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Anyone with skin rashes from Humira or Remicade?

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Posted 1/2/2011 2:17 PM (GMT 0)

KarineB said...
I have been on Humira for a little over a year. In September I started getting a really bad rash in my butt crack (they think it is inverse Psorisis), and I am still waiting to hear from my GI. I am now cover in a rash, about 90% of my body and I am still trying to get in touch with my GI. I am so uncomfortable. I know it has to be from the huira. It will be interesting where I go from here as I have tried a lot of drugs before this.



I have never had skin issues in my life!

This is the first time I hear someone had a really bad rash in their butt crack and this is exactly what happened to me on Humira. I had it for months and I managed to get it under control with some lotions. But then after a year on Humira I developed a rash all over my body that just kept getting worse and worse until I was put on 40mg of prednisone and off Humira for good. It went away and now 8 months after stopping Humira I have a weird rash in my lower abdomen and don't know if it could still be from Humira. It's itchy and really weird.

Just have to "love" the rash and Crohn's...
Posted 1/2/2011 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Humira starting 3 yrs. Break out in a rash in different spots every time. It was called Eryothemia Nodosum. Usual get one around the injection sight and somewhere else on my body the 5th to 7th day after the injection. If it is over a joint, swelling and pain along with it. Goes away in 2 to 3 days. My GI doc said if that's all I get, deal with it. So I deal with it. It's just part of the regular routine. I also get fungal infections in the groin and under armpits. Not every time, often enough. Again, it's treatable with a topical cream, it goes away.

Also, I have eczema and very small spots of placq psoriasis in different areas of my body. I put a betamethasone based cream on and it goes away.
Posted 6/29/2011 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys this forum has been so informative, I thank you all for sharing. I recently got on humira, about a month and a half ago for psoriatic arthritis. Three days after I got on in I felt back to normal, it has really worked well for me. However, I developed itchy bumps on my shins which I originally thought was razor bumps but then they started showing up on my arms chest legs and back. They are small bumps, almost resembling little red ant bites My skin is a little lighter around each one. I'm assuming that this rash is a result of the Humira, which sucks because I'm assuming I'll have to change meds since this rash isn't going away. I mean I have only had it for like three days but still. I'm set up to see a derm in two weeks, so I guess I'll see what they say. I'm really hoping this rash will go away but it doesn't sound like it after reading all of the feedback. Let me know if anyone has had a similar occurrence. Also this rash developed almost two weeks after my last injection so it's not a result of the injection itself. (Docs usually say its normal for injection site rash)
Thanks all again.
Posted 6/29/2011 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
on my third remmy infusion a week later i noticed a rash forming in the corners of my mouth and also under my left eye. the docs believed it to be a yeast infection due to my immune system being altered. they gave me a prescription for some cream and in a week it was gone.....the areas were itchy and slightly inflamed, very odd but gone.
Posted 6/29/2011 10:16 AM (GMT 0)
I noticed after being on Humira for a couple of months that my skin would go sensitive for a few days after each injection, especially after showering my face, chest and arms would go bright red and would get dry and itchy. I now take zirtek (cetirizine) for a few days before and after my Humira dose and moisturise every day and that seems to have calmed it down.
Posted 11/3/2011 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Humira since Jan 2008 for Psoriasis and Psoriatic arthritis. It has worked wonders on both issues.
However in April of 2011 I broke out in a rash all over my arms and torso that looked sort of like an allergic reaction...
I went to my primary care physician and she looked at me and said "it looks like you have scabies" I was completely freaked out!
She told me sarcastically that I could have gotten it off a shopping cart with my immune system ... so she prescribed a permethrin lotion to use
- coat yourself with it and leave on for 12-14 hrs and then shower off... I did this and my fiance did it to because we lived together... The lotion seemed to calm the rash down at first but it did not completely go away... It was insanely itchy at night and around my belly button. I see a dermatologist every three months because she is the one who has me on the Humira.... so on my next visit I showed her and she did a skin scraping to chec under a microscope and did not see any scabies... she scolded me for using the permethrin cream as many times as I had (i was trying to kill the mites) told me this med was an insecticide that is very hard on the liver. She did liver bloodwork to make sure it was okay... then gave me a script for 15mg of oral Ivermectin (for scabies- even though she did not find any) I took this med in late Aug. 2011 - I had no affect on the rash at all... I looked to the inet for help.. I bought Neem oil, Neem Lotion, Neem Soap, Sulpher Soap, Sulpher Cream, Witch Hazel, Hydrocortisone Cream, used Alcohol wipes, Tee Tree Oil, Shea Butter Cremes, Neosporin, Polysporin, nothing makes this rash go away ....I even took showers with Dog Shampoo containing Pyrethrin.... all because they had me convinced there were mites in my skin...
Last weekend it got really bad. The rash started spreading down my legs, and appearing on the tops of my hands, it rally looks like something has been biting me... So I went to Urgent Care thinking maybe a different doctor would have a solution... He was baffled. He said the was almost positive it was not scabies because I have tried the "MAC DADDY" of all drugs... Ivermectin and that if it was a parasite of some sort it should be dead!
And the fact that no one else in the household has this - it has to be something else - SCABIES - is highly contagious...
He did nothing for me. He said if was not on Humira - he would give me a steriod shot, but that due to that medicine already lowering my immune system, he was afraid to give it to me - cause it could lower my system so that the smallest little thing could kill me.... not very reassuring!

