Posted 10/14/2014 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
I Kristi Cameron have been seeing a local doctor in the area, a Rheumatologist, for Rheumatoid Arthritis. My first appointment with seeing this new doctor I was referred to was on October 31, 2013. My next appointment was December 31, 2013. My third and final visit was February 3, 2014.
The first time I went to see him, October 31, 2013, he wanted to put me on Humira injections. I was hesitant about the drug because my experience with Humira, through family members, has been negative and even fatal. I also suffer from other auto immune diseases, and while reading the information given to me by my doctor, I read the drug Humira should't be taken if there is a current infection or illness in the patient or the patient has chronic respiratory ailments, like pneumonia, which I have a history of. I expressed my concern with my doctor and he assured me that it would not worsen my condition. While I was still apprehensive about taking the medication, I felt I was safe because it was being prescribed by my physician and he was aware of the side effects.
I started taking Humira on December 12, 2013. After the first time, I noticed extreme bruising where the injection was placed. I started to experience shortness of breath, and I became fatigued and noticed my sleep patterns increase. I was instructed to take Humira injections every two weeks. In between my 4th and 5th injection I became sick and reached the point where I couldn't breathe. I had to call 911 because my condition rapidly worsened and I was so weak I could barely function. I was was hospitalized on February 4, 2014 with bilateral pneumonia. I was hospitalized from February 4, 2014 through February 21,2014. While I was in the hospital I was put in the ICU (February 5th,2014)because I could no longer breathe on my own and had to have support from a bi-pap. Later that evening, my lungs went into respiratory failure and because of my inability to breathe on my own I was sedated and intubated for 9 days and struggled to maintain stability because of my weakened condition. A patient is generally under sedation for 72 hours but when they tried to pull me off I was unable to breathe on my own so the procedure was prolonged and took longer (9 days) than usual. During the period that I was sedated and intubated I had a full respiratory code, during a breathing trial, where my vitals and oxygen saturation had plummeted. This was due to pulmonary edema. When I was brought out of sedation I was unable to move my extremities and had very little range of motion, and was incoherent with a mild case of psychosis.
I was not able to use my hands or walk due to nerve damage. While in some cases, mild psychosis is normal when coming out of sedation, my condition lasted longer under normal circumstances and I experienced other disabilities like nerve damage where I was told by doctors that it is not normal. I could not feed myself, dress myself, or bathe myself. When I was released, I had to use a walker to get around the house. I had in home therapy from March 3, 2014 through March 27, 2014.
I am still having difficulties from the damage Humira has caused me. I now see four new doctors; a lung specialist, neurologist, physical therapist, and a pulmonary testing specialist. I am in worse shape now than before taking the drug Humira. It has affected me physically and mentally. I am now limited on what I can do in a day, I fatigue easily and don't have very much energy to deal with my daily routine. I am also experiencing pain and concerning ailments that are still not diagnosed, where I didn't before.