Humira vs Remicade?

I've been reading thru the various threads in this forum.

My son's perianal abscess that was surgically drained July 12 is SLOW to heal, but I know that is normal. He went back to college two weeks ago, saw a surgeon in college town before he moved in, who put him on cipro along with azathiprine that GI doc put him on.

Went back yesterday for a 10-day follow up....more redness now than before but my son feels great...better than before. He has very little drainage now. Surgeon said he's never had a case where cipro w/ aza cured abscess. He's suggesting a follow-up with GI and talk about biologics, otherwise another surgery to clean out abscess in Dec after semester, if he continues to be okay and can wait that long.

We did discuss humira vs. remicade with college town GI, and my son would prefer humira just for convenience sake of doing his own shots rather than giving up 4 hours during a busy junior-level engineering class schedule.

In reading thru some have had miracle responses, some say humira causes abscesses!! UGH!!

I know every person is different, but I'd like to know what your experience is with either one....I'd prefer to fight the abscess with everything we can before subjecting him to another surgery. He had a horrible experience...was in hospital for 4 days....lot of pain.

Thanks in advance!

allicat1214 said:

In reading thru some have had miracle responses, some say humira causes abscesses!! UGH!!

Click to expand...

Where?
I'm very interested in anything that says Humira causes abscesses because that's not my experience and I've not seen anything to suggest it does, at least so far.

Beth,

I did see that in a forum, but I went back and looked and it wasn't here. I did a google search on humira perianal abscess and found the convo below on a healing well forum.

I am not arguing that humira doesn't work....I sincerely pray that it does! It's the option my son would prefer! I'm just searching for answers for my son. So I'd love to hear your success story with it!

Many thanks!

*********************************************************************

Ruthy
Regular Member

Posted 2/24/2011 12:40 PM (GMT -6)
My humira shots cause a tiny pocket of infection to become a major absess, I'd be careful, my GI said that, that is a side affect of humira, it cause absess's to grow, I don't know, i'd definately be careful, I had to go off mine until they removed my absess :/
Back to Top


Eva Lou
Regular Member

Posted 2/24/2011 4:38 PM (GMT -6)
I don't understand why it triggers the absess but my GI said it would, too, she's the top Gastroentorologist at Duke to so she knows a few things haha but she said the pro's are better than the possible cons so I'm back on Humira twice a month!!
Back to Top

chroniemomx2
Veteran Member


Date Joined Apr 2005
Total Posts : 2333
Posted 2/25/2011 3:24 PM (GMT -6)
The thing with remicade and I don't know if it is true for humira as well (but might be as well since you were told that it can cause an abscess), but remicade can work so well and so fast at closing fistulas, that it can actually cause an abscess in the track.

I haven't heard of Humira causing abscesses but rather treatment should not be initiated if you have an active infection, including chronic or localised infections, until they are controlled.

My son wasn't a candidate for the biologics due the location of his fistula but also because he had an active psoas abscess.

Dusty. xxx

Humira has worked wonders for me.........period. Closed the fistula and no abscesses!

I read that Remicade can cause more allergic responses than Humira because of the mouse protein used in Remicade.

If you do a google scholar search for "allergic infliximab adalimumab" you will see a lot of articles of how Humira is effective for patients with allergic responses to Remicade.

Here's my idea: Biologics can close abscesses up, like fistulas. With an active abscess, this is not a good idea, because it can trap the fluids inside, leaving them to fester and grow. So, I don't think Humira CAUSES abscesses. Rather, if it closes off even a small abscess, the abscess can get worse.

Good luck to your son! I'm on Humira to heal a perianal fistula/abscess as well.

Glad to hear of successes with humira.

Went to GI doc yesterday and he agreed with surgeon that his abscess needed more aggressive treatment than cipro and azathiprine. So he had blood work, skin test, and chest xray done yesterday. He'll go back on Friday to have skin looked at and we're waiting to hear from the insurance company....

But in the meantime, my son is feeling very good. No pain at all. Abscess doesn't look infected, some healing has occurred since I saw it last (2 weeks ago). But still open...

The surgeon has said he didn't believe in packing...son just uses mini pads to catch the minimal drainage.

I pray the humira works.

I'm waiting on the Humira treatment now....

I've had my first two lots of loading doses and am definitly seeing improvements already, I'd say definitly go for it if you can :thumleft:

Will be following your progress with interest. I thought Remicaid was preferred over Humira for subcutaneous fistulas, but maybe the school of thought is changing?

My son got his first Humira injections last Monday. He had to take four the first day. Will take 2 two weeks later, then one every two weeks.

I gave him two and he did the other two himself. It is relatively easy and their website has a lot of instructional info.

He says he is continuing to feel great as far as the abscess itself and at the site of injections.

We saw the surgeon again last Monday and he still thinks my son would benefit from a procedure where he could clean site of abscess while my son was under anesthesia....so that will probably happen at the end of the semester.

But overall, it's looking better and better...saw it again and it is continuing to heal!