Humira vs Simponi - First Biologic

I would think Humira has been used more than Simponi for UC so there must be some studies to go by. Did your doctor happen to say?

Sounds like you were on too high a dose of Imuran - if you take allopurinol, you take a third to a quarter of the normal dose. You were on more like half the normal dose, though it does depend on bodyweight what that is.

Like nssg suggested, you could try lowering the Imuran before moving onto a biologic. As for Humira vs. Simponi, I'd pick Simponi just 'cos. I don't really know why, other than I just seem to hear a lot more success stories for Remicade and Simponi (Remicade especially) than I do for Humira, but maybe that's because more people take Remicade than Humira.

I would choose simponi...one of the GI docs I work with said it's more similar to remicade. I took a brief hiatus off of remicade and wanted simponi. My insurance denied it and I had to try humira first. I ended up having significant issues with humira so returned to remicade. I know many on here have done well with humira but I would personally choose simponi. If if recall correctly, it's more of a UC med than Humira.

What is the difference in Simponi and Humira? I have been on Humira for about 6 weeks now and I am having severe, painful swelling. My doctor did labs and they were all good. I am still very swollen, especially my abdomen, legs, and feet. I am doing a daily weight journal per my GI doctor and I went from 94 pounds to, as of this morning, I am 116 pounds in 6 weeks. This morning I am swollen all over. Should I switch to another Biologic or are they basically all the same. I need a self injectable because of my work schedule. Any thoughts please?

No, I cannot get to a hospital every 2 months. TY though.

Bacon Girl, so the simponi caused you swelling or Humira? Sorry, you said easily pick simponi over Humira, then said simponi is the only biologic you had swelling with? Just confused, can you clarify?

Also, the Humira injection iself isn't painful for me, I am just swollen every day, all the time now and that is where my pain is coming from.

The Humira also put me into remission within a week for my UC.

Thanks

ahh i see what you're saying now... as in why would i pick simponi over humira if simponi gave me water retention/swelling??

easy answer.

humira almost killed me and i had a lot of hospitalizations from it. got severe c diff and paralytic ileus from the loading dose. took 6 months to get rid of, 5 blood transfusions, and 15 iron infusions. i blame it all on humira.

my main side effects from simponi are neutropenia (low WBC count) and the water retention. the shot is very easy compared to how painful i thought humira was. i cant take the simponi every 4 weeks because it drops my WBC so much i take it every 5-6 weeks and when my WBC is really low, i take prednisone to boost it back up.

obviously, both drugs haven't been miracles or free of side effects for me so i pick the one that makes me suffer LESS. hope that makes sense.

I tried to do nothing but it got really difficult for me. My kidney was so painful at one point, i could barely leave the couch. Then when I did leave the couch, I was only able to get to the toilet. I would spend a lot of time there.... I didn't eat because more food meant more toilet trips. Doing nothing sounds like a great solution but often it doesn't work out. Hopefully your symptoms are mild enough that you're able to manage. Seems like a lot of people who have adverse side effects, don't have much improvement of their UC symptoms. I know in my case, on remicade, I had awful joint pain and swelling, and I had no improvement of my UC. I have another girlfriend who had the same situation.

I have experience with all of the above mentioned Biologicals; I hated Humira because it made me insanely itchy all the time which is one of the more common side-effects. Simponi didn't work that well for me but I only used it for 4 months.

Remicade was great for me, it worked really well for me for almost 5 years.

I tried Cimzia and it was ok but wasn't strong enough for my IBD and would wear off in a couple of weeks. Cimzia is an injectable like Humira and Simponi.

I recently switched over to another injectable Stelara, after the loading doses it will be an injection every 3 months. I might have to up my dose because it is already wearing off after 10 days (my 1st injection), I'm due for the last loading dose in 18 days. Maybe it is just my body but it seems that the injectables don't work as well for me as the infusions.

I remember seeing someone here who took an antihistamine the day before her Humira shots and it stopped the severe headaches she was getting. Whatever you try next, ask your dr about taking an antihistamine the day before your shot to help prevent mild allergic reactions.

Best wishes!