Crohn's and Humira

There are a lot of people who hav had great results from humira. I did not and my last shot was a few weeks ago. The doctor took me bak off of it. The injections are very easy to do st home. One shot every other week and that's it. I was hoping it would work because it was easy to do and the remicade we were going to do, you have to go in to the doctors and sit for a few hours while they give it to you by iv. The humira started fine for me for the first month, maybe two. Then I started noticing after each dose the side effects were getting stronger and more frequent. I started with breaking out on the face and itchy scalp. Then I started getting itchy on my arms, face, etc. I would get a rash that would come out of no where, stay ten minted and then disappear. Then I got an open sore on my hand that looked like a popped blister but I never had a blister. It just opened there. The doctor kept asking me if I had a fever and since I didn't we kept going until the rash and itchyness got worse and once the sor popped up. I go back on Tuesday after a ct scan and a lot of bloodwork. The nurse said it came back ok so I guess we will see what they say then.

My doctor mentioned that I might try cimizia at this next appt too. Did it give you similar side effects?

Yes I got similar side effects. I still had swollen face and the reaction at the injection site. These two drugs I would have to say really jacked me up as far as side effects go. They did not put me in remission and I was still having loose, watery bm's multiple times a day. Was not worth the side effects. But like I said, everyone is different and what works for some does not work for all. I am currently on Remicade, again, second time around in 7 years. First time I stopped responding to it after a year. I am currently on it now over a year. I am having surgery in May to remove a stricture due to scar tissue from a previous bowel ressection in 2008. After surgery, doc is combing remicade with 6mp. Has your doctor tried you on a cocktail of meds?

Have you ever tried dissolving your meds in milk or water so that you can take a pill form of something?

Yea that makes sense. Didn't think of that. Have you tried remicade?

Remicade gave me drug induced Lupus after 2 doses...Needless to say, I'm never going on it again. It does do wonders for a lot of people though!

I can't absorb the Apriso either. I open them up and sprinkle it on my tounge or mix it in apple sauce. I tried Asacol irst but the whole pill would float in the toilet. With medicine still intact in the pill.

I've been on Humira for a few months now and have seen next to no side effects. I had some bruising at my latest injection site, but nothing to be concerned about. Only thing I really noticed was insomnia the first night after my injections. I was doing them right before bed time and for the first couple of doses, I couldn't sleep at all that night. I recently changed to doing my shot in the morning and I have had no problems since. Sadly, though, it isn't working for me and we will be looking at other options. I hear a lot of people have wonderful success with Humira though. The customer service is amazing. They have nurse support and all sorts of great resources. Best of luck to you!

Been on Humira for 2 or is it 3 years now.. I have been doing good with only minor issues. I seem to have alot of sinus headaches, fatigue and finger joint pain. I don't know if the last 2 are related to Humira or not. I also just recently started having itchy scalp, I'm not sure if it is related to my body wash or not. Other then those few things I do have occasional bruising.

hello its Joy 47,

I've been on humira for about 2 1/2 years. I only had a really bad sinus problem once I was given a shot (cortisone) and I've been fine ever since. It really seems to be working for me. Of course some of the other complications of crohn's arthritis and such is much the same. But so far so good. I was on 6mp or its called Purenthol for about 5 years with no problem. Then just out of the blue I started to run 104 fever for 3 days it would not brake so at the hospital they iced me down and it finally broke. I was sent home then I was in such pain I thought I was dying. It turned out I was having a drug toxicity to the 6mp. Now with the Humira its all good:) I pray that this works for you as well.

If the injections hurt on your thighs, try injecting into your abdomen. I feel no pain from the abdominal injection, but the shot in the thigh was horrible. I couldn't believe the difference. As far as Humira side effects, I don't notice much at all after 3 months. Maybe a little tiredness at first the day of the injection, but then I feel more energetic for a few days. I'm just waiting to see what happens as more time goes by and I'm on the medicine longer. I have less abdominal discomfort the past few weeks and hope that means it's working. Trying to be positive.

@bigernie

thats how my side effects started. at the beginning i thought it was working for me for a month or two. But that time i was tampering off the predisnone so i'm wondering if it was the steriods that was actually helping me i dont know. But then the rash started and after each injections i got more side effects. itchy scalp came after one, after the next the rash & itchy scalp got worse, after another i got a sore throat that stayed the entire time and never went away, and then the open sore on my hand. When i spoke to the doctor he asked if i thought it helped and he said he didn't see that much of an improvement to coninue on it. I told him at the beginning i thought i did but i was also on the steriods and the steriods did wonders for me but i couldn't stay on them.

@fongers06
i couldn't inject them to myself. i would sit there for so long and couldnt push the button because i know as soon as it hit i would just yank it back out. its not the needle because that doesn't bother me its the medicine going in HURTS. So i would have someone else do it to me. I would ice the area fo 3 or 4 mins and then get the pen ready and say "press the button and dont pull the pen out of me until you see the yellow" i've had 2 different people do it for me and they never cared. (boyfriend & another time his mom did it. lol)

and i tried it once in the stomach area (the nurse did it) and it was so uncomfortable i would rather do the legs. they hurt the same to me.