I live two lives

[sammies]

I've been on Humira for 6 months. My response has been good but not good enough. My doc just increased my shots to 1ce a week and in 6 days I'll take a weekly shot.

I feel like I live two lives. Some days I am ravenous, walking my 2 plus miles, cleaning out closets, and inviting guests over. Other days, usually on the 9th or 10th day after the shot, I'm in immense pain with cramping, have no appetite, am depressed, and have extreme malaise.

On the day of and day after the shot, I am exhausted and groggy.

I'm hoping the increase helps. I can handle the grogginess but the crazy return of symptoms is just plain awful.

Remember that movie Awakenings where the comatose patients are given a drug that makes them wake up but it slowly wears off and soon it wears off more and more quickly? I feel like that.

Anyone have similar or helpful experiences? I so want this med to work!!!

 

[Shann-Lee]

I am on Cimzia once every other week and I feel the same way. The day after I'm extremely tired and useless. The rest of the time up until about 2 days before I'm due for the next dose I'm my old self and those last 2 days I'm in extreme pain and am an emotional wreck! It's hard to deal with and I struggle everyday with the depression. I hope that Humira works for you. Just remember that you are not alone! That's what I have to tell myself everyday!

 

[scoutfinch]

Been there - with Remicade. It works for about a week or two and then fades quickly and I'm back to the pain. It's a struggle. Part of me thinks "Two weeks of feeling somewht OK is worth it, right?" and then another part thinks "This is not good enough and you should not settle for this pitiful half-life." The latter part is winning out at the moment since I can no longer tolerate having so much pain so frequently - especially after feeling good for a week or so.

 

[Mozart]

Scoutfinch, you have just described exactly my current experience with Remicade. I told the dr. and she said, the last blood test showed antibodies but to stay on Remicade for I can tolerate it.

 

[Ckt]

I've been on all three biologics so far..remicade was the hardest for me. It lasted for me maybe a week and a half? Humira did great with very little side effect until it stopped being effective. I just started cimzia and I felt horrible after the injection for a few days..like walking underwater. The fatigue was massive for me.
Do you all ever wonder if these drugs make us feel this way, what are they doing to our bodies?! It concerns me honestly..