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More meds again
- Thread starter xoxava
- Start date
PsychoJane
Moderator
I never took Imuran. I take Humira though. For Humira, I'd suggest you to ask for the pens instead of syringe. Well, I may aswell suggest you to try both at your first injection session. Technically you will get 4 of them on the first week. You may ask to try 2 of each. I like the pen better because I don't see the needle and you can kinda not think about what you are doing as the pen does it for you.
I would suggest you to take your pens/syringue out 15 minutes before injecting (cause the colder they are, the most they sting - Though, they can't stay out very much longer than 15-20 minutes to maintain their efficiency.) Also, you can put an ice cube on the injecting site before you disinfect the skin and do the injection, it reduce the sting too.
If you can, do them on a day you don't have much to do. I get tired when I inject myself so I find easier to do them at night on the weekend. I usually chose saturday night before going to bed so if I get to be tired, it happens on sunday and I'm usually fine by monday.
Stay away from people with flus, cold, viruses, as much as you can. At the same time, I have to say I haven't had major issues with them. I have been taking humira for a year now, I did get a mini-gastroenteritis (which I never usually get but my bf had it so it was hard to avoid), and I caught colds a few times. But seriously, I think they make it sounds worst than. But it's much better to be safe than sorry right?! Therefore, for viruses as well as possible side effects, always keep an eye on them and report any you could have to your doctor. Humira is a wonderful drug when it works but it influences a lot in your body so just be cautious and talk to your doctor if you have skin issues, or articulation issues because they are highly related.
Hopefully, it will do wonders for you. Good luck
I would suggest you to take your pens/syringue out 15 minutes before injecting (cause the colder they are, the most they sting - Though, they can't stay out very much longer than 15-20 minutes to maintain their efficiency.) Also, you can put an ice cube on the injecting site before you disinfect the skin and do the injection, it reduce the sting too.
If you can, do them on a day you don't have much to do. I get tired when I inject myself so I find easier to do them at night on the weekend. I usually chose saturday night before going to bed so if I get to be tired, it happens on sunday and I'm usually fine by monday.
Stay away from people with flus, cold, viruses, as much as you can. At the same time, I have to say I haven't had major issues with them. I have been taking humira for a year now, I did get a mini-gastroenteritis (which I never usually get but my bf had it so it was hard to avoid), and I caught colds a few times. But seriously, I think they make it sounds worst than. But it's much better to be safe than sorry right?! Therefore, for viruses as well as possible side effects, always keep an eye on them and report any you could have to your doctor. Humira is a wonderful drug when it works but it influences a lot in your body so just be cautious and talk to your doctor if you have skin issues, or articulation issues because they are highly related.
Hopefully, it will do wonders for you. Good luck
There is a Humira dedicated forum, including this thread being the place to start.
To correct something: Humira does not loose "efficacy", I think you mean PsychoJane, after 15 - 20 minutes of being left out of the fridge. You can safely leave Humira at normal cool room temperature for up to 12 hours once in it's life before using it. It's to do with the medication going off.
Although some people have more colds and viruses on Humira, I don't, and shrug them off as amazingly quickly as I ever have done. Imuran (azathioprine) is an immuno-suppressent so in conjunction with Humira will mean you pick up whatever is going around that bit easier.
Since pens vs syringes was brought up. I recommend the pens initially unless you have experience of giving other people or yourself injections in the past. It's not something you want to be practicing with. If you find the pens too painful, or too much of a 'twitch' inducing thing when it triggers, then try the pre-filled syringes.
I also dont recommend icing the area before injecting. It sounds like setting yourself up to fail: after the first couple of injections you drop into a quick routine. If you have to faff about with ice blocks, numbing cream, etc, you're prolonging the agony and make the injection a big psychological thing that's going to hurt. I just do my injection and have a treat, like a bit of cake, biscuits or something. And then head to bed as I usually get a headache and feel crappy soon after for a few hours.
To correct something: Humira does not loose "efficacy", I think you mean PsychoJane, after 15 - 20 minutes of being left out of the fridge. You can safely leave Humira at normal cool room temperature for up to 12 hours once in it's life before using it. It's to do with the medication going off.
