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Starting Humira...

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/9/2015 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hello. So after my bad flare and being sick for almost a month, seeing my Lialda stopped working, my doctor decided to switch me to Humira. I am on prednisone in the meantime. I'm waiting for the insurance company to approve the meds. But I was wondering if anyone could shed some light?? I'm nervous that the pen will hurt. I've read that the injections hurt, but my doctor didn't mention anything about using a syringe. I'm also nervous about the whole immune suppressing thing but I don't have any other choices at the moment. Please only write back with positive feedback, I don't think I can take any horror stories. Thank you!
Posted 6/9/2015 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I never tried humira but i did try simponi and the injections weren't so bad. I am sure there are tons of people who do them who think nothing of it but the people who post about it are the ones who find it to be awful. I actually opted for simponi over humira because i had read stuff and I am a wimp. Someone posted the other day with some great tips. I guess he got lidocaine gel or something (rx) to help numb the area. Most people just recommend letting the pen warm up for a good 30 minutes. You will get some good tips here I am sure. Don't stress. it only takes a few seconds!
Posted 6/9/2015 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Colitiscopeeyes,

I've been taking Humira for my crohn's colitis (CD affecting the colon) I also had proctitis and a recto-vaginal fistula which is what made me a candidate for biologics (sadly I had to have the fistula in order to get on biologics).

I've never been a fan of needles but after relentless blood work over the years I got used to needles, still not the same as liking them lol.

I had a nurse come to my house to talk me through how to do injections on myself. She was excellent! You can ice the area to help cut down on feeling the needle (it's small but everyone's sensitivities vary of course) I don't find the need to do this though. I pinch the are on the top of my thigh where I plan to do the injection and that warms the area up for me by the pinching stimulation. I take the pen out (I don't use the syringe) and let it sit out for about 20 minutes to get to room temperature and this cuts down/cuts out much of the SLIGHT stinging most get from doing the injection...the colder the medicine the more it tends to sting, hence where most of the discomfort comes from.

I wipe the area with an alcohol rub included in the box of Humira after pinching it a few time as I mentioned, then I pinch the area that I've cleaned being careful not to touch my hand where the needle will be going and hold the pen at a 90 degree angle as instructed in the leaflet and press down firm but not incredibly hard or you will likely get a bruise (the harder you hold the pen down, generally the bigger the bruise) but you have to use some slight pressure of course to ensure the pen doesn't slip once you press the top to inject the needle. Hold and count for basically 10 seconds (as directed) while watching the yellow indicator in the window of the pen to reach the bottom (clearly described in the instructions).

It's very easy and once you do it a few times it gets much easier...I do my shots weekly not biweekly as many do. There have even been times when I didn't feel a thing or hardly felt anything while doing the injection.

Sometimes I think things are only as scary as you make them out to be in your head lol, it's amazing how our minds can mess with us. To be honest, the pain of having IBD is about 1000 times worse then the Humira injection itself. It gave me remission so I handle the pen a lot easier as a result...mind over matter I guess.

Good luck!
Posted 6/10/2015 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
Humira is a subcutaneous (just below the skin) injection, so it shouldn't be a big needle. It's done in the fatty bits on your body (thighs, belly, etc). Some say it doesn't bother them, others say it hurts/stings some; it's variable. I believe the difference lays in on whether you still have any fat reserves left in those areas. Uc flares can result in rapid body weight drop, making some of us quite skinny and I believe those are the people that are bothered the most by the injection. I lost 20 pounds in a matter of 3-4 weeks, you could count my ribs and vertebrae.
Posted 6/10/2015 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
The immunosuppressive bit isn't so bad, you're worrying too much over it. Your immune system is only slightly suppressed; it still works. I've been on remicade (similar to humira) for nearly 2 years now, and I've not been any more sick, than I was before. Just 1 cold during that time. If you are probe prone to UTI's, sinus infections, or bronchitis (the types of infections that normally require antibiotics to treat) then seek antibiotics as soon as you see symptoms forming, rather than waiting another week to see if it goes away on it's own. Really no life style changes to speak of due to these meds. You don't need to become a germaphobe or anything :-)
Posted 6/10/2015 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
I was briefly on humira last July-September. The company will send an RN to your home to go over the instructions. I'm a nurse and have given myself lovenox injections on several occasions so not a big deal for me. The only thing that bothered me about humira was that it burns quite a bit. I only used my stomach so maybe the thighs are better. I've been on remicade many years and have had no real issues with being immunocompromised and having extended/excessive illnesses.
Posted 6/10/2015 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your positive feedback. It makes me feel a little better. I'm also worried about the risk of cancer though. I know it was a small risk, but it's just nerve-wracking!! :-\
Posted 6/10/2015 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
Keep in mind that there's also a risk of getting colon cancer due to having UC or crohn's colitis, especially with continuous flares and severe flares..the risk is slightly higher for IBDers compared to non-IBDers. There's risks with everything when you really think about it.

They monitor your blood closely while you're on Humira so that should be some comfort.
Posted 6/10/2015 9:38 AM (GMT 0)

Colitiscopeeyes said...
Thank you all for your positive feedback. It makes me feel a little better. I'm also worried about the risk of cancer though. I know it was a small risk, but it's just nerve-wracking!! :-\

The most concerning side effect of these medications is lymphoma which has odds of 6 in 10,000 (or 0.06 percent) compared to 2 in 10,000 ( or 0.02 percent) for the general population. The odds of of death due to heart troubles is 1 in 5, in a car crash is 1 in 133, so we're talking really small odds. The particular type of lymphoma we're talking about has a 66 percent rate of being treated, and put into remission. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America is the source for these statistics.
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