New member

Hi,

I've just joined after finding the site while searching the internet for information / advice on Humira - my doctor wants me to go on it for the next flare up (after I convinced him this time I'd like a steroid hit please!).

I'm nearly 27, and had crohn's for 13 years now and live in the UK. Lots of drugs, no surgery yet (touch wood).

Hi and welcome! I can't help with your humeria question but there's loads of peeps who are on it who will be along soon just wanted to say hi Bev x

hi, the humira is more of an antibody than a drug. it is administered by getting a shot since you would otherwise "digest" the antibody. It is not clear whether crohns is entirely humoral or cellular but humira might be considered moreso humoral since it is actually an antibody. Perhaps the wiki chart is helpful to see the "Y" shaped antibodies (humira is Y shaped and is thus a very large fabrication of molecules) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_helper_cell. In crohns the problem is the attack of our body on our antigens. So the concept... for lack of the scientific description... is that by introducing antibodies (the Humira), our antigens have something to do besides attack each other. Generally speaking this is a protein key and lock situation ....or however you want to look at this...results are in the realm of what goes on after you receive a toxin or vaccine. Prednisone on the other hand is a glucocorticoid and is more like a synthetic hormone and its affect on immune system is different and it is primarily affecting glucose metabolism, and it is not a building steroid...it actually inhibits the immune system rather than provoke a response like humira.

Welcome to you both! Looking forward to interacting with you.