HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks from biologics?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/17/2016 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone else out there experienced anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks from humira and or remicade? I've had to stop both medications because of it. I was just wondering if anyone else had this reaction to any biologic but not another one? I'm debating about giving up on trying another biologic because I'm terrified of getting the same reaction. It would be awesome to know others had the same reaction on one biologic but found one that didn't cause those problems and that actually worked. Thanks!
Posted 12/18/2016 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
I have never read of someone who had this issue, but that's not to say it can't happen. Do you normally suffer from anxiety and pain attacks?
Posted 12/18/2016 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
I actually don't have a problem with anxiety, panic attacks, or sleep when I'm not on the biologics only when I take them. It's funny because I had the same problem with prednisone too, just not as bad. I've Googled it before and found other people that have had the same experience just not many. Also they never mentioned wether or not they did ok on a different biologic. I was just curious.
Posted 12/18/2016 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of biologics causing those side effects and I've been following this forum for years.

Prednisone does cause anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks. It's a corticosteroid similar to your body's natural cortisol. Cortisol is a fight or flight chemical, and that sode effect makes sense with it.
Posted 12/19/2016 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, Im beginning to think there's something wrong with me. I'm definitely bummed out about it cause I was really hoping I'd get good results from a biologic. I just don't think its gonna happen.
Posted 12/19/2016 6:09 AM (GMT 0)
I think I recall a parent asking about this because he/she felt their young teen son was being effected by a biologic this way. It's been a while and I didn't search through forum history to verify. I wouldn't discount your reaction as being something wrong with you. This may be a stretch but hang with me a second. I read a report where a woman accepted a FMT from a relative that suffered from depression. After the FMT treatment she began having issues with depression which she had never been dx or treated for prior to the FMT. Another report was very similar but the woman accepted a FMT from her daughter who was overweight. The recipient after treatment gained 30-40 lbs and had never struggled with her weight prior to that. Her weight stayed around 130 lbs before the treatment. My point is if the microbiome is changed, it can effect more than our BMs. Maybe that is what happens to you when a biological is introduced. Maybe your natural microbiome is protective to you in regards to anxiety. Just a thought. I have no scientific data to support my hypothesis. Have you called the remicade and humira hotlines to discuss your side effects? I had a bad side effect and called humira to report it. They add that information to their data.
Posted 12/19/2016 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
Wow that's really interesting that something like that could happen. I guess anything is possible. Hopefully I can figure it out one of these days. Thank you though.
Posted 1/27/2018 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I know this is an older feed but am interested to see how you got on. I started remicade infusions about 6 weeks ago and also developed severe panic attacks. I thought it was a coincidence but the rheumy, gp and remicade help line all have told me there is no connection between the two. It is quite severe and I believe it has to be linked as I have never had a panic attack before. I can be just sitting watching TV and it happens. Too frightened to leave the house in case it happens so I have told the Dr I want to stop with the remade. How did you go?
Posted 1/27/2018 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
I k ow from first hand experience how terrifying a panic attack is and I also know how devastating UC symptoms are. There are many different and very effective treatments for panic attacks and not really so many effective ones for UC. I do not take panic attacks lightly but I'm not so sure I'd stop a biologic that may put you into remission without first trying an anti anxiety medication. Of course I don't know how. ASD your UC is or your symptoms or how long you've been on remicade.
Posted 1/27/2018 12:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for advice, it’s a difficult decision. I have been given a benzo and a beta blocker. My blood pressure is also going up. Will see how that goes before deciding to change.
Posted 1/27/2018 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
You know yourself better than anyone, MellyD. The way our bodies and minds react to UC, medications, changes in our intestinal bacterial makeup, etc can be incredibly confusing. Sometimes we can see a correlation between two things and assume one caused the other, and be completely wrong. Other times, we can be right, but wish we were wrong, because now we are forced to make more difficult decisions! This disease sucks.

Would it be worth it to you to add an anti-anxiety medication into the mix if it meant you could stay on remicade and have a long lasting remission? Do you have a significant other or close friend who can help you through your panic attacks? It is good to have someone who can support you and force you to get up and out of the house, when you feel up to it.

