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Humira expectations?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/7/2009 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello going to be starting Humira this week. I wanted to get your experiences with Humira, so I kind of know where to set my expectations. Did you gain remission? how long did it take before you felt any better? and any serious side effects? On the Humira Website they have the Serious Side Effect language at the end of every page...Is this something I should really be concerned about?
Posted 4/7/2009 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
All the anti-TNF biologics have similar warnings and side effects. I won't go into the side effects because you already found those.

I personally went from Remicade to Humira and felt that Humira didn't help much. It is likely that my lack of response is because of my lack of response to Remicade. Those that stop responding to Remicade have a greater chance of not responding to Humira.
Posted 4/8/2009 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
I actually responded very well to Humira within a week of my loading doses. We had already done the consult with the surgeon and as a last ditch effort, managed to get Humira approved (prior to the FDA approval for Crohns) and gave it a try. Within a week I was eating again.

My GI considers remission to be symptom free and no meds. I have yet to reach that point but I did go without symptoms for a good year + on Humira. My only issues were during high stress times, and we typically went to a weekly injection at those times.

I am just now having issues sustaining two weeks without symptoms so we bumped to weekly injections for awhile. I've been on it 2.5 years and hope to stay on it longer...
Posted 4/8/2009 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
It took a month or two for me to respond to Humira. Once I did, my abdominal and back pain went away. My hemoglobin and ferritin levels shot up! I used to get iron infusions, but when I saw my hematologist yesterday, he said my bloodwork was great. Hemoglobin was 15, and ferritin was 99. Platelets were in normal range, whereas they used to be very high. The only two things Humira didn't help were my lousy appetite and my fatigue. Once I started eating SCD, my appetite finally got good, and at last, my fatigue is starting to get a little better.

EDIT: I was in a Remicade trial once (it seemed to help), and when my doctor tried to restart me at a later date, I had a severe allergic reaction to it. I started the Humira a couple of years after that.
Posted 4/8/2009 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
It took me several months in combination with my other medication for humira to work. You just have to be strict with what you eat and really take care of yourself...I feel so much better though. I went to my first day on a job where you stand the entire time and I did it. I think that must say something about the treatment..

I do get really, really tired sometimes, and I also get some pretty terrible headaches every now and again. All in all it seems to work so..I hope you achieve the same results. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Posted 4/8/2009 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Doc,

I'm starting Humira this week also (tomorrow!). From what I hear the side effects can vary greatly from person to person, so I'm looking at it as a trial and error sort of thing. Good luck! I hope it works out well for you!
Posted 4/8/2009 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
I just started mine on Monday..........I am very tired. I feel kinda weird, but can't explain it. I don't have any major symptoms with my crohns, except for lately pain in my right side. My small intestine was closing up......and they opened during my last colonoscopy so I'm not sure how we will determine the effects of the humira........but I guess we'll see.
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