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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/16/2012 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
So new here, my GI wants to put me on Humira as i am not responding to imuran (genetic).

Once you stop Humira can you go back on it? He mentioned that is the case with Remicade, however my insurance does not cover remicade so not an option.

Just want to know more about this drug really.
Posted 10/16/2012 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
"Just want to know more about this drug really."

No problem, here you go. And welcome to misery club.



•Serious infections have happened in people taking HUMIRA. These serious infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your doctor should test you for TB before starting HUMIRA, and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with HUMIRA. If your doctor feels you are at risk, you may be treated with medicine for TB.

•Cancer. For children and adults taking TNF blockers, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. There have been cases of unusual cancers in children, teenagers, and young adults using TNF blockers. Some people have developed a rare type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. This type of cancer often results in death. If using TNF blockers including HUMIRA, your chance of getting two types of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell) may increase. These types are generally not life-threatening if treated; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.
Posted 10/16/2012 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
Somedude I'm sure you could have found something good to say about Humira! Misery Club? Your scarying someone new to the site....

Humira has been good for me. Can not answer your question about going off and going back on. Had no trouble with insurance. It's easy to give. I'm glad I tried it!! Good luck.
Faith
Posted 10/16/2012 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yup Misery club....diseases like this are all about misery. Heck, I'm living in it. No club med here.

Well, I said something true about humira. He wanted to know more, and I told him.
Posted 10/16/2012 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for for all the great news I am glad there is no bad stuff associated with this medication.

Somedude said...
"Just want to know more about this drug really."

No problem, here you go. And welcome to misery club.



•Serious infections have happened in people taking HUMIRA. These serious infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your doctor should test you for TB before starting HUMIRA, and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with HUMIRA. If your doctor feels you are at risk, you may be treated with medicine for TB.

•Cancer. For children and adults taking TNF blockers, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. There have been cases of unusual cancers in children, teenagers, and young adults using TNF blockers. Some people have developed a rare type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. This type of cancer often results in death. If using TNF blockers including HUMIRA, your chance of getting two types of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell) may increase. These types are generally not life-threatening if treated; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.

Posted 10/16/2012 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Nothing good? All misery! What about that it has helped some.
Posted 10/16/2012 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
Ofcourse, we all have our opinions on status quo. For me, I call it "Misery Club".
Posted 10/16/2012 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know what jb's actual condition is but if you can get by without doing it I would. If you have to, you have to but there are several bad things about steroids, immunemodulators, and the biologics. I say don't do any of them unless your condition is bad enough to warrant it. I personally know someone who is taking Humira for something different than UC and she has had several problems with it, including a life threatening infection she had to have surgery with. It's no candy. There can be very worrisome side effects. Sometimes I think the GI's are more interested in healing the UC than worrying about if the patient dies from something else. Having said all that, it has been a good drug for some.
Posted 10/16/2012 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hey somedude! I rem a while back when you got little mad when some people were knocking Remi. What changed your mind? :)
Posted 10/16/2012 9:24 PM (GMT 0)

Faithmac said...
Hey somedude! I rem a while back when you got little mad when some people were knocking Remi. What changed your mind? :)

Heh nothing lol. I wasn't knocking down Humira. I just posted what's written in big letters on Humira's site. lol You KNOW, you're on heavy dangerous stuff when a company bothers to write in BIG letters about their medication. It's even written in a way that is easy to understand. It's not like aspirin, where you see it in fine print and with some gibberish written. lol

I am on Remicade max dose, it works somewhat, but I have no clue if this is what is keeping me afloat or not. Also, I face the exact same warnings that I posted about humira.

And let me emphasize, why I call it the misery club.

1. You need to potentially take medication for the rest of your life.
2. The medication can come with more dangerous stuff than the actual disease.
3. If you don't take medication, and do nothing, you suffer, so that's not good.
4. If you opt for diet mods/supplements, well your quality of life will suffer if YOU LOVE FOOD. And this approach doesn't guarantee anything.
5. If you opt for surgery, well it can give you the life back but it can also create different set of problems.

Baring a miracle....you're in Misery Club.....with good company. smilewinkgrin
Posted 11/24/2015 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone been on Humira and not have any problems?
I'm going to start it next week and am so nervous after reading what I just read on this site.
Thanks
Nanaone
Posted 11/25/2015 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on Humira for 3 years now and it has put me in remission. Also your doctor will monitor you with frequent blood work, so no worries. Give it a try, it was my life savior
Posted 9/18/2016 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
I just started with my loading dose of Humira yesterday. Disease activity has been moderate for the last year or so. I think that at least some of the people who experience the intense burning when they inject it are doing while there's still alcohol on their skin from the alcohol wipe. Outside of the tiny pinch of the needle (four times) my injections were fine.

I'm logging symptoms with an app called GI Monitor so I'll be able to track the effects. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

*fingers crossed*
Posted 9/18/2016 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck, I hope humira is your solution and pass to club remission.
Posted 9/18/2016 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks! :)

In reading over the old threads on Humira I noticed that some people starting it were suffering from gas and mucus. I had those symptoms fairly severely (like having to get up in the middle of the night to pass both). When I started taking green tea, pomegranate and cranberry extracts they both cleared up in a few weeks. It didn't have much effect on frequency, but it helped reduce urgency. Green tea and colitis has been studied a lot:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23761791

There's also been some reserach on pomegranate and colitis and cranberry has well document anti-inflammatory effects.

So my big problems now are frequency and moderate urgency. I would encourage anyone having trouble managing those symptoms to try the herbal extracts.

I decided to try Humira because having had UC for 13 years now my risk of colon cancer is going way up, and I'm really tired of having to go 4-8 times a day and always worrying about where all the rest rooms are while I'm driving to work. And while my symptoms are better now than they were a couple of years ago my last colonoscopy didn't show any improvement.

I have been trying to get into full remission for so long. I'm hopeful that the Humira will help.
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