Humira: Week 6

I wish the best for you!

I'm in a similar situation. Started Humira in October. On entecort and sulfasalazine. Things are under control enough to taper entecort but ultimately decided to taper off the sulfa first, because the wife and I are trying to have a baby. Dr suggested, reasonably, no coming off both at the same time and left it up to me. Fingers crossed we conceive quickly so I can kick the steroids for good. Oh, and have a baby… (I kid, I kid :)

Jpstroop - That is great Humira seems to be working for you! I asked my doc yesterday about entocort as I'm sick of constantly being on pred and if I flare up again I would have liked to have been put on entocort but she feels that as my pancolitis is so severe, it will not be strong enough for me. Best of luck with the conception and getting off the steroids!

Faithmac - I'm still on my 125mg of Imuran and Mezavant XL (3 per day) so I'll be on them for at least another year with the Humira I'd say. At this stage, I'm beyond worrying about what I'm on as I just want something to work.. I'm not even hoping for full remission - just to get to a stage where it is maangeable and not hospital time! Really hoping it works. I can see them putting me on a weekly dose too. I've probably asked you this before - but were your symptoms very severe when you went on Humira? I'm steroid-dependent at the moment so I'm anxious to be finished them now and see how things go.. Going to really try avoid all the bad food and sugary things that they say aren't good for us !

Lemon, the tiredness goes away. Hopefully it goes away for you. Takes time to see results. You seem to have a positive outlook on taking it. That's great. Hope it works for all of us too!

Minners , I was pretty bad when I went on Humira . 35 cm of inflamed colon. Refused to take pred again. Maybe I should have done both. Went to the GI crying. Not a good day. I had blood , loose stools and lots of pain. He asked me if I wanted to try Humira . I would have tried anything at that point. In the back of my mind ,I had a tremendous fear of taking a biologic. When your feeling like crap everyday it doesn't sound as bad. I think most UC patients need weekly doses eventually. Had no problem getting approved .
For me pred was a temporary fix. Hated the side effects more then anything I got from Humira .
I'm not 100%. But much much better.
Hope all goes well for you with Humira :)
Faith

Thanks Faithmac! Lemonehad, we seem to be at similar stages, although I'm two weeks ahead on humira! It definitely seems to be taking effect for you so keep up the positive thinking. I'd love for us to come on here and type that Humira has saved us ha! Cbjonice, would you regularly have headaches?! It is funny, I used to always get bad headaches before I got sick with UC and since I have been sick (Feb 2011) I think I have had maybe two headaches! Hopefully it is just a coincidence and you don't get another after your next dose! That's great the Humira is starting to help you too! Keeps me optimistic!

I got a really nasty headache on Monday (shot day) as well. But it was gone by Tuesday. Today, I feel fine. Went to the bathroom 4x this morning, but all were solid!

Lemonhead how do you split your colazal dose. We take same meds except mine are generic.

I go down to 5mg of prednisone tomorrow. Then I do my third Humira round on Monday. I am doing good so far. I am worried about going down on the prednisone. I keep having migraines. I think it is from going down so quickly on the prednisone though. I didn’t have a headache when I did my first four shots but I wasn’t tapering the prednisone then either.

i'm not taking my next shots of humira but i hope you guys keep getting better. my gut has been HUGE since i started it. my gas and bloating is so uncomfortable and i honestly don't know what to do about it. it's been making sleeping really impossible for me. i hope it goes away after it's out of my system because i've never had this before.

faithmac, no that's the weird part. i NEVER get bloating or lots of gas and my diet is the same. i know humira can cause severe abdominal distention so i'm assuming that's why i have it.

The only fiber I can take it called Triple Fiber. Everything else gives me wicked gas. I did not read anything about abdominal distention either, but I would assume that it will gradually decline as the meds get out of your system. Have you tried gasx or anything? I think my gassiness is worse since starting Humira, but I can't say I have the distention. I hope it goes away soon.
Banana-did 6-mp do anything for you? If this doesn't work that is my next move until Vedoluzimab comes out.

Hang in there Lemonhead, it is still only getting into your system. By the 3 month mark we should be well stocked up! Even if the Humira works, we prob will have blips as Faithmac describes as Humira is not a cure so it isn't going to 'fix' everybody the same way. As long as it controls my urges and crazy amount of bms I can live with that! :-D My doc said they'll eb putting me back on pred if I flare up again now that I'm off them! :-( I asked about entocort but she said she doesn't think it would be strong enough for me! Do you guys take fibre supplements?

i plan on seeing my doctor sometime in february. just haven't made an appointment yet. i've been doing the peppermint and chamomile tea but haven't noticed a difference. i'm gonna do the scd intro diet for a few days and see if that does anything. i'm not doing well at all.