Side effects or something else?

[rodger321]

I feel awful.
Is it the medication(s) or is it something else that is wrong with me?

On Monday (6 days ago) I began taking Humira. (starter dosage: 4 shots of 40mg each) and also began to taper off my Prednisone (was on 20mg/day for the past 10 weeks; now 15mg/day, going down 5mg/day every 2 weeks).

I have since started to feel really lousy and am worried about whether or not it's the medication.

Symptoms:

- rapid heartbeat (was always a problem with the Pred. but feels noticeably worse)
- very dizzy, disoriented feeling -- feel like I'm in a haze
- feeling very faint and weak
- loss of appetite
- cramps have come back
- tender abdomen
- perianal pain more frequent
- more frequent diarrhea (was at ~2/day, now up to ~5 or 6)
- can't sleep; toss and turn, wake up frequently, night sweats

I would rate their severity at about 6.5/10 on average. (before this week with the Humira and less Prednisone, probably would have been 4/10. 2/10 on a good day)
I'm not incapacitated, I don't feel like I'm going to die, but I can't really do much besides sit in bed and these symptoms are causing me substantial distress.

Will this pass eventually? Should I be concerned?
100x thanks to anyone with any input at all!

(p.s. Might also be relevant: I also stopped taking Tramadol this week.
I was taking sometimes up to 6 pills or more/day, and I ran out after trying to taper myself down from them.
Although, I wasn't taking it every single day, and on the days I was without it, I didn't feel as bad as I do this week. I was taking Hydroco for more severe post-surgical pain before, much more of it, too, and when I stopped I had withdrawal symptoms that weren't as bad as I feel now.)

 

[Patricia56]

Sounds like you are weaning off the prednisone too soon. It takes a while for the humira to kick in.

It could also be complicated by the possibility of adrenal insufficiency. I believe symptoms of this usually kick in when you drop below 20 mg and include GI symptoms like those you are describing. My son's endocrinologist said anything over 3 to 4 weeks puts you at risk for adrenal insufficiency. I'll warn you the GI may poo poo that but it's a real issue that I think most GI's ignore.

Can't comment on the tramadol. I didn't think it was a drug with a high risk of dependency.

 

[Daisy123]

Tramadol has recently been reclassified in the UK in light of reports of misuse and dependency. I have issues when I stop codeine as part of prep for scopes. Mind you I have been on it for 20 years but for diarrhoea rather than pain. My symptons are inability to sleep, chills, nausea and diarrhoea. But you have to be on these drugs for a while yo have issues. It may well be the steroids.