger of infection to me, no one will give me antibiotics because 'we don't do that if the infection can't be found' despite me being immune suppressed and having knee replacements endangered by infection. When I get home I self administer antibiotiotics because I have a script just for this situation given by my brilliant GP. Sunday, tired but better. Monday AF again, hospital again, but this time heart self reverts to norm. I wait 5 hours for a cardio consultant to visit me but eventually check myself out when no sign of him/her. Blood test showed antibiotics are working and white cell count is reducing. I'm congratulated by emergency doc for taking the initiative!! Wednesday, the high prednisone dose is is causing breathlessness, severe sweating and blood sugar rise. I reduce the dose that night and by Thursday afternoon sweating and breathlessness reduced.
I've been out today preparing for a 900 mile drive across country to celebrate the Xmas season with family and feeling as though I've never been sick!. With no swelling, no fatigue and almost no pain I intend to really enjoy the next 6 weeks.
The future? I'm sure it will not be boring.
Merry Xmas everyone and best wishes for the new year.
Wow, what a ride you've been on and you're right, definitely not boring. Hoping it gets better for you, drive carefully, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Allan, so sorry to hear about your bad reaction! It sounds like you have had quite a week!!! Good luck with your trip and being away from your doctor.
I had injections in my spine last week for chronic back problems (pain killers and cortisone) which have helped my symptoms of PsA. My Pain Specialist feels that these injections (I have been getting for about 5 years now, every 12-14 weeks) have been masking my PsA symptoms for years. I have to say I believe him...I was not able to afford my spinal injections since the end of June and my PsA was flaring terribly. I was MISERABLE and so much pain. But since the injections, I am still in pain, but I can function at least.
I FINALLY got a referral to a Rhuemy, but can't get into him until February 14th. Thanks for your support as I find you to be very positive and helpful to us all out here. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
After my allergic reaction to Humira I have been on prednisone for about 6 weeks. Started on 10mg a day and gradually reduced to the .25 mg and then stopped. After a couple of weeks the flares and flu like symptoms went away and it seems that I am in remission.. I still have heaps of pain in my back, ankles and feet, and shoulders and one hand but this is from damage and is so much easier to deal with when I'm not feeling so tired and ill as well. I take 400mg celebrex daily for this damage caused inflammation. Doc says I might stay like this for week or for years; I'm hoping for the latter!!
As well as the prednisone being very effective I feel that the relief given by it has reduced the stress of feeling so bad and that this reduced stress breaks the cycle of stress makes Psa worse and Psa makes for stress.
Lainee B's comments that she can function better when the pain is well controlled by her spinal injections seems to support my theory that it is very important to find more things we can do to reduce our stress levels by pain control, acceptance of our condition and learning stress reducing habits.