Strike one (Remicade fails), Humira next?

Well, after a few infusions I had a bunch of joint aches and it turns out my Antinuclear Antibodies (ABA) got elevated so it looks like the plan to double my dose or even to continue remicade, to bridge the gap of several weeks where the remi sputtered out, is over and done with.  Humira is next on the table if my insurance approves (which sounds iffy from what I read on these posts).  I am also half hoping that they don't approve Humira as these biologics to me stink.  I'd much rather get back to tinkering with, say, helminthic (parasitic worm) therapy- something resident in the body for millions of years and in hundreds of millions to a couple billion people worldwide today as opposed to thousands of people on a drug for 10 years or so.  Has anyone here who reacted to the Remicade had success with Humira?  Mu understanding is that if Remicade doesn't work all that well, Humira usually doesn't either.  In my case the remi worked like a charm for about 2-3 weeks each time and then sputtered out.  How often are the Humira injections and are they as painful as some make them out to be? (Surely the pain is a joke compared to UC pain).

 

I don't understand why you're contemplating Humira since you're so against it. Taking a medication is always your choice, so you can always decline the offered treatment and try whatever else you want.

Judilyn said...
I don't understand why you're contemplating Humira since you're so against it. Taking a medication is always your choice, so you can always decline the offered treatment and try whatever else you want.

Judilyn,

Only because the one thing I am still not quite ready to do is surgery. and nothing but pred seems to keep me from flaring.  Well, one other thing has helped somewhat- TSO (pig whipworm eggs)- but its not covered by insurance and is siimplly too expensive, and wasn't able to keep me off prednisone.  My attitude towards these biologics are that our bodies have no business being subjected to them, but if, like me, you want to buy some more time to avoid amputating the colon, then a year or two on them may buy that time to find something better (eg other types of parasites that colonize longer term and therefore are not as expensive).

Thanks for all the replies- I think I will at least try humira.  There is no reason to automatically assume it will fail just because remi failed. 

 

Eva Lou said...
well however it goes, please let us know what happens with your insurer- if they cover it, how did your GI get them too, etc. That's what really interests me, the coverage! I have to say, I too am a little puzzled by your decision to try Humira, & your obvious dislike of it. I know what you mean, about not ready for surgery, but 1-2 years on these drugs isn't a short course either! So the ABA are the antibodies to the Remicade? And truthfully, does your GI seem to think the Humira will help?

Apparently my insurance should approve the Humira on account of the Remicade having failed, but it may require a paperwork delay.  As for hating biologics but still using them- it's a case of it being the best of all evils right now since I am not quite ready yet to "destroy the village in order to save it" (that is, remove the colon).  Yes, the ANA was elevated.  And my GI does consider Humira a viable option to try.

 

If you could only walk in my shoes for one day I think you would toss the colon and the drugs away! I hope you find success with worms or humira.

Sue