Allergic Reaction/rash & Humira

ZenaWP - don't stress out.  I was at the dermatologist yesterday discussing the pharmacology of both Enbrel and Humira, and although they are both Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers, they operate differently. She specializes in drug interaction and alergic responses to medication, and she said she has seen many people allergic to one or the other, but never both.  The only thing common to all TNF blockers are fungal infections in the skin as a result of lowering your immune system.

Humira, Enbrel or Remicade, one will definetly work for you, most likely two will.

The bigger cause for concern is the fact that we are all lowering our bodies natural immune system, and that is really not good.  Make sure you absolutely positively need to take a Biologic medication and have already exhausted other treatments.  With all of the toxins in the air, water and food supply, your body needs to be at full power defensively.

8 weeks on Humira is a good start.  I was happy on it until the end of month 4, and then the rashes/hives started.  Really slowly, over the course of weeks to develop once it started.

I'm not trying to say you will get a reaction, but just be aware that mine took 16 weeks before even presenting.

Westcoastwingnut, a couple of things...

Your forum name makes me think you work for the most wonderful of companies: Southwest Airlines. :)

Second, I'm sooooo sorry to hear you had to come off of Humira. I'm still geting the acne on the forehead and the red face/cheekbones, but so far no itchy rashes. I've been wondering how much the Humira has helped me. Well, today I think I got my answer.

Right now, I'm just passed the three month point on Azasan (so it should be starting to be effective) and I'm just passed 4.5 months on Humira, as well as 20mg of pred, 9 of Endocort, and 4gms of pentasa. Well, this particular combination just wasn't doing it until recently. I had to have 30 or better pred to have a decent quality of life. A few weeks ago, I weaned the pred down to 20, which always threw me back into full-on CD flares before. This time, I've gotten away with it, but I haven't known if it was the Azasan or Humira (or both) taking up the slack. It sure looks like it's the Humira. I was supposed to do my shot two days ago, but I was out of town. Today I'm in  a full blown CD flare, with full blown allergies, too. The cocktail has kept my allergies *completely* under control until today. I did my Humira shot earlier today, and the sneezing fits and watery/itchy/gummy eyes allergy symptoms are already starting to ease.

I must say, though, that I still haven't had the energy level and ambition return like I had at the higher doses of pred. That is such an evil drug: one day it makes you feel like you are *completely* normal... Normal energy levels, ambition, full of life. Then the next day you're so depressed you cant' get out of bed. Anyway, I digress... Humira is definitely giving me some relief.. just not as much as I'd hoped for. I'm still hoping for better results as time goes by with both the Humira and the Azasan.

Sure hope you find relief...

hello
i have been on humira for two months and as of right now i am starting to get a rash behind my ears i had the rash when i was on remacaide and i had to stop remacaide. im on 2.5 of preds and i been on it a little more then a year. when i am close to my humira shot i tend to feel sick and get loos stools off and on. i have pancolitis whish is ulcerative colitis.

I am allergic to Latex but have not had any problems using the syringe for the humira. The pen was much more painful than the syrings by the way.

I got my first reaction from last night's shot. Just a red ring around the site a little bigger than a quarter. It does not hurt and is not itchy or hard it is just there. this was the first time I used my tummy as well. I like my thigh better. Karen

I get a HUGE welt... Bruises.... Itchy.... raw.....

I have a love/hate relationship with Humira

antsawol - Have they tested you for peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy can cause a burning type pain, like the skin is on fore. Do you have any tingling or numbness in the area that burns?

I get an ENORMOUS welt with each injection. Seriously, if I do it in my stomach, I look half pregnant, and if I do it in my thigh, my leg doubles in size. And, it's hard, itchy, and very annoying. My doc wants me to increase to weekly too which sounds like fun.

ps - I also have been very very itchy all over my body, to the point where I can't function, but it is sporadic. Like now it seems fine, but at one point (maybe after about 5 months on the drug, I had to take a shower all the time for relief.)

I also have a love/hate relationship with Humira

I was on Humira over a year ago, with absolutely no reactions at all. I had moderate success with it working on my CD. Developed a very bad flare after about 5 months, including an abdominal abscess, and drs switched me to Remicade. Had one dose of Remicade then had surgery and was taken off R. Recovering from surgery, 8 months later now, and started another very bad flare. Dr put me on Humira and I started having injection site reactions with first loading dose 6 weeks ago. Area becomes red, lumpy and bruised; then after 10-14 days starts to scab. These last for about another 3 to 4 weeks. Dr finally decided no more Humira for me, he had never heard of this reaction with scabbing. So----- I'm scheduled to start Remicade in two days and the more I read about reactions, the more scared I get. I had no reaction to the one dose I had last year, so I'm hoping I'll react okay. Problem is that when I first took Humira, I also had no reaction, but now I get these bruises and scabbing.  If Remicade doesn't work for me I don't know what I'll do. I'm in tremendous pain much of the time. I have an ileostomy, short bowel syndrome, and am on TPN because I can't retain enough nutrients from the little bit I try to eat.

Words of wisdom would be appreciated. Thanks.

Can any of you tell me how long it takes, once you stop coming into contact with Humira, for this rash/hives thing to go away? Made a few phone calls today and it actually lines up perfectly with when my husband started Humira. Thank you.

I just thought I'd check back here, and give an update to my condition. I'm still in the same situation I was in a year ago. The only difference is that drs have made me comfortable with narcotics and Lyrica. I've been to Johns Hopkins twice and have had several skin biopsies and have had my bone marrow checked. All normal except the skin biopsies showed dilated blood vessels. My eosinophil level fluctuates as well.
One other major issue that I am having is joint pain. It gets so severe, that if I sit down for literally two minutes, it feels like I haven't moved in a week.
We have figured out that this definately fall in the peripheral neuropathy catagory, and possibly urticaria. Friction is what exacerbates my problem the worst. Drs are still baffled as to why my condition hasn't changed. I was on steriods eailier this year. Even though they helped a little bit, I could only stay on them for a few months because of the side effects. I was also on an immunosupressant that didn't work, but I recently started another one (6-mp) to see if that makes any difference.
Interesting enough, I am O+ blood type. I am going to try the gluten free diet asap. How long does it take for the diet to start working?
I am mentally and physically exhausted, I've spent all my free time that I feel well enough to sit in front of a computer and search for answers. I haven't been able to work since Dec, and cabin fever ontop of all the rest of this is unbearable. Depression is now setting in, which just makes everything worse. Life stinks!

Christianbcmom, could you possibly be having stress related hives?

I had been taking humira for chronic psoriasis for about 9 months.  Two days after injecting I would have allergy symptons - sneezing and hives on my face.  My dermatologist did not think it was a reaction to humira.  I kept taking humira because I was having really good results.  My skin was very clear.  The last time I gave myself an injection - I broke out in hives all over my body and those hives have turned into psoriasis.  I went to see my dermatologist and he told me I was having an allergic reaction (duh!) and to quit using the humira.  My skin is now worse than it has ever been and I am trying to get things turned around by using enbrel and taking methotrexate.  I wish I had never started humira.