I am miserable, after 2 days of pleading with Dr & nurses I finally have an appt to see my derm tomorrow...

I talked to the Humira nurseline - a nurse told me that this could in fact be a side effect of the Humira and there may be no treatment...
I saw on the Humira website - there was a warning issued this Sept by the FDA that it can cause life threatening fungal and parasite infections....

I am looking for any advice or information that may help me ...

I am 36 years old - have had Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthtritis since I was 17... been on Humira since Jan 2008.
Posted 11/22/2011 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on Humira for several years. Before that I was on Remicade. On Remicade, my joints -knees, ankles, elbows, hands, wrists - would balloon up and get really stiff. For example, I couldn't make a fist with my hands. These side effects are better on Humira. However, now I get blisters on my fingers, usually in places that often get used - like keyboard locations or writing locations. They are big and sore. Usually they go away, but it takes around a week for me.

My joints, especially my wrists, get really sore as well. It's exaggerated when I type a lot at work. I've been on Humira for several years and I'm not confident these side effects ever improve. My hair also falls out is large quantities. The only solution is likely to stop taking the drug.

Humira is a life-saver, literally. For me, it's worth the side effects.
Posted 11/22/2011 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
I have a friend who had a psoriasis like disease and the humira made it worse..very red inflamed areas in hands and feet. It so frustrating to hear of all the lousy side effects. Good luck and sorry you have had to go through so much.
Posted 2/8/2012 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I am 28 years old and was diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis last March and started Humira (every other week) in May. I had previously been on a daily dose of Prednisone and a 1/week dose of Methotrexate. I still take my weekly dose of Methotrexate. After being on Humira for about 2 months I started having itching sensations on my scalp, especially after a shower or anytime my body temperature was raised. This could happen while exercising, eating warm foods and even while playing around with my kids. I went to a dermatologist and he had me taking Claritin, which didn't appear to help much at all. I did notice that if I played an intense sport like Racquetball I would suffer intense itching for the first 10 or 15 minutes but after that it would be as if I broke through a barrier and then no pain. After I played I noticed that I could actually go about a week before the itching returned. I was even able to start eating some of my favorite foods again. It appears however that I will have to continue the intense playing of sports in order to prevent the itching from returning. While I am perfectly fine playing sports to remain healthy, I am somewhat disturbed by the fact that all this seemed to only happen sometime after I started Humira or after discontinuing Prednisone. Btw, the dermatologist thinks that I am just producing an excessive amount of Histamines, that was being covered by perhaps the prednisone, but he had nothing solid to offer for this assumption.

Any ideas whether I am right to assume it is the Humira? Should I be concerned and discuss it more with my pharmacist? Rheumatologist doesn't appear to think it's the Humira.

Thanks!
Posted 2/8/2012 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
remicade made me itch sooo bad, ended up with a rash on my face...humira not so much but it's still ther ( not as bad)
Posted 2/9/2012 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
me, me! Skin rash from Humira, indeed. It just stared about 3 months ago, itchy, flaky, bright red patches all over my legs & arms. Now Humira has been working really well for my UC, so there is no way I want to stop it. I had a CPE scheduled & brought it up to my PCP- he gave me a script for Triamcinolone cream, & advised using Benadryl before my shots. So, the cream really cleared things up. But I just did a shot yesterday, & took Benadryl 2x- before my shot & about 6 hours later. Now I'm wondering I should be taking the Benadryl for 2-3 days, day of the shot & a day or so afterwards. I think I'll see how things go, rash-wise, witht his latest injection- if the rash comes back full force, I'll try the Benadryl for 2-3 days with my next shot. Frustrating...... I haven't even mentioned this new development to my GI, I see him in March & will discuss it then. I don't want to hear him suggest stopping Humira, it's basically all I've got to left to work with!

Posted 2/9/2012 5:58 PM (GMT 0)

I have been on Humira for about 1 year and do have a rash on my legs and arms. It looks and feels like a bug bites first, and then turns in to a hive looking patches. Very itchy! confused I noticed then during cold month’s they disappear,
but come back during warm months especially during summer heat and humidity in area
I live in. It feels better when I am inside in air conditioning space and they
do go away after a while, but as soon I am back in the heat, hives comeback.  Taking Benadryl helps and also anti itch creams. Never had this before I started using Humira. smhair

