Allergic reaction to Humira -- has anyone overcome it??

Hello all,

Has anyone had an allergic reaction to Humira and been able to become desensitized to it so you can continue taking it?  Let me explain.  After 2 reactions to Remicade, my GI Dr. put me on Humira -- but he started me on just one pen (Crohns usually starts with 4). 

Nine days later, I got a lovely case of hives and an allergist confirmed it was a drug reaction.  The allergist and my GI are now looking to see if it is possible to desensitize me to Humira so I can continue taking it.  Sounds similar to allergies to cats, where they give small doses over time to get your body used to it. 

So my question is has anyone had allergic reaction to Humira and successfully completed a desensitization process so that they can now take it without flaming out?

I just posted this on the Arthritis forum since HUmira has been approved for it much longer than for CD.

This has been a trying several months for me -- if I can complain for a little bit.  I reacted to Remicade in mid-Dec.  At the end of January, I had another peri-rectal abcess -- actually it was 2 large abcesses -- and now have a second seton.  Another reaction to Remicade, and then a reaction to Humira.  The gaping hole from the abcesses is almost healed (praise God from whom all blessings flow!) and I am almost back to work full-time.  I'm hoping I've had my quota for 2008!!  Now I am waiting to hear from my Drs. if the desensitization is possible and/or what other meds they want me on.

Thanks!

Thanks, Ides, for the great information. I am waiting for a call from the allergist Dr. She said she wants to try something, and I am curious what that is. I think its worth a shot to try to keep the drug. The biologics appear to be the best for fistulas. And I will certainly ask about using pre-meds.

Thanks again!

My Liver is reacting to humira, I'm allowed only 2 more doses, and that's it. I have to admit I think I've felt slightly
worse on Humira...

I've also just found out that my triglycerides have soared again, they are at 1200. This happened to me when I took
6mp, and went on to have pancreatitis, which has now left me with chronic pancreatitis, due to the scarring....

I'm now wondering if there might be a connection in my case... Right now I'm on fluids only to make sure that my
pancreas doesn't inflame too much, but I'm already getting upper gastric pain. Please keep your fingers crossed
for me. I don't think I can handle another attack...

I had horrible injection site reactions to Enbrel and then went on to reject a dental membrane which was coated in protein. We expected that my immune system would have this problem with anything that contained foreign proteins but I've been on Humira for over a year with no reactions at all. At first, I was surprised, now I'm just puzzled. I even had severe allergic reactions to allergy shots, so I had really expected at least injection site reactions to Humira. When they bumped me up to weekly shots, I couldn't believe that allw ent well.

I hope that whatever your Doc has in mind will be the answer you need.

Hi Beachy,

Sounds like you had the drug reaction I had -- full body hives. At least mine didn't itch! I thank God for his small blessings! I also reacted to Remicade, which is a relative of Humira's. I met with an allergy doc and she was willing to try to desensitize me to the protein (she says you can do it for anyrhing, although some things are more difficult). But my GI says he wants to start me on something else. I have an appointment soon to discuss. My disease is active and he wants to get me on something fast. The desensitization will take awhile. We will see if we try it at all...

I am totally with you in wondering what's next. The remicade/humira group of biologicals are now out -- and this is the newer group of drugs and many have good success with them! So are we left with the older stuff? I'm only a year into this disease myself and have only been on Remi and Humira (well, 1 pen). I don't have any experience with the other drugs. I am wondering what my GI will prescribe for my rectal-only fistulizing CD. I really would love to stop this disease from progressing!! All the surgeries, intestinal distresses, and dietary restrictions I read on this Forum makes me really want to be aggressive in treatment. I think I am going to try Helminth/hookworm therapy because it sounds like it doesn't effect taking other drugs and the studies look quite promising. It just takes a while to take affect so I want to get it started.

I hope you find the right path forward for you!

Beachy -- I'm glad the repair worked for you! No, I haven't tried special diets. Like you, I have no other CD symptoms except fatigue. I know fatigue means inflammation which means active disease -- but if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't know I was sick (well, except for the setons!). I can eat anything and have no GI problems. I'll let you know what my GI Dr says is next for me.

Welcome to Healing Well, avor928! I'm sorry you are having such bad site reactions with the Humira. That is one of the side effects that is listed and other members here have complained about it.

Have you tried giving the injection in your abdomen? I found that the injections in my abdomen did not cause a reaction. Others bothered by the stinging of the injection say that the ones in the abdomen sting less too. It is possible that the abdomen has a larger fat layer and that helps the problem.

I got allergic reactions to Remicade and my doc wanted to wait for 8-12 weeks before I started Humira.
I started with 4 pens and now I get a little reaction to Humira but I just take allergic meds before injecting the Humira.