Are you on Humira because you Reacted to Remicade?

[butterfly]

Some Q;s,

Are you taking Humira now because Remicade was a no-go? I had a reaction...after having 7 infusions in my lifetime.

Are you having trouble with Humira now or has it been helpful?

Any advice for someone who couldnt handle remicade and now has to try Humira?

 

[beth]

No.
Helpful.
GFI.

 

[micro1]

Hi Butterfly,
I had been prescribed Imuran (axoprin) which I think is the same as Remicade overseas. I had taken it for a week before I suffered a severe reaction and was hospitalised for 2 weeks.
I was then prescribed Humira started on the 13 May 2011, and had my 2nd set of injection today 27 May 2011. So far so good.
I find the Humira good, I am using the pen type injection, and inject into my belly where others find the leg better, since taking I have been feeling somewhat better, but am slowing my lifestyle down a bit, which I should have done years ago.
Once you start it it gets easier each time, I have been in contact with other humira uses and no one has expressed any major concerns.

Good luck I certainly agree its better than imuran.
Rgds

Mike
Diagnosed mid 1980's pres Prednisone on and off for 8yrs, suffered bone density weaked and broke hip in 1997,
Bowel Resection 1995
Bowel adhesion 2002
Bowel Resection 2010
Prescribed Imuran April 2011, severe reaction admitted to hosp in delirious state
Prescribed Humira May 2011, so far so good.

 

[MissMandy]

Yep I started Remicade once, had 2 or 3 infusions, ( it's been so long I can't remember the exact amount) and then for some reason my GI did not continue the treatments. A year or so later I flared again and he put me back on it, I was fine my first infusion, but had a reaction the 2nd time. GI said that was normal after stopping remicade then starting it again, so they tried one more time, and doped me up with benadryl before hand, but I reacted again, so I am allergic to it now.
I just started Humira and so far so good!

 

[Mark63]

Some Q;s,

Are you taking Humira now because Remicade was a no-go?
Yes

Are you having trouble with Humira now or has it been helpful?
No and waiting to see.

Any advice for someone who couldnt handle remicade and now has to try Humira?
Go for it!

Mark

 

[butterfly]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your responses and welcome more.

 

[Lisa]

Hi Butterfly,
I had been prescribed Imuran (axoprin) which I think is the same as Remicade overseas. I had taken it for a week before I suffered a severe reaction and was hospitalised for 2 weeks.
Mike
.

NO!...2 totally different drugs - imuran you take as a pill, Remicade is an infusion (TNF blocker).....

 

[micro1]

Thanks Pasobuff, Am realtively new to the meds as only used prednisone in the 80's ad 90's until now. I had a comment from someone else earlier that led me astray.
Rgds

Mike

 

[tflock]

I am on Humira now because I had a reaction to Remicade on the first infusion.

I the same great success with Humira as I did with Remicade for about 2 months. Now I am not having the same luck but just moved to weekly injections so hopefully this will do the trick for me.

Really no advice for me to give on this one. Just hope that Humira works and gets you into remission!

 

[scrapper1264]

My son developed antibodies against Remicade after 6 infusions. He just started Humira last Wednesday. His skin tag has already shown improvement. The injections were very painful though since he had to have 2 at once for the induction. He now will get an injection every other week. It appears that biologics are the only drugs that help my son's skin tag so that is why we started on it after the Remicade.

 

[Catie]

Ooh, pick me, pick me!

I had an anaphylactic reaction to Remicade after nearly a year - got the throat and tongue swelling, went bright red, the arm that the infusion was going into swelled up...yep, good fun! Am now on Humira, and I think it's working slightly better for me than the Remicade, however I preferred the Remicade in terms of administration etc - I much prefer one IV jab every two months than a needlestick every fortnight, but that's just me! It took about 3 months to show a decent improvement and about another 3 after that for it to fully take effect, so don't be disheartened if it doesn't work straight away. I find the jabs a bit sting-y (nothing too nasty), so I use the syringes rather than the pen as I can control the speed at which the goo goes in - I find wriggling my toes and visualising my gut healing while I'm injecting helps too. Sounds crazy I know, but it's a tool we were taught at uni for natural pain relief (was studying Midwifery), and it does work

 

[scrapper1264]

So does the syringe lessen the pain? My son thought the pen was the worst pain he's ever felt!!!

 

[Mark63]

For me the pen is just a slight sting for a few seconds. Sure, if you are an ace marksman with a needle then you have total control, but I'm happy with the pen.

There are various suggestions on here as to how to make things more comfortable. Ice the area etc. I just go for it!

Mark

 

[Catie]

So does the syringe lessen the pain? My son thought the pen was the worst pain he's ever felt!!!

For me - yes. It might be completely psychological tho, given that I'm in control rather than an automated pen. It won't be the same for everyone, if it's really sore for him you could perhaps try emla patches or something similar so it numbs the area and he can't feel it?

 

[scrapper1264]

We did try the numbing cream but this new nurse put it on differently from any other nurse I've seen - she rubbed it in and then put the tape over it. Every time my son had Remicade the nurse there would put a glob on his arm without rubbing it in. It was hard to tell where the new nurse put the numbing cream on because the tape ended up coming off his legs by the time we were ready for the injections. Next week when we do it at home I will glob it on, and leave it on longer. Hopefully that will help!

 

[Catie]

We were taught to put a really big glob on and then cover it straight away with a clear second skin kind of dressing so it kind of smoodges out a bit, but doesn't get rubbed in - tegaderm or something similar is what we use in Oz, not sure where you are Best of luck!

 

[butterfly]

So does the syringe lessen the pain? My son thought the pen was the worst pain he's ever felt!!!

Poor guy, did you make sure the liquid was room tempature before giving it?? It hurt a lot but I know it hurts A LOT if its cold,thanks to a youtube video

I also did not use any sort of numbing gel or tape - just alcohol wipes and I did knock the womans hand off of me when she was trying to dab it with the alcohol after the injection ...sssssssssstouch!

 

[butterfly]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I got my FIRST humira injection yesterday! Hopefully I will feel better! Thanks!

 

[scrapper1264]

I will definitely have to try giving it to him at room temperature - thanks so much for that bit of info!!

I hope you feel better soon!!!

 

[Scifimom]

Are you taking Humira now because Remicade was a no-go? No I didnt try Remicade. I am Greek and here you have the option to choose your poison. I HATE loosing working days for infusions so I went with Humira

Are you having trouble with Humira now or has it been helpful? Both, I am in remission, but my hair are falling I have the mother of headaches followed by children aunts and uncle headaches and rush on my face which has now spread on my neck and shoulders.

Any advice for someone who couldnt handle remicade and now has to try Humira? Give it a try

 

[barmybev]

Hi I had a reaction with remicade and was put on Humira last year but was getting infections every month and had to keep missing doses to be on antibiotics, saw consultant today and he wants me to give remi another go as he feels that humira is causing me more problems than before I started it x