Humira "Withdrawals" side effects day BEFORE each injection

[RedFiero88]

Hi,

I've had Crohn's for about 8 years (since I was a young teenager), and I've been injecting myself with a Humira pen every 2 weeks for about a year.

I'm not afraid of needles, and the injection isn't that bad.

However, I've noticed I get edgy the days right before my injection. I have no anxiety about the injection itself, I just feel generally "anxious".

It feels kinda like the "random anxiety" I used to get while tapering off of prednisone, but less severe. The feeling goes away sometime shortly after injection and doesn't return till 1-2 days BEFORE my next injection.

I don't think I'm imagining this because I'll frequently forget that my injection is in a couple days and then I'll be wondering all day why I feel so strange. Then, the next day or two I'll get a calendar reminder to take Humira and I'll think back at the past couple days and realize that my symptoms correlated with the days immediately before I take Humira.

Has anyone else experienced side effects the day BEFORE Humira injection?

Hope I'm not the only one...

 

[tonimacaroni]

I've only noticed these symptoms in the days after taking my Humira, i call it my hangover. I get emotional, tired and achy for about 48 hours after a shot. Never in the lead up...

 

[RedFiero88]

Thanks for the response! Sorry to hear youre experiencing side effects though. I've noticed several people with side effects beforehand, but none after. I'm hoping someone on this forum will have had similar side effects.

I wonder if people are mistaking "anxiety side effects from Humira" with "anxiety about the injection", when it's really the former. Just a thought.

 

[Aiyale]

I just noticed this week that on injection day I was extremely moody and just generally felt off. I found it hard to focus as well. Not sure if it was a coincidence (I'm starting back on Humira after being off for 3 months) or if this is the new normal. Will monitor it again in two weeks

 

[RedFiero88]

Thanks so much for the response! It certainly is a strange feeling.. Might just be a coincidence, but I look forward to hearing your results in a couple weeks.

 

[hedge]

my wife has noticed that i get moody the days leading up to my injections. it's to the point i'm going to consult my dr about making some changes.

 

[my little penguin]

General rule of thumb
If your system is off ( working extra hard to stay at baseline or your starting to get a cold etc..) you generally feel off ( moody etc..)
DS was every 14 days
Then every 10 days
At every 10 days he would start to get moody about three days out
Then slowly more actual symptoms showed up
Now he is every 7 days and things are good
The meds might just be wearing off too soon
Might be worth getting levels checked

 

[Aiyale]

Alright so here's the pattern (officially two injections in a row):
I do my injections on Sunday Night. Starting on Saturday, I begin to get extremely tired. By sunday I can hardly keep my eyes open. I have a hard time focusing, and while I'm able to function (barely) I find it very difficult to do so. I'm pretty sure I doozed off while grocery shopping!
Then I take my injection (right before bed) and I have the "hangover" feeling on monday. I feel better than I did on sunday, but I am always a little groggy and tired.

So, there ya go. I made the mistake of scheduling a barium enema yesterday. So I had my prep Sunday, and the procedure yesterday morning. That combined with the injection made for one tough weekend. Lesson learned!

 

[RedFiero88]

Very interesting! Glad to see I'm not alone in having side effects towards the end of each dose cycle. It really takes me out the day before...

I just did the Anser ADA test, so i'll find out soon if I've developed antibodies.

Anyone else experiencing similar effects?

 

[Late]

I also feel anxious before the injection is due similar to some kind of strange withdrawal.

I don't have any kind of exhaustion, or fatigue after the injection. It is the opposite. A few hours after the injection I start to feel hyper.

 

[BiancaM]

I've just had the "pre-Humira fluey feeling" too...I was actually worried I was coming down with something. Aches, temperature all over the place. And then I had my shot and it miraculously all went away. Weird.

 

[erinjayee]

Hi there,
I didn't realise it until I saw your post but I think the same thing may have happened to me??
I usually inject on Fridays - I forgot on the Friday just gone. Have been incredibly anxious yesterday and today. I remembered to inject this morning and I think the feeling is improving. So maybe when I am overdue I get anxious?
I see my Dr next week so I will ask if it is real "thing". Has it been confirmed as a withdrawal for you?

 

[RedFiero88]

Hi there,
I didn't realise it until I saw your post but I think the same thing may have happened to me??
I usually inject on Fridays - I forgot on the Friday just gone. Have been incredibly anxious yesterday and today. I remembered to inject this morning and I think the feeling is improving. So maybe when I am overdue I get anxious?
I see my Dr next week so I will ask if it is real "thing". Has it been confirmed as a withdrawal for you?

It hasn't been confirmed as a "withdrawal" by my doctor. It just seemed like the appropriate way to describe it.

My Doctor had never heard of this symptom, and I don't believe it is specifically listed as a side effect of Humira. I would be very interested to hear what your Doctor says. Please let us know if you find anything out!

Also, thank you all for the responses. Humira seems to affect all of us so differently..

 

[BiancaM]

Hi there,
I didn't realise it until I saw your post but I think the same thing may have happened to me??
I usually inject on Fridays - I forgot on the Friday just gone. Have been incredibly anxious yesterday and today. I remembered to inject this morning and I think the feeling is improving. So maybe when I am overdue I get anxious?
I see my Dr next week so I will ask if it is real "thing". Has it been confirmed as a withdrawal for you?

Hey Erin, Abbvie just launched a mobile app to help you remember to take your shots

I use iPhone and I just searched for Humira in the app store, the app is actually called Complete.

 

[QuicksWife]

Trying to do the shots myself are giving my worse anxiety. I feel really emotional today and having been crying on the drop of a hat.

 

[BiancaM]

Can you get anyone else to help you? If I'm feeling anxious my husband does mine while I'm drinking a glass of wine and lying on the couch... It really helps. I've also found that pre-icing the area makes it hurt less.

 

[QuicksWife]

My husband ended up helping me. He just doesn't want me to get so stressed about it. It helped me feel better.

 

[RedFiero88]

I hadn't noticed the anxiety the day before injections for about a month, but today is awful. I just feel anxious (not about the injection, just in general). Anyone else noticed this recently?

 

[valb]

I have been on Humira for 7 yrs. Always feel anxious before taking it. I think for me it's just the thought of doing it. It's not that it hurts I just really hate taking it. Due to personal reasons I have been off for a few months but starting back next week. The syringe is better for me than the automatic injection cause it makes me jump everytime and makes me more nervous. I can control the syringe and see it go in which is better for me. I think us Crohnies are just prone to anxiety!!!

 

[Miss Underestimated]

I've been on Humira for 4 years. Fortunately, no emotional ups and downs with it, just a heavy feeling in my legs the day after I inject, and I haven't had that for a while.

I remember when I first started taking Humira, and I saw people post about how it seemed be a cycle, with various ailments leading up to a shot, or after a shot, and how people thought they suddenly got worse because they took it a couple of days late, so I asked my doctor if the effect "wore off" or "picked back up" and he said no, it doesn't work like that.

So if I have a bad day or something, I don't link it to my Humira "cycle" which does get thrown off occasionally - traveling or forgetfulness, etc.