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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 8/21/2010 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am so new to this. I was wondering if all TNF Blockers are pretty much all the same? I read the side effects and they all pretty much say the same thing. I am on humira now, and i think it is failing me. If i try another tnf blocker, will i fail that as well or are they different. Any one have sucess with one and failed on the other. Please any insight
Posted 8/22/2010 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Not having success is not by any means indicative of not being successful with other TNF-Blocking treatments like Enbrel or Remicade.

Humira is an anti-body (as is Remicade), Enbrel is a fusion-protein - they work in similar but not identical ways (the specifics of it is fairly technical), but you may more readily respond to a different anti-TNF treatment - don't get down in the dumps thinking that they have all failed you!

How long have you been on the Humira? For some people, benefits take a little longer to manifest. Have you tried other DMARDS?

Stay happy :)
Posted 8/22/2010 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
Just started Humira 6 months ago. Was working at first, then last month my arthritis came back with a vengence. It was only in my hands and wrists before, now since the humira it is all through every joint in my body, My hands and feet are so swelled, that i cant even walk for a good 15 minutes in the morning and I cant bend my fingers. Even my toes are swelled. I don't know if this is a sign of the humira failing or if this is just a bad flare that the humira can't control.

I was on sulfasalazine before humira and it worked fine, but i was having trouble with my breathing on it. Now that i think back, i think the not being able to breathe was anxiety because once in a while i get the same feeling when i am stressed. Any insight on this would help.
Posted 8/22/2010 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry to hear about your flare-up :( I too have been under control with TNF-Blockers until recently. Doctors will keep telling you it's "just the nature of the disease" :( I took sulfasalizine for a day once, the smell and size of the tablets was enough for me to disregard it, felt awful on it. When you say trouble breathing, do you mean hyperventilating/tightness of breath, or slowed breathing (respiratory depression)? If it is the former, and it does turn out to be anxiety, then you can discuss taking sulfasalizine with an anti-anxiety med (maybe a beta-blocker?).

It seems strange that it should be effective for 6 months and then stop working, it sounds to me like something has triggered an outbreak - any new meds for other conditions, change in lifestyle/diet etc? I'm no physician, but I wouldn't expect that your swollenness, pain and stiffness is a sign of Humira failure, but of a flare up.

You need to see a doctor though, because other things can suddenly cause swelling and pain, and these need to be ruled out by someone qualified to do so (hypocalcaemia, vitamin deficiency -esp. B12, drug interactions, and other things).

If I have accidentally given you any medical advice, disregard it!{/i]

Hope you feel better
Posted 8/22/2010 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
There was one change, I have been given a water pill, to try to lower my blood pressure. I was on it for a week, before this flare up. I then got off of it. It has been 2 weeks since i got off it. Do you think a water pill could of done this? Any experience with this?

Also the sulfasalazine felt like heaviness of the chest and a slight unproductive cough. . Do you think that sounds like anxiety
Thanks for all your help. It is so nice to talk to someone about this.
My appointment with my rheumy is on Wed
Posted 8/22/2010 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm..... an adverse reaction to water pills can be Hypercalcaemia (rare, I think), it may be something worth considering (as many of the symptoms look like an arthritis flare). The likelihood is though, that a standard dose of any diuretic isn't going to do this... like I say, for the medical nuances, you'll need to speak to your rheumy - just make sure something is done about it!

I don't know much about anxiety as a condition (although I'm often anxious... it has never manifested in me as you've described)... I wouldn't feel right giving my opinion given I'm ignorant about it! You need to discuss whether the breathing problem is serious enough to warrant discontinuation/ruling it out, the cough could be treated with DXM or even codeine (providing is is definitely unproductive, you never want to suppress a productive one!). A mention of "dry cough" in a patient on MTX (methotrexate) is normally responded to with panic, as it could imply lung inflammation - I don't think this is the case with sulfasalizine though!
Posted 8/23/2010 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Dry unproductive cough is a warning sign for mtx but also for remicade and orencia, my infusion nurse told me!
I'm not a doctor either but it does sound like you're having a flare. You should speak to your rheumy, you obviosly need something extra to control your curret symptoms even if it is shot term. When I was on humira I had a couple of flares and needed a higher mtx dose for one and prednisone for another. When it stopped working for me, it really stopped working. Blood levels bad and hugely swollen, lots of pain...

I'm currently on Orencia(abadacept) not as good as humira so far but at least my symptoms are improving.
Hope you get some answers soon, golitho
Posted 8/23/2010 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you.
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