Cimzia

I started Cimzia about 4 m,onths ago-  How many are on this med?  How is your experience with it?

Just started it myself last week. I am allergic to Remicade. Took Humira for just over three years with great success. Lost effectiveness to it though about three months ago. The doctor put me back on prednisone (grrrrrr) and now the Cimzia. So....I am waiting to see how this new drug will work. I am being hopeful.

I stopped Cimzia at exactly 4months in. I initially held out some hope because I did start to feel a little better after the loading month... but then I starting skidding back downhill.

I hope you are faring better!

I'm allergic to Remi and Humira had no effect so Cimzia was pretty much my last hope! I've been on it for about two months now and it seems to be working really well. So well, I went from having D to C! I now have to take Miralax every day to keep regular which is reminiscent of before I got diagnosed. I'm hoping to start tapering the pred and maybe the 6mp soon.

I started to see my symptoms return about 4 or 5 days away from my next shots so that sucked but otherwise things are going well.

I heard Cimzia shots hurt--is that true? How bad? I don't have a problem with shots, needles, or moderate pain, but am just wondering. Are the shots given in the top of the upper leg?

I agree with sr5599, the Humira pen burns way more than the Cimzia does.  I thought the Cimzia burned until I tried Humira, then the Cimzia was nothing!  =) 

I got taken off of the Cimzia yesterday. I'm back on Humira(which I had been on for 2 years until it stated to loose its effectiveness.) The Cimzia seemed promising at first. After the two loading doses I had two whole days with only 4 bms! I was so thrilled. I have been flaring for close to five years. Humira was the best up to that point. The remicade seemed promising as well but I developed pneumonia(never had it before)and was hospitalized for 6 days. Prior to that was methotrexate, asacol. entocort, pentassa. All of these including the Cimzia have been in conjunction with prednisone. The reason for stopping the Cimzia was the side effects. Abdominal pain was brutal, muscle fatigue minimal, minimal headache. The bigger issue is that like many others here I have had chronic fungal infections particularly thrush/Candidas. Nystatin has always done the trick for me and I have gotten used to the routine. After my third dose I develpoed a rash on my back and arms. I have for sometime had a similar rash that we diagnosed as Grover's disease and the side effects of prednisone. I was sent to see an infectious disease Doc. Who pointed out a couple of small papules on my leg arm and jaw. tehse were not like the others(possibly Hepatitis). He did cultures and the diagnosis is that the Candidas has spread throughout my system(didn't klnow it could)a suppossedly to my liver. Lver biopsy coming. I am telling you that I have had some very good luck with some of the Crohn's meds and I have had some bad luck. I no way think this reaction is normal for most people. The Cimzia is also like the Humira which to date has worked the best for me. Teh problem for me is that the Cimzia was not lasting more than three days and with the shots spaced a month a part there is no way I could do it. At least the Humira I can inject myself at home 1x weekly. I get about 3-4 days from that. It is very easy to find all the reasons that we don't want to take or med or why we may be nervous. I have been this way for some time but the reality is I'm not able to do anything without these meds. I guess what I am trying to say is that the previous posts have mostly had success. Simplicity the company that distributes the med. give you a handy log book or binder. In it there are pages for you to chart you symptoms and reactions. Don't hesitate to call the nurses at Simplicity. They are very nice and more than willing to help. Make sure to call the doctor if you find something or experience something that you don't think is right. In my case the doc and I both agree that for some reason the Cimzia enhanced what was already there ie the Candidas, hepatitis and so on but please keep track of these things it is important. If it's not working the way the doctor says it should call them.

Good luck and please let us know how you are doing.

P.S. Humira pens burn much worse than Cimzia. I barely felt the Cimzia

I find the Cimzia less painful than Humira but I did like the epi-pens better than these syringes.  If you leave the Cimzia out for about 30 min. it hurts less and is slightly less thick.  I do get a rather dramatic reaction at the site of injection - redness about 3 inches across that takes a couple of weeks to fade?  Has anyone else experienced this?  I'm wondering if it's my skills administering it because I'm giving the shots myself after being shown how by a home health nurse.

moedon1, your message kind of left me hanging here girl! No fever involved but I must say this is the first time I've ever had a reaction like that and I've given myself plenty of injections over the past 30 years!

I'm here for suggestion:

I too was on remicade.. my last infusion was 6 weeks ago. Last Nov started feeling the lupus like side effects as well (horrible, un dealable arthritis pain.. to the point my knees and wrest have become deformed)The doc put me back on Imuran and waiting to start Humira. Do you think I should re think my option and ask about Cimzia? which is better?! better yet... which one will I feel a faster relief, and get my life and personality back?