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HUMIRA PRESCRIBED FOR UC

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/24/2013 1:01 PM (GMT 0)

I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN PRESCRIBED HUMIRA FOR MY UC AS I AM UNABLE TO COME OF PREDNISONE WITHOUT FLARING UP.  I HAVE DONE THE FIRST 4 INJECTIONS OF THE HUMIRA AT HOME WITH THE PEN I WAS SUPPLIED BY MY DOCTOR AND SPECIAL PHARMACY.  HAS ANYONE HAS ANY SUCCESS WITH HUMIRA, I FEEL THAT IF I AM TAKING SUCH A DANGEROUS DRUG THAT I SHOULD BE FEELING IMMEDIATE RELIEF.  I UNDERSTAND IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 4 WEEKS-4 MONTHS TO GET INTO YOUR SYSTEM.  I AM NOT FLARING AS BAD AS WHEN I GO BELOW 20MG OF PRED TRYING TO COME OFF IT, BUT IM NOT IN REMISSION.  I HAVE NEVER HAD PAIN ONCE IN THE WHOLE TIME I HAVE HAD UC, MY MAIN SYMPTOMS WERE URGENCY, BLEEDING AND TONS OF D.  JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR HUMIRA TO TAKE OVER OR TO START WORKING OR ANY SUCCESS OR HORROR STORIES IF ANY ONE HAS ANY.  I AM AT THE POINT NOW WHERE I HAVE TO START SELF INJECTING EVERY OTHER WEEK.  I AM A 29 Y/O WHITE M FROM PHILA about 210 LBS 6 FT TALL. I HAVE HAD about 7 COLONSCOPIES DONE AND about 13 SIGS. SOMETIMES REAVEAL INFLAMMATION SOMETIMES NOTHING BUT IRRITATION.  I DID GET A C DIFF INFECTION FOR TAKING A ZPACK FOR A SINUS INFECTION WHICH WAS HORRIBLE AND THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE AND FELT LIKE I WAS GONNA DIE, WHICH GAVE ME PSUDEMEMBRANOUS COLITIS ALONG WIT MY UC:> YAYYY, BUT I DID GET OVER IT WITH FLAGYL AND VANCOMYCIN. THAT WAS about A YEAR AGO.  CURIOUS AS TO HUMIRA SUCCESS STORIES, OR IF IM JUST ANOTHER NUMBER ON TEH HUMIRA SPIN WHEEL WAITING TO GET THE CANCER IT CAUSES.

 SORRY about THE CAPS BUT IM AT WORK AT CANT TAKE THEM OFF.

CURRENT MEDS:

LIALDA 4 PILLS ONCE A DAY

HUMIRA SELF INJECTION EVRY OTHER WEEK 40MG DOSE

VSL#3

CALCIUM AND VIT D SUPP DAILY

BOSWEILLA 3X A DAY

METAMUCIAL 2X A DAY

OMEGA 3 2000 MGS A DAY (LOVAZA) RX OMEGA 3

PREVIOUS MEDS:

PREDISONE USUALLY START AT 40 MG BUT I HAVE BEEN TAKING IT ON AND OFF FOR about 2 YEARS NOW SEEMS TO B THE ONLY THING THAT IMMEDIATLY REDUCES MY FLARES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO WEEN OFF I FLARE UP RIGHT BELOW 20 MGS EVERY TIME.

IMURAN 75 MG-WORKED GREAT UNTIL IT GAVE ME PANCREATITIS.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING LIALDA SINCE I WAS FIRST DIAG WITH UC THE WHOLE TIME AND STILL AM TAKING IT.

I HAVE THE SCD BOOK AT MY HOUSE BUT SEEMS WAY TO STRICT FOR ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING TO FOLLOW AS I DONT HAVE A GOURMET CHEF IN MY HOUSE NOR CAN AFFORD ONE.

I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB AND HAVE WORKED THE WHOLE TIME THROUGHOUT MY UC.  I HAVE ONLY URGENCY AND D NOW NO BLOOD AND NEVER EVER ONCE HAD STOMACH OR AB PAIN EVER.

Posted 6/24/2013 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking Humira since last July. While it definitely does not put me into remission, it has worked somewhat better than remicade did. I still get D, urgency and blood when I am off Pred.
As far as side effects are concerned, I've been much more susceptible to infections. I had a really bad bout of pneumonia that kept me out of work for 2 months and got the flu twice. All 3 of these required hospitalization. I feel this is definitely not a long term medication for me since I've gotten so sick on it.
Posted 6/24/2013 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
THANKS FOR THE INFO, I SEE YOU HAVE TRIED SCD DID IT NOT WORK FOR YOU? BC HONESTLY THERE IS NO WAY I CAN SEE MYSELF STICKING TO THAT.  THE ONLY PLACE I CAN FIND ANY OFF THE FOODS IS AT TRADER JOES.
Posted 6/24/2013 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
SCD just didn't work for me. I only stayed on SCD for a couple months and I really didn't notice any positive change, in fact my UC was getting worse during that time. I also was losing a ton of weight and had no energy in spite eating all the time just to get enough calories in a day. Gluten free is a lot easier for me to stick with. Too soon to know if it is having positive effects but i can do GF forever if I need to.
Posted 6/24/2013 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
I take Humira. No horror stories here. I even upped my dose to once a week injections for a while. Never got sick (still haven't gotten sick). The only thing I did get was a yeast infection from using a hot tub a lot.......I just don't do that anymore. But before Humira, that would not have bothered me a bit. The Humira does help me, but it did take about a month to see any significant results, and then I upped it once a week. I was totally against taking it, scared to death, but it really hasn't been too bad. Started in January of this year.
Posted 6/24/2013 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking Humira since early March. It's put me into full remission after a pretty awful flare (pred or enemas did not do the trick this time around). I haven't had any side effects with the exception of a random minor sore throat for a day here or there (it always goes away). Don't let what you read on the internet scare you- there are a lot of people on TNF blockers and very very few have major problems with them.

I read a quote on here before that helped me make the decision to start Humira, I believe it went..

"The side effects of biologics can be very serious, but are very rare. The side effects of prednisone can be very serious, but are obnoxiously common."

Hope that helps.
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