Posted 8/20/2012 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
Stopped Remicade several years ago.  Was on Humira until I got C-Diff in October.  Went back on Humira and now have scaly rash on area around knees.  A little itchy and ugly to look at.  GI seems disinterested and Humira nurse says she has never heard of a Rash as a reaction.  Diagnosed with FUO in 1967, Probaable Crohn's in 1972 (cobblestones in gut X-ray), positively diagnosed 1981.. BP 70/10 weight loss from 225 to 145.
Posted 3/22/2015 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
I have this and u honestly believe it is Humira that caused it. Because I have never had this. it's on my feet legs and even in my hair. I've been to a dermatologist and they said psoriasis. They also said Humira couldn't have caused it. But one of the side effects are New or worsening psoriasis. and I never once had this in my life. it's.painful red scaly spots everywhere. I've been on steroids and cream and a benadryl shot. it cleared up for a while. but seems like it pops up in more places. really don't know what to do since nothing is helping it. I quit taking my humira and seeing if clears up. honestly I don't think humira is worth this. ( if it is the cause) which I do.
Posted 3/25/2015 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
I have been on remicade for 3 yrs now, after the 1st year in I developed a skin rash which has been diagnosed as psoriasis (never had skin issues prior to remicade), my hair started falling out from plaque psoriasis on my scalp and my eyes are red with inflammation. I have had these issues for the last 2 yrs no cream or medication has offered any relief (execpt for the steriod shots I got in my scalp which allowed my hair to grow back). Now 3 days after my last infusion I have an incredibly red itchy rash all over my arms and back....seriously! I am guessing its some type of allergic reaction to the remicade?
Posted 3/25/2015 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
All biologics, including Remicade can cause psoriasis. Read the warning on the product insert. The only way it will go away is to stop the medication and switch to another.
Posted 3/26/2015 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
I had a pretty large rash on my arms and neck after my first Remicade infusion that went away within a week or two. I will get random rashes though, so since that first big one, I haven't tracked whether they happen more after an infusion.
Posted 10/20/2015 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone! I know this thread is old but I am desperate for guidance...

I developed severe pustular psoriasis all over my ENTIRE body since starting humira (for CD). I have been off for 6 weeks and the spots are just as bad. Topical steroids stop them from scabbing as much but don't stop the pustules from going everywhere (except on my scalp where they scab like crazy anyway). Been on prednisone (20 mg) for a week and there's barely an improvement. My face is actually so much worse!

Did anything help you guys? Did it ever go away over time?? If so, what specifically? My doc keeps saying it should go away eventually....how long did it take to see some improvement (if you got any)??

I'm only 19 and this is such an embarrassing thing to have to deal with!

Thanks so much!
Posted 10/21/2015 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I developed Remicade-induced Psoriasis (scalp, plaque, and palmar) and had to come off Remicade. Notably, the problems all got worse when i doubled the Remicade dose from 5 to 10.

Sadly, the palmar (hand) psoriasis has persisted even after coming off the Remicade. The others (scalp and plaque) have mostly disappeared. I'm hopeful the palmar will go away eventually too.

Remicade is a great drug when it works, but it can absolutely cause psoriasis. I had absolutely no skin issues with my Crohn's (for ~30 years) and all of this started after I began Remicade treatment. So it is without question a terrible side effect.
Posted 10/22/2015 2:20 PM (GMT 0)

rsh1986 said...
I developed Remicade-induced Psoriasis (scalp, plaque, and palmar) and had to come off Remicade. Notably, the problems all got worse when i doubled the Remicade dose from 5 to 10.

Sadly, the palmar (hand) psoriasis has persisted even after coming off the Remicade. The others (scalp and plaque) have mostly disappeared. I'm hopeful the palmar will go away eventually too.

Thanks for the reply rsh1986 - did you have to use any treatment to help with the scalp/plaque psoriasis or did it go away on its own? And how long did it take to start resolving?
Posted 10/31/2015 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry for the late reply, slg16. I did use some cortisone creams and a shampoo for the scalp and plaque, but those didn't really help all that much unless I constantly applied them. The key was stopping Remicade. Hard to say exactly how long it took, but I would say I saw improvement very quickly (a month or so after my last infusion). But it probably took 4-5 months until all the lesions on my legs and scalp disappeared. For some reason, though, the palmar (hands) psoriasis never went away, and actually got worse. It's so weird how you have a love/hate relationship with these drugs. Remicade helped me recover from a fisulta/abscess situation, and gave me a good 2 years of remission. But now I have uncontrolled Psoriasis on my hands. It's like whack a mole i guess...
Posted 11/3/2015 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
I've noticed small pimples all around my body as well. My hands have started to crack and get really dry. Remicade has worked great for me, but I'm wondering what it's really doing to my body overall. I'm working hard to reduce the frequency of my transfusions and I'm interested to see if I can get my self healthy without any drugs. Good luck everyone
Posted 6/21/2017 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have a skin red light skin rash. I noticed the spot where the injection was administered would swell and itch really bad. This swelling, redness, and the itching would continue for at least 4 days. It is really starting to bother me. I talked with a Humira nurse and she advised me to talk to my doctor after complaining about my problem the 3rd time. What are we to do?
Posted 6/22/2017 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
HallDiv,

You've attached to a very old thread. I would recommend starting a new one. Skin rashes do seem to be a problem for some on Remicade and Humira. If it subsides after 4 days, then you should have success with something like Benadryl.

I would agree with seeing you Doctor. Hopefully there's something that can relieve the skin issues.
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