Humira...not convinced...

Ask your doc to check your blood levels. Because the absorption rate from subcutaneous injection varies a lot from person to person lots of people need the shot once a week instead of biweekly.

I was put on weekly dosing before I failed Humira and am now on Entyvio. Humira will work if your UC is primarily caused by TNF. If some other immune system component is doing the damage it won't.

That's interesting, it does not sound too positive at the moment, although I guess you might have to be more patient, things might change for the better.

I start Humira on Thursday and I wondered did you need a premed before taking Humira, or is it not necessary. Also, does it hurt like hell! that's what I have read.

What were your daily bms before starting humira and now? Any improvement at all experienced in your UC symptoms?

If you've gotten an initial response then give it more time to work (maybe increase the interval) and you could add an immunomodulator (like 6MP or imuran for better response).

If you haven't gotten an initial response at this point (completion of loading doses) then you've failed it and need to discuss other options with your doctor.

Thanks, everyone.

iPoop: before starting Humira I was going 3 times most days, a little blood on the TP every two months or so and I'd do another round of Cortenemas. So this past week has definitely been worse.
I was thinking that after the loading doses I was better; maybe two poops each morning (a day or two of only one) but hard to tell if that was the medication or the hopefulness of starting something new, which I have found can always make things better temporarily!

I tried 6 mp a year ago and my liver enzymes went really high, even when the dose was reduced to very low (50 mg/day.) So that doesn't work for me.

Having traveled with the last dose, in the heat of the summer, I tried to keep it cool, but I suppose there is a chance it got overheated and was rendered inactive; so I will give it another dose or two before judging it not to work.

Poppie/Sam: I have not done a premed with the Humira. It does sting while administering it, for those 10 seconds, and for the rest of the day I can feel mild discomfort at the injection site; it feels more like a bug bite. (I am aware of it as my clothes rub the area but it's not a big deal.)
I have found the belly to be less painful than the thighs for the injections. Good luck, I hope it works for you!

I am on Humira rather than another biologic because this is what my insurance would cover. If I fail it, they will cover Remi, Simponi (in conjunction with the patient-assistance programs) Entyvio and Inflectra (I have not heard of Inflectra...?)

Songlady,

My GI will write doses up to 2 injections PER WEEK for maintenance. So you have some room in your dosing if you need it. I had side-effects from Humira so I never pushed it that high, I moved on to Simponi and then Cimzia. Now I am on Stelara.

I'd go remicade/inflectra if you need to move to another medication. It seems to have the best response rates; there are some theories on why it's more successful, but it's hard to prove. Usually it's the first biological tried.