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Humira... does anyone take it?

I am getting prescribed humira because I saw not improvement on Budesonide after 2 weeks. Does humira work quickly? I am going on vacation next week. I was going to start humira this week, is this a good or bad idea? Any advice is appreciated! Also an side effects you got while taking it!
 
Hello! I took Humira for a short spell (two months) to damp down inflammation before surgery. I got hit with a whole load of steroids simultaneously, so couldn't say if it was specifically the Humira that quelled the inflammation, but I was in remission by the end of the period of use. It's considered one of the big guns for tackling Crohn's, I believe.

I have heard various time frames for Humira. Was told that I should start to see improvement of symptoms after the second or third dosing, and continued improvement from then on if it proved effective. Many others suggest that it took longer for them. First dose was four syringes, second dose of two syringes two weeks later, then a single syringe every two weeks after that until it's discontinued. I had to go into the hospital to have the fist dose administered, and was monitored for any negative side effects for a while afterwards. I assume the monitoring procedure is similar wherever you are, so any immediate side effects should be picked up. I didn't personally find that it had any negative side effects, though people who have taken it for longer periods might want to weight in.

Lots of people seem to complain of pain at the injection site, which I didn't experience at all. I was advised to take the syringe out of the fridge and let it warm for up to an hour before injecting to avoid a painful injection. I think the fluid becomes more viscous when cold, so it's harder to inject.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Catlover - there are many here who take it, I have moved your thread to the Humira sub-forum for better visibility.
 
Hello! I took Humira for a short spell (two months) to damp down inflammation before surgery. I got hit with a whole load of steroids simultaneously, so couldn't say if it was specifically the Humira that quelled the inflammation, but I was in remission by the end of the period of use. It's considered one of the big guns for tackling Crohn's, I believe.

I have heard various time frames for Humira. Was told that I should start to see improvement of symptoms after the second or third dosing, and continued improvement from then on if it proved effective. Many others suggest that it took longer for them. First dose was four syringes, second dose of two syringes two weeks later, then a single syringe every two weeks after that until it's discontinued. I had to go into the hospital to have the fist dose administered, and was monitored for any negative side effects for a while afterwards. I assume the monitoring procedure is similar wherever you are, so any immediate side effects should be picked up. I didn't personally find that it had any negative side effects, though people who have taken it for longer periods might want to weight in.

Lots of people seem to complain of pain at the injection site, which I didn't experience at all. I was advised to take the syringe out of the fridge and let it warm for up to an hour before injecting to avoid a painful injection. I think the fluid becomes more viscous when cold, so it's harder to inject.
Very helpful! My doctor won't let me start it until after my vacation.
If you don't mind me asking, where do you inject it?
Is it in a prefilled syringe? I am in paramedic school so the thought of giving myself a shot doesn't bug me at all.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Very helpful! My doctor won't let me start it until after my vacation.
If you don't mind me asking, where do you inject it?
Is it in a prefilled syringe? I am in paramedic school so the thought of giving myself a shot doesn't bug me at all.
It comes in a pre-filled syringe as far as I know. I've heard from different people that they do the shot(s) either in a thigh or stomach....personal preference..

If you go through this sub-forum, there are also tips on how to make it a 'better' experience when giving yourself the shot.....
 
Very helpful! My doctor won't let me start it until after my vacation.
If you don't mind me asking, where do you inject it?
Is it in a prefilled syringe? I am in paramedic school so the thought of giving myself a shot doesn't bug me at all.
Hello again. Yes, as said above, it can be injected into the upper leg or stomach. Personally, I preferred the leg. Abdomen was already sore enough at that point. :p

Yes, you don't need to extract the medicine from a bottle or anything like that. The pre-filled syringe (or "pen") is easy to use. You simply disinfect the area, pinch some flesh, hold it against the skin, and push the button on the pen. The needle springs out, hold it for around ten seconds, and you're done. There's a liquid gauge on the side of the syringe to show you if the liquid has been successfully injected.

I was shown how to inject it at the second loading dose. They make sure you can inject it properly before they leave you too it.

Hope that helps!
 
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ive been on humira for about 8 yrs. while I experience horrible side effects that im guessing most people don't it literally stopped the inflammation and pain within 2 days of taking the initial dose. good luck to you!
 
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