Humira Not Working Anymore?

[barkbbdog2]

Anyone else have Humira just stop working? Back on 30mg of Prednisone again. Doctor wants to do another colon check...Fistual still hurts and bleeds occasionally. Am still on Humira once a week, but it just doesn't seem to be working like it did. Should I ask for a different med? Prednisone sucks. Thank you.

 

[Jennifer]

Some people have other medications like 6MP added to Humira so you could ask about other possible meds to be added or its possible you may need to switch to something else entirely (Remicade perhaps?). It depends on what the test results reveal. Yes Prednisone is not fun at all. Wondering if you'd be able to take Entocort instead as its also a steroid but has less side effects. When is your scope and GI appointment? How long have you been taking Humira? Keep us posted on how you're doing and how the test goes.

 

[barkbbdog2]

Thank you. Getting colon scope today. Having fun with my colon prep as many of you have had before I am sure. My biggest problem is with inflammation around my anal fistula. I was on Budesonide, but it did not help with the fistual. Humira did work, but it seems to have just stopped.

Thanks again.

 

[Jennifer]

Good luck with the prep! It's super fun! Let us know how the scope goes.

You can give this a read if you or GI are thinking of switching from Humira to another TNF blocker: http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=42119 If a TNF blocker worked in the past then its likely another will work as well.

 

[barkbbdog2]

Thank you again. My colonoscopy went as well as could be expected. GI says my fistula is actively infected. That posting/article was very interesting. Is my new inflammation due to the infection? Perhaps, but I wonder is the infection back because the Humira stopped working.....Not that Humira is a antibiotic, but did it not control the inflammation that let the fistula become infected again. Anyways the GI put me on flagyl, but antibiotics have never helped my fistula. Only getting that inflammation down has worked. Anyways, I am going to try Remicade instead of the Humira, and see how that works.
Thank you for the information.

 

[barkbbdog2]

Humira seemed to work great when it started, then it seemed to stop working. I went on it weekly, and again it seemed to work great again. Then a few months later....stopped working. So I was on Humira a total of about seven or eight months.

 

[Jennifer]

That's longer than I was about to take it. Hopefully the Remicade will be able to work well just like Humira used to and that you'll be able to take it longer to get that inflammation under control. Do you know when you'll be starting Remicade?

 

[barkbbdog2]

I should start Remicade within the next couple weeks as long as the insurance rulers approve it. I can not lie...being on all these meds worry me. Especially with cold and flu season coming. It seems like a Catch 22. With long term antibiotics I don't want to end up with C.-diff. Or with all of these TNF blockers...some type of cancer. Crohn's is a wonderful companion isn't it?

 

[Jennifer]

Eh, it definitely keeps you on your toes that's for sure.

I'm in the same boat as you. Waiting for insurance approval is super fun.