Humira injections 8/1/08 Need Advice!!

Humira injection pens  (Its sunday, my docs office is colsed, I know I should aksk him. Just looking for advice from some of the veterans here)

I injected 2 pens on the 1st

Then 2 pens on the 3rd ( today)

and Im scheduled for 2 more pens on the 15th.

1. Is it normal to be extremly tired after the first injection?

2. The pain of the injections are unbearable toward the end of injection.( I did let the pen reach room temp prior to injection) I noticed when I pulled the syringe off of my thigh there were many little bubbles that came from the injection site. Is there air in the syringe that im injecting into my body? Is that why there is such a large bruise?

4. I will be traveling to spain on the 10th - the 20th. My injection is due on the 15th. Do you recommend injecting before I go or when I come back? Id rather not try to travel with the med.

5. After this initial dose pack 6 shots in 15 days, what is the usual dosing? 1, 2, or three pens at a time? I think I could handle 1 shot at a time but man these are painful!

 

It gets easier and less painful.

I took four shots the first day, two shots two weeks later, and now take one shot every two weeks.  Initially it hurt a lot more than I had expected and I was tired and felt kind of weird.  But now, it's no big deal anymore and I feel fine. 

P.S. I take it right before bed.

1. I believe it is normal to have some side effects like tiredness, though I have not had that.

2. Haven't noticed the bubble thing, I don't think, but I refuse the pens and use the syringes. Don't hurt as bad. Maybe try your tummy next time and see if it makes a difference? You could also try icing down the area before doing it, too. I rarely bruise - maybe every few months?

3. When I'm leaving town, I usually do it before I leave. Since travel can be stressful and the foods varied, this helps keep any flares at bay. If I miss that dose, and eat lots of odd things and be in a strange place, I run a high risk of spending my trip in pain.

4. My GI does not follow what has been the typical timetable so I am not sure. His GI office had returned from a Humira conference just a week before I started it (1.5 years ago) which said to not do 4 shots initally 2 shots and 1 from there on out. That is what I did and I saw results immediately so I'm not sure what 4 shots would have done for me. I take 1 syringe every other week after that intial loading dose. Call your GI in the morning and run through the timing with your nurse as he/she may have their own ideas on loading doses.

I have been unbelievably tired on Humira. Felt like crap the last two days and all I've wanted to do is sleep. I took my second dose of two pens a week ago. I had the initial dose of 4 pens two weeks before that. I was hoping to feel abit better by now, but I actually think I feel worse. I hope it's a temporary thing. I've just given up my job as well (not my fault, they just didn't have enough hours for me anymore) so now I am stuck at home all day not doing much, and I am wondering if this is making me feel worse. How long should I expect to wait to see an improvement? I am getting alot of mucous and have been for a while. At the moment I am quite constipated and going to the toilet is actually exausting me.

My GI said I would know if Humira was working within 2 weeks but my rheumy said to give it 4 months to really see what it's going to do as far as the arthritis goes.  I noticed a difference within a week and a half of starting it but, other than one time, the difference isn't

huge. 

I guess the old adage applies here.....No Pain, no gain!

really though, the syringes hurt much less than the pens, but some people are more intimidated by them. I myself am actually more intimidated by the pens.....I believe you can have either the pen or the syringe, just have to ask your doctor to prescribe which ones you want.

I have never noticed any sleepiness myself, but who knows.

I take 80 mg, once every two weeks (two shots)