I'm thinking of stopping Biologics

Hi all - it's been ages since I've been around and I apologize. I wish I could say I've been dancing up a storm and didn't want to rub it in... but no, that's not the case.

I'm ready to ask my rheumy to up my MTX dosage and get rid of the Humira and all of the other options of biologics I may have left.

I finally started Humira mid-January. The first 2 shots (2 weeks apart) made absolutely no difference in how I felt, however right after my 3rd shot, I finally started feeling some relief. Then I promptly got a cold (first one in 3 years).

Not once during all the time I was on Remicade (almost 2 years) did I even get a sniffle. I remember constantly getting colds and sinus infections whilst on Enbrel until I got my pneumonia shot (good for 5 years). I got the pneumonia shot 3 years ago.

So, I haven't had an MTX injection in 2 weeks and I had to miss my 4th Humira injection last week and I'm still not over the cold thing that is running rampant around here. To top it off, everything hurts precisely because I haven't had any medicine and no telling at this point when I'll be able to resume anything.

So, it seems that Humira acts similarly (for me) as Enbrel in its ability to help me attract every germ or bug around. I don't want to live on various antibiotics and assorted med's again and the Humira just takes too long to kick in and then doesn't last long enough to boot. I see my rheumy in 2 weeks and I'm seriously considering stopping the Humira permanently.

What do you think? I know we are all different, taking different med's, etc., however, if my MTX dosage had been increased between my reaction to the Remicade and the time I started the Humira, I think I could've managed way better than I am now. I am not a doctor and I know none of you are as well -- I'm just a frustrated patient. I'm so very tired of experimenting and getting sick and it's really depressing me.

Thanks for any comments or thoughts you might have.

~S.

I'm off all biologics now. My last Humira injection was the beginning of December. I was on biologics for over 3 years. Once I got over the severe reaction to that last injection, I started to feel better than I had in over a YEAR!

Unfortunately, that lasted only for 2 months. Right now I am in severe pain and really limited in my mobility because of enthesitis in all the knee tendons. My elbows are beginning to ache and the left biceps tendon is definitely inflamed. I am only on Imuran. The Imuran seems to be keeping my gut in remission but obviously is not working on the joints.

Personally, if I were in your situation, I would do the Humira when given the go ahead. As Ducky said, perhaps it is just the severity of this year's cold and flu season. Everyone around here has had horrid colds that take 2-3 [sometimes 4] weeks to clear. One of my daughters ended up with sinusitis and bronchitis from her flu - and she had a flu shot! Anyway, if you pick up another bug soon when on the Humira then you'll know for sure.

Then again, I know what you mean about experimenting with these different potent meds and getting sick from them. Been there and done that a couple times and it stinks! Hopefully your rheumy will be able to help you make a difficult decision.

Have you thought about Orencia? I had recurrent infections on Remicade. I've had one UTI and an upper respiratory infection in the first month or so of Orencia and have been fine since. It is a different type of biologic than the Remicade/Humira/Enbrel group, so it might work on you differently than those did.