Ok, I'm now coming to the end of my second month on Simponi (golimumab) and it's been an interesting journey so far. This is how I've found it:
Day 1: Injection went without a hitch, not even a teeny weeny little mark. Thank goodness for regular pre-filled syringes.
Day 2: Feel like I've got the flu. Ache from head to foot. Most of the day spent in bed.
Day 3: Did yesterday really happen or was I imagining it????????????
Days ~7 to 20: Wow, I feel AMAZING. Fatigue lifted, aches and pains minimal. Just great wanting and being able to do stuff. This is what I want!
Days 21 to 31: Oh no, going downhill fast. Haven't landed right back where I was before but not far off.
Day 32: Second injection. Even easier than last month.
Day 33: About the same as yesterday. Nothing remarkable one way or the other.
Days 34 to ~56: No amazing uplift like last month but guess I am a bit better overall. Some days better than others and definitely feeling less good as month progresses.
Days 57 to today (day 59): Ok, not good. Aches, pain and tenderness coming back fast and furious. Couldn't sleep last night and have been on pain relief every two - four hours today. Never had pain quite this bad in the back of my heel before, can't even bear it resting on a soft feather cushion.
So it feels like the Simponi is giving me some improvement but on a 1st of month dosing schedule is running out of steam around the third week. I know this has been mentioned by other members on some of their biologics. This gives me something to discuss with my rheumy at my next appointment in June. Also plan to ask about the dosages. I'm on 50mg which is prescribed for bodyweight up to 100kg (220lbs). I'm just under 85kg (186lbs) so should be ok on this dose but wonder if the 100mg dose would last longer. Something else to ask my rheumy ..... and in the meantime I'm trying hard to lose some weight but the inactivity is cancelling out all my careful fat and calorie counted meals. I'm not losing but not gaining either which I suppose is a result in itself.
So next dose being delivered tomorrow. Tempted to cut to the chase and inject straightaway but really should wait until Thursday otherwise I may 'pay' for it at the end of May when I'm waiting for the June dose to be delivered and two days early here plus another 31 day month could leave me struggling longer. And the UK NHS will only deliver one dose at a time so I don't have much control.
If anyone has any tops tips for getting through these dips with the bio's please share.