I wish you luck. I have dealt with anxiety, as have others in my family. It is not fun at all.
Posted 1/28/2018 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
I had panic attacks for a few years about 10 years ago. I recommend books by Lucinda Basset including “from panic to power” that book along with some hormone adjustments helped me a lot. I know how frightening those can be and wish you all the best in finding an answer.
Posted 1/28/2018 10:32 AM (GMT 0)
I got panic attacks from humira. Only the first few days after the shot though. They would come on for one reason though I would just be sitting then get overly panicked for absolutely no reason at all. I just took deep breaths and closed my eyes Seemed to help get them under control.
Posted 1/28/2018 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
calvin1242,

I have been taking biologics in some form since May 2016, when I started on Remicade. I never noticed anything related to anxiety while on Remicade; in fact, if anything I felt the results of taking that drug aleviated my anxiety because it worked so well! Fast forward to March 2017 when I got switched to Humira because I developed antibodies to Remicade. A few months later I started on very high doses of Humira (because I wasn't seeing good enough results from the dose I started with), and I swear I've been feeling anxious ever since.

I probably developed greater anxiety last year for a few reasons, including the fact that my symptoms did not seem to improve and on a number of occasions of leaving the house, I would have an accident. Nonetheless, it never really clicked that it could be the Humira causing this anxiety until I started taking CBD oil a month ago. After a couple weeks of taking the CBD oil, I noticed my anxiety dramatically improve, but I started noticing a possible pattern. It seemed like my anxiety was best controlled mondays and tuesdays, but spiked again thursdays and fridays. Since I take my Humira on wednesday every week, that tells me it could be the culprit. I plan to discuss with my doctor to see if I can maybe decrease the Humira dosage to hopefully combat this, but we'll see!

All in all ...it seems like anxiety as a side effect of biologics doesn't appear to be all that common, but who knows, maybe we're the odd one's out experiencing these symptoms. confused
Posted 1/28/2018 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I just started my Humira. I can confirm that I get terrible insomnia and panic attacks. Also, I get very severely depressed. Along with those psychological conditions, I also get terrible pains where I took the injections and my kidneys always feel like they are on fire. I did the loading dose of 4 shots two weeks ago. I just did my second dose today.

I have already schedule appointments with a psychologist. I am currently already in treatment with my psychiatrist for anxiety, OCD, insomnia and depression. I take meds for my ailments. However, it is like the Humira nullifies those meds.

In my opinion, Humira should be called Chimera. Either meaning (listed below) defines it well.
1.(in Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
2.a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve.

My journey with UC has just started. I had a very bad C. Diff infection 5 months ago. I got a colonoscopy. I was told that I had UC very bad along with polyps and candylomas. I had to have surgery to get them removed. That was in December. I started my Humira along with Meslamine regiment. I can say that the C. Diff prepared me for UC as far as diet goes. I know I had to change everything. However, I did not know that Humira would cause all of my psychological and some physical issues to come. I have schedule an appointment with my GI Doc to see about getting off Humira and just going back to Meslamine alone. His nurse practitioner that I spoke with said my colitis is too bad for Meslamine alone. That is why they prescribed the Humira. If it worked, I would stay on it. Currently, the only thing that has worked for me is starving myself. I have lost 45 lbs in two months. I am moving to a Plant Based Diet and going totally with it. After extensive research, that is the only thing that I have seen that shows any promising signs of remission if not curing. I will keep updating everyone.

Thanks,
Z
Posted 1/28/2018 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Humira doesn't cause anxiety, panic attacks or insomnia . Prednisone does.
Posted 1/29/2018 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
Okay actually I poop is right, I was on pred when I was on humira that makes sense I totally forgot!
Posted 1/29/2018 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
I would feel very agitated after taking biologics (akin to anxiety but more just moody and uncomfortable) and very exhausted. I can't say they gave me insomnia or panic attacks though.
Posted 1/30/2018 9:16 AM (GMT 0)
Thankyou for all your replies. It has been a terrible time and I do believe there is a correlation. I will look for that book Friday m panic to power. Anything to give me some help
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply