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Humira Injection Pain Anyone ???

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/21/2013 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
I have been on Humira for the last 3 years with great results on my disese. But I have gotten to the point where its so painful that I cant bare to inject it myself, my dad and my fiance have both offered to do it for me but I find it so hard to instruct people how to torture me that I asked my crohns nurse to do it. She sees that I am in obvious pain while getting the shot, she says that she has not heard of this much pain with the humira shots. Am I the only one?
I have also thought about quitting it hurts so bad!!

[* I just added a title to the Subject line - C2]

And one comment: perhaps Remicade would work as well for your Crohn's w/o the frequent injections necessary for Humira???

Post Edited By Moderator (CrohnieToo) : 4/20/2013 9:12:45 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/21/2013 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
Does humira still treat your symptoms? How are the side effects?
When I first started humira I was able to inject myself the first couple of times, I think it hurt pretty bad but I think I made a psychological connection between the horrible side effects I felt and giving myself the injection that it caused the pain to increase, if that makes sense? The nurse trained my mum to give me my shots because it was beginning to take me hours to convince myself to press the button, lol if sit with it pressed against my skin squeezing the skin with the other hand just whimpering haha! And then I'd scream out during the injection it hurt so bad.

I stopped taking it after 4 months, mainly due to the horrible way I felt after the injection, more so than the actual injection itself. It's horrible I know, my family make fun thinkin it's just the same as any other self injection, you can stick me with anything you like but ill run a marathon before letting anyone give me that again lol!

I hope it eases up for you, do you think it could be a psychological association? If so some breathing techniques or meditation might help prior to the injection, if not then I really don't know... :(
Hope you work it out soon
Posted 4/21/2013 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like Humira is still helping the Crohns. If it is, you probably should not stop taking it. Is the pain you feel an injection site pain? Do you always inject in one area? Perhaps you can try another? I have no personal experience with Humira (my husband is on Remicade).

If it is an injection site pain, can they numb the injection site first before you take the injection, like what they do when they do dental work? I tried searching, but didn't see any mention of it. I know others on here have mentioned the temperature of humira playing a role in whether it burned or not going in. Perhaps someone else on humira can come on and say what temperature it should be (I think I recall room temperature, but don't trust me on this).

Maybe icing the region of the injection prior to the injection will help? I'm sorry, I don't have great suggestions, but if Humira is helping your crohn's, I think you should turn over every rock to try to get through these injections.

Oh, how about sleep meds? Like ambien. Maybe you could take one of those, drug yourself to a deep sleep, and then one of your family members could do the jab. Maybe given how dopey you'll be on ambien, you won't feel it so much. Personally, I think this one has merit. Or perhaps taking an opiate before the injection will dampen the pain. In your shoes, I'd try one of these 2 options I think.

If you think there maybe a psychological element, maybe some anti-anxiety meds before the injection will help calm you. Xanax maybe.

I hope you'll find something soon that helps with the injection pain. I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

PV
Posted 4/21/2013 5:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Do you take the Humira out of refridge. You should leave it out
a half hour before you self inject. I do this before I self inject
my Enbrel I let it sit out a half hour before I have no sting then.
Posted 4/21/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
I am sorry I was writing this at 1 am and completely forgot the title :S

The thing I was wondering about is if anyone else is feeling this pain.
I have tried every trick in the book so I don't think it will get better but my nurse and doctor are not familiar with so much pain following the injections.

I will see how much longer I can tolerate this.
Posted 4/22/2013 4:51 AM (GMT 0)
Are you injecting into your thigh or your abdomen? When I was on Humira, I found the thigh to be extremely painful when injecting the medicine. When I injected it into my belly, about a couple of inches to either side of my navel, it was much less painful and easy to do. I also took the medicine out about 20 minutes or so ahead of time.
Posted 4/22/2013 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
I also found the thigh to be extremely painful (one time did it for me!).  I let Humira sit out at room temperature for about one hour.  I also take Benedryl & Tylenol 30-45 minutes beforehand, and ice the area 15-20 minutes before I inject into the abdomen area (I rotate every other side).  I have to get myself psyched also to press the pen even though I know ten seconds is not that long....
Posted 4/23/2013 9:54 AM (GMT 0)
I was going to ask the same thing...leg or abdomen.
I've been on humira for nearly 3 years now and never had any pain as much.Maybe a little stinginess now and again but nothing major to make me stop taking it.
I've always done it in my abdomen ,there's more fat there for the needle to sink into ;)
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