Although some people have more colds and viruses on Humira, I don't, and shrug them off as amazingly quickly as I ever have done. Imuran (azathioprine) is an immuno-suppressent so in conjunction with Humira will mean you pick up whatever is going around that bit easier.
Since pens vs syringes was brought up. I recommend the pens initially unless you have experience of giving other people or yourself injections in the past. It's not something you want to be practicing with. If you find the pens too painful, or too much of a 'twitch' inducing thing when it triggers, then try the pre-filled syringes.
I also dont recommend icing the area before injecting. It sounds like setting yourself up to fail: after the first couple of injections you drop into a quick routine. If you have to faff about with ice blocks, numbing cream, etc, you're prolonging the agony and make the injection a big psychological thing that's going to hurt. I just do my injection and have a treat, like a bit of cake, biscuits or something. And then head to bed as I usually get a headache and feel crappy soon after for a few hours.
PsychoJane
Moderator
Beth, did you get that information from Abott ? I'm just wondering because both my pharmacist and Abbott hotline told me I could not use my product if it had been left out for more than 35-40 minutes. Maybe it is just a matter of safety on their side but I think it is important to make the point on that aspect. Once again, better safe than sorry.
I got that from the specialist pharmacy that the NHS uses to deliver Humira, they had to ask Abbott US as I was traveling and needed to know what the score was.
Subsequently I traveled by car for around 14 hours with 4 pens in a cool bag with a bottle of water as 'bulk'. All worked just fine, no return of symptoms, none went off.
Subsequently I traveled by car for around 14 hours with 4 pens in a cool bag with a bottle of water as 'bulk'. All worked just fine, no return of symptoms, none went off.
LoL - Humira definitely does NOT lose all it effectiveness after 15/20 min out of the fridge. Neither does HGH, or HCG, or Cimzia, which are all constituted in the same manner. It does start to lose potency much faster once constituted with the ba water. However, you're looking at around 2 hours (without ice) and MANY more while iced, before it starts to become less effective. Ive had experience with all of it.
Also the icing the skin sounds WAY overkill. Savannah, it wont take you long to get used to the sticks - their SOOO small and just sub-q. Also what makes it sting more is actually when you dont wait long enough for the alchol to dry, before sticking. Air it for a good 25 seconds before inject. I know you didnt want to take these meds, but i must say that is a good combo. It might just be all you need to get back into remission i think.
Good luck!!
Also the icing the skin sounds WAY overkill. Savannah, it wont take you long to get used to the sticks - their SOOO small and just sub-q. Also what makes it sting more is actually when you dont wait long enough for the alchol to dry, before sticking. Air it for a good 25 seconds before inject. I know you didnt want to take these meds, but i must say that is a good combo. It might just be all you need to get back into remission i think.
Good luck!!
Hiya Mr Ziggy, hope you're doing okay. The loading doses do a pretty good job of kicking in quickly, although some people find it takes a few months to really kick in. For a few of us the goodness fades about the 4 months or so marker and we need weekly injections, just when the Imuran will be kicking in!
Luckily with Humira it only comes in pens or pre-filled syringes. So no faffing. Actually I reckon a powder you could reconstitute with distilled water would be really useful for traveling with: one day I want to go to Nepal and the Himalayas.
Luckily with Humira it only comes in pens or pre-filled syringes. So no faffing. Actually I reckon a powder you could reconstitute with distilled water would be really useful for traveling with: one day I want to go to Nepal and the Himalayas.
Lol, sorry, i forget they have improved methods with all these drugs, since im known to jump the gun before their on the market usually. We had to reconstitute it back in the day. Gosh i feel like im a 50 yr old man lol. Yes unconstituted would be ideal for traveling - lasts MUCH longer.
I hope you are well too Beth - you are such an asset to this board
PsychoJane
Moderator
Btw, I never said such thing... I have the best intentions here and I hope no one get mislead by reading infos that could be wrong (not saying that they are). I do not want to cause controversy, I just want to help and when you consider the cost of these treatments as well use them properly.
Not at all Jane. There is no controversy. No one is saying you are wrong. We all get misinformation here and there. Good thing is we have boards like this where we can come together and converse about it.
Sorry if i made you feel i was pointing you out. Sometimes being a guy i say things in an incencitive way, not meaning too.