Mine are currently taken out of the box it comes in (due to space in the fridge) and left in the plastic carton that holds it. They are placed on top of each other and put at the back of the fridge. The only light it receives is from the fridge light and the light in the kitchen. Is this the correct way to store Humira?

That sounds good. I stored mine the same way when I was on Humira with no adverse issues.

Call my humira nurse
Honestly they should stay in the box so they are protected better
The fridge gets opened a lot and that’s way too much light
Also chose the middle shelf center of the fridge
Not near the sides or back so it’s not too cold or too hot
The liquid is a small anliunt so could freeze easily
And defrost without you knowing
Especially if you get ice crystals on your sour cream etc...

Some get. Fridge just for meds consideringbthe pricd of humira is more than a new fridge

We just made sure one shelf was just meds
The rest of the good was bought accordingly
Since I could go to the store an extra day especially for the price of replacing.


Good luck
Ds was on it for over 5 years

I store my Stelara in the salad/vegetable drawer in my refrigerator.

I agree with my little penguin about the need to avoid freeze/thaw risk that may be encountered far back on the refrigerator shelf.

How big is this box ? My first dose of Humira is coming soon.
Thank You. .

Lynda Lynda said:

How big is this box ? My first dose of Humira is coming soon.
Thank You. .

Too big for my fridge to store 6-12 injections. I'd say they're the size and length of a hand and about 2 inches thick. If the company required that they don't get exposed to light I imagine they would tell us to take our fridge light out, don't open the fridge and indefinitely don't take them out the packet but I've never been told this before. Someone once said that if we couldn't look after them without them going off, they would injected at a pharmacy or nurse unit.

I store them in the sleeves they came in and never had an issue. The only time I've had them die is when they've been sat in my fridge for months and the last one or two don't work. I imagine because months of the fridge temperature going up and down has worn it out, but nobody can avoid that as all fridges do this.

We only got 4 injections at a time. Could you get your insurance company to send you fewer at once? 12 injections is a lot.

We also kept ours in the box. Just found space for it. I had two kids on biologics, so two sets of injections and so we just dedicated half a shelf to a whole shelf to meds.

A small fridge is not too expensive - think of the kind used for college dorms. As long as the temperature is kept consistent, then those fridges work well. Both my daughters have kept their injections in mini-fridges. You just have to get a reliable one and put a thermometer in.

Here are some recommendations from a rheumatologist:

Recommendations:

Store biologics at 2-8 ºC; when taken out of the refrigerator should be kept at room temperature less than 25ºC
Studies have shown that etanercept may be safely stored at room temperature conditions of 25°C±2°C (77°F) for up to 1 month https://t.co/HMf7pcVudE
I advise patients who are traveling to either: A) take their biologic a few days earlier or later to avoid traveling with drug; or B) if they travel with a biologic they keep it cool, dark and dry. Remove from the refrigerator, wrap the injectable syringe in bubble wrap or light insulation (no need for an ice chest or dry ice), put it in a purse or briefcase and bring the box label. The syringe is safe on planes & hotels as long as they are at room temperature, away from sunlight or heat. http://rheumnow.com/blog/tips-arthri...rs-best-2015-3
Discard drugs that have been frozen or improperly storage (call pharmacy or manufacturer for a replacement)
Pharmacists and nurses must counsel patients on the importance of storage conditions
There are companies developing apps to monitor drug temperature and usability. https://buff.ly/2rsHJ5v
Manufacturers should develop and incorporate temperature-sensitive warning devices that can be incorporated into packaging.
Tell patients to avoid storing Biologics in lower CRISPER Drawers, were the temperature is always lower (usually below 2°C or below 36° F). The lower temperature in the Crisper is optimal for storing produce and meats.

The article is also worth reading: http://rheumnow.com/content/problems...c-drug-storage

de Jong and colleagues from the Netherlands studied 50 patients receiving golimumab packaged with a temperature sensor that recorded sample temperature every 5 minutes. Patients were told to store their medication as usual. Temperature deviations were defined as any duration below 0°C and >30 minutes below 2°C or above 8°C.

After 3 months, data from 276 injectors and nearly 2.5 million temperature assessments showed that only one in eight (11.6%) were stored within the recommended temperature range. In addition, 11.2% were stored >30 minutes below 0°C and 33.2% were stored > 1 week above 8°C. The authors suggested these findings may affect drug effectiveness in IMID-patients.

In 2016 Vlieland et al performed a similar observational study of Dutch patients given biologics with a temperature sensor. A majority (87.0%) of patients returned their temperature recordings to the pharmacy.

