Humira or Remicade?

As always it depends on the person. I tried Humira first, and it did not work for me. Just gave me awful migraines. I also tried Cimzia, another drug that is an injection and it did not work either. I'm on Remicade now and it is working. I think it's still probably the best drug we have. But I know others have had success with Humira as well.

I was given the option of either Remicade or Humira by my GI, I chose Humira for convenience purposes as well as a few other reasons I'll explain but firstly, it cleared up inflammation I had in my colon for 23 years and in the rectum on and off, mostly on, for those 23 years as well (I was either allergic or non-responsive to traditional oral meds so I suffered over 2 decades and then developed a recto-vaginal fistula and then I qualified to go on biologics...it also cleared the inflammation of the RV fistula as well).

The other reason I chose it was because it seems that since it's made with a human protein rather than mouse like Remi, there's suppose to be less of a chance I believe of developing antibodies to it so I don't have to necessarily rely on maintenance meds since I'm either allergic or non-responsive to them. Also, I sometimes travel out of town and didn't want that to interfere with getting transfusions with Remi done...this way I can just take my med with me.

I also suffer with IBS so I can't say I'm feeling completely normal like before I got sick (I got IBS about 14 yrs into having my crohn's) but I definitely feel a lot better than I was by far!!

The only side effect I got from it was horrid headaches that sometimes lasted up to 3 days, but I got a great tip from a member at the UC forum that told me to take an antihistamine the day I do my shot and I do, I give myself a shot usually in the early evening then before bed I pop an antihistamine and amazingly no more headaches.

I take it weekly not biweekly anymore but that's because I thought it wasn't working quite well enough so my GI agreed to up me to weekly (also because I had suffered for so many years flaring) though I will add, he scoped me just after he agreed to up my shots to weekly and after the scope he told me in my follow up appointment that all my inflammation had cleared, including the fistula inflammation (even before we upped me to weekly, that was me not realizing it was my IBS that was the problem...too bad it doesn't fix IBS too, then I'd be laughing. Either way though, I'm still happy to be as well as I am, even with the IBS kicking my butt still at least it's not them both together anymore...I just hope I get years out of Humira.

Best of luck in your choice and I just want to say, giving yourself the shot isn't a big deal and it get's easier mentally after a few times and I'm no fan of needles but I manage very well and they're virtually painless at this point for me (or I've just gotten used to it lol) if you decide to go with Humira let us know, I'll give you some great easy tips to make the injections fairly painless but you should expect the first loading doses to be a bit of a pain, it's a bit of a shock to the system at first lol!!

Like 73monte said, Remicade has the better track record or at least the most evidence behind it. It was the first biologic I went on. My GI put me on Humira about a year later, but I don't think he had any expectation it would work after Remicade failed, and it didn't. That said, I reckon if I'd got on Remicade or Humira a few years earlier, it might have worked.

In the UK the protocol is Remi first and then Humira only if that fails. Remi did nothing for me ... Humira seems to be working but took some time.

That's great! Be sure to post your experiences with it and any questions you might have.

Hope you find relief very fast!!