Going on Humira, stopping Methotrexate?

[Norseman]

Hi guys...

Jsut a short question that I probably should get answered from my surgeon.

I saw the man yesterday and he will start me on Humira, once I get my vaccines sorted.

I am cuurently on Methotrexate and folic acid tablets. I think he mentioned it but I did not pay attention. So should I stop taking that once I start on the Methotrexate?

Reason he is sarting me on humira in the first place is that i am not responding at all to the Methotrexate and my blood work is going trough the roof!

Of course I will ask when I go in to learn how to do the injections...but it would be nice to hear it before....:ybatty:

 

[LuckySeven]

I don't think you should stop using methotrexate. In fact theirs an advantage to using it with humira. Put simple, what it does is lower your immune system so that your body does not fight the humira. Since remicade and humira are the only effective treatments for crohn's and you don't want to eventually eliminate humira, it would be very important that your body does not fight the TNF inhibitor (humira) because eventually the effect of humira might be diminished. I would talk about it with a gastroenterologist.

 

[beth]

Yes, you should have paid attention to your surgeon/gastroenterologist. Whilst Methotrexate can be very effective for some people, it can be too effective and lower your immune system too much, which is perhaps what it's doing. Also the other side effects can be pretty debilitating. Humira is not quite the same as Remicade in that it is fully humanised. The chances of developing antibodies to it is much less. The pro's and con's of continuing the MTX or not should be discussed with your doctor.

 

[Norseman]

Thanks a lot. Looks like I will have to wait a few weeks for this. Got my vaccine shots sorted a couple of days ago. Only needed the seasonal flue shot and the pneumococcal vaccine. The rest I already had as I have worked a lot in Africa, middle east and SE Asia.

Now I am just waiting for my appointment with a nurse, december 18 to learn how to do the injections and to start med up on this. But going to the phramacy to pick up the first batch of 8 pens tomorrow

I hope dec. 18 is not to late to save me from an x-mas dinner with fear of having a flare up after.... oo:

 

[Norseman]

Yes, you should have paid attention to your surgeon/gastroenterologist. Whilst Methotrexate can be very effective for some people, it can be too effective and lower your immune system too much, which is perhaps what it's doing. Also the other side effects can be pretty debilitating. Humira is not quite the same as Remicade in that it is fully humanised. The chances of developing antibodies to it is much less. The pro's and con's of continuing the MTX or not should be discussed with your doctor.

Yup

 

[Norseman]

Yes, you should have paid attention to your surgeon/gastroenterologist. Whilst Methotrexate can be very effective for some people, it can be too effective and lower your immune system too much, which is perhaps what it's doing. Also the other side effects can be pretty debilitating. Humira is not quite the same as Remicade in that it is fully humanised. The chances of developing antibodies to it is much less. The pro's and con's of continuing the MTX or not should be discussed with your doctor.

I have actually not felt any effects at all from the Methotrexate. In fact i feel excactly like before I even started take any medication for Chrons back in spring this year. The only difference is that I feel more and more tired, as the infections never seeem to end.

But you are rioght I should have paid more attention. But my mind was sort of still processing that I may have to inject myself with meds when he mentioned this. So I will contact him and ask to make sure.

 

[Norseman]

Was just on the phone with my surgeons secretary, and she said that I should continue with the Methotrexate and folic acid as long as my blood work shows that my body can handle it ( I go in for blood tests every 3 weeks, later every 3 months).