Only 6.7% stored their biologic within the recommended temperature range. Over 24% were guilty of storing their drug for more than 2 hours below 0°C (median duration 3.7 h) and 2% stored drug at temperatures above 25°C (median duration 11.8 h). (Citation source: https://buff.ly/2DoDQ34)

Maya142 said:

We only got 4 injections at a time. Could you get your insurance company to send you fewer at once? 12 injections is a lot.

We also kept ours in the box. Just found space for it. I had two kids on biologics, so two sets of injections and so we just dedicated half a shelf to a whole shelf to meds.

A small fridge is not too expensive - think of the kind used for college dorms. As long as the temperature is kept consistent, then those fridges work well. Both my daughters have kept their injections in mini-fridges. You just have to get a reliable one and put a thermometer in.

It's a shared fridge, there's not enough room. I usually receive 6, I received 12 this month as I am going traveling. It only states to keep it in a dark place when traveling, which I will as it'll be in a medicube bag (a fridge bag pretty much). I was never advised to keep them in the box and they've worked just fine (with the exception of the older ones).

Maya142 said:

Here are some recommendations from a rheumatologist:



The article is also worth reading: http://rheumnow.com/content/problems...c-drug-storage

Reading through all this and researching it definitely seems like it's talking about direct sunlight not a fridge light.

Yeah, why 12 at a time ?
I am going to request that they don't send me that many at one time.
My Health Insurance Company and Pharmacy will not be involved in this at all.
I applied to a foundation for financial assistance and they will take care of everything.
I am assuming that this whole process is in every way is sponsored by Humira.
I believe the people that ship it will contact me before doing so, so I know it is on it's way.
I live in a large apartment complex and it is very important for me to give them instructions to have the Humira delivered directly to me at my apartment and to NOT drop it off at the Leasing Office.
This medication is expensive and requires special care and the Leasing Office is in no way responsible for loss or theft or damage of a package they sign for.
I live in a one room apartment and I am embarrassed to say that my fridge is an under the counter fridge.
It is a small fridge but way bigger than the tiny hotel fridges.
I think my fridge will be big enough because there is no food in there except Ensure Drinks.
I already have a thermometer in my fridge.
My fridge CAN get too cold on the top shelf because that is closest to the tiny freezer.
I am not even sure how often I will be injecting the Humira after the first loading dose.
This post got ridiculously long.
Lynda

Lynda Lynda said:

Yeah, why 12 at a time ?
I am going to request that they don't send me that many at one time.
My Health Insurance Company and Pharmacy will not be involved in this at all.
I applied to a foundation for financial assistance and they will take care of everything.
I am assuming that this whole process is in every way is sponsored by Humira.
I believe the people that ship it will contact me before doing so, so I know it is on it's way.
I live in a large apartment complex and it is very important for me to give them instructions to have the Humira delivered directly to me at my apartment and to NOT drop it off at the Leasing Office.
This medication is expensive and requires special care and the Leasing Office is in no way responsible for loss or theft or damage of a package they sign for.
I live in a one room apartment and I am embarrassed to say that my fridge is an under the counter fridge.
It is a small fridge but way bigger than the tiny hotel fridges.
I think my fridge will be big enough because there is no food in there except Ensure Drinks.
I already have a thermometer in my fridge.
My fridge CAN get too cold on the top shelf because that is closest to the tiny freezer.
I am not even sure how often I will be injecting the Humira after the first loading dose.
This post got ridiculously long.
Lynda

Make sure you're at home when it comes. There will be an ETA given when they will arrive, make sure you're around for it to take it straight upstairs to put in your fridge. It's vital it goes straight into a fridge. Don't be embarrassed by something like that, under counter fridges are handy. Keep them away from the top shelf if it freezes up there. If your Humira freezes, it's dead and won't work.

Your nurse should tell you how many you're supposed to be taken, the intake differs depending if you're taking it for RA, Crohns or Colitis. I have the intake amounts from Humira for each condition if you need them (but it should be in the leaflet you receive with your first delivery).

Why 12? I am going traveling for 3 months. I take 2 injections a months. I'm taking extra just in case they don't work properly or if I flare. IIt also means I will have some waiting for me when I return. I'm in the UK, so it's free so if they go in the bin it's no big deal to me, I just order more via my IBS nurse. I've never been advised or told they must stay in the boxes, I have a tall fridge (about 5ft 6) and they wouldn't all fit.

Be alert for side effects, Humira is incredibly powerful. A few months after I started treatment my breasts were covered in hives. I ended up going onto antibiotics to get rid of them, even now when I take an injection I start getting bad acne (I've never had acne in my life, not even as a teen, before I started these). They also delay my period. You need to call the company if you have anything like this, as it could be an allergic reaction so you need to have a Humira nurse who can answer questions for you.

Thank you Edward's.
Have fun on your trip !