Adalimumab / Humira Issues Or Usage

[SolitaryTrucker]

For many years I have suffered from horrendous full all over psoriasis which has literally controlled my life from the pain to the staring and comments of people out in the street causing serious mental health issues as well which was treated with methotrexate and for a long time appeared to be quite successful. Over the last three years, i've also develop symptoms that mimic crohns, disease and diverculitis with heavy bleeding and violent, uncontrolled diarrhea with no clearly apparent diagnosable trigger. I have had all the tests under the sun and more colonoscopies and polyp removals than I dare to think about but it is something else I've learnt to live with and continue to try and get on with my life.

My question is basically this today my psoriasis consultant has completely changed my medication to injections of adalimumab also known as Humira and he also commented that it would probably very good from my psoriatic arthritis as well as my gastrointestinal problems as it is often used to treat Crohns. Rather stupidly, I then read up on it and the list of side effects that sound really quite serious scared the hell out of me. I have family members that are all N.H.S front line and all of them have said, this is a very heavy duty product. ...What I would like to know. Has anyone ever been prescribed this medication for whatever reason, maybe not the same issues as myself. But if you have been prescribed, it, could you possibly tell me what side effects you've suffered from if any but if at the same time, you have been prescribed it and had really good results, I would like to know about that too.Thank you

I am on this drug for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It’s changed my life and I don’t have any side effects. My skin is completely clear and I have no swollen joints.

The side effects do sound 😮 but so do most drugs if you read up on them. My gastroenterologist explained the pros and cons, and the likelihood of adverse reactions. As it goes I’ve had no side effects whatsoever and have never felt better. Crohn’s btw

Not the same but my daughter takes Dupixent (dupilumab) injections for eczema and has not seen any side effects.

I’m on this for RA. I didn’t even read the side effects because after taking other absolutely awful arthritis drugs which were making me very ill, it was going to be better. I’ve not had one side effect and the medication has been excellent. My psoriasis is a bit better but still there so it is not perfect.

You have in fact just reminded me to take it out of the fridge as today is injection day.

I find the side effects almost nothing compared to methotrexate, which I am still taking but at a lower dose, alongside it. I also take it weekly, when every two weeks is normal, and I'm fine, much much healthier than when my immune system is attacking my joints and bowel.

I'm on it for psoriatic arthritis. It's given me the least side affects of all the drugs I've been on so far, and has been working really well. I've been on it for around 18 months now. It has been great so far.

DS has taken it for Crohn's. No side effects at all, but also wasn't effective for managing his symptoms. Its a much better option than methotrexate with less side effects.

I was prescribed Humira for Crohn’s 14 years ago, and it was life changing

i switched to a cheaper bio similar (amgevita) a while back, equally good

I know the side effects sound scary, my experience has been entirely positive

I’ve been on it for about 20 years for psoriatic arthritis and have had no side effects. All stiffness in my joints has vanished since starting on it and the psoriasis patches have also long disappeared. In short, I am completely symptom-free and I think this drug is a bloody miracle.

Every medication has side effects, take a look at the leaflet in a box of paracetamol, it's as long as your arm! Your consultant would look at your symptoms and way up wether this drug can help with your psoriatic arthritis plus Crohn's. There is a disease activity scoring system and your medication would need funding so it's not given lightly. Give it a try and good luck! I've personally seen patients respond really well with this medication. My son took it for Crohn's but unfortunately developed ocular migraines and had to be put on another biologic drug.

I took this drug for 12 months for psoriasis. I last took it in November last year and I'm still recovering from the devastation it's caused me. I got a lupus like syndrome causing pericarditis and my life has been destroyed. I would take psoriasis any day over the risk of this drug. Annoyingly I'm a healthcare professional and I really didn't want to use biologics. I took it in desperation for a post partum flare and new SI joint pain while having a very colicky baby. My plan was to only take it 6 months as i knew it would be a horrible drug , but I enjoyed the clear skin and at 12 months it destroyed my life. Completely incapacitated and unable to look after my toddler. I am recovering thankfully but it's destroyed 6months of my life and is my biggest regret. My advice is try AIP diet. I'll only be using diet, topocals and nbuvb from now on. Also a huge percentage of psoriasis suffers have anyigliadin antibodies so I hope you are fully gf with your bowel issues. I've literally just made this account to post this message. Really consider the benefits /risks as the risks are listed as they truely do happen to people. The benefits for me were absolutely not worth the horrendous side effects. It also takes 6months for this drug to be cleared from your body so if you have a paradoxical side effect you really are stuffed for a long time. Then it takes 9 to 12 months for your immune system to return to baseline hence the rule no live vaccines until you are off it for 12 months. If you are adamant on biologics I would discuss something more targeted rather than a tnf alpha inhibitor that targets the immune system in a blanket way. Consider if you developed MS or crohns or a cancer would that be worth it for clear skin for a while? Additionally I 100% don't think this is a good idea for people who have young kids and are over exposed to viruses.

I take this for PsA and psoriasis. Sadly it doesn’t help my skin but it has helped my joints, and flare ups are more grumpy than angry. I’m going to ask my rheumy for a different drug next month at my next consultant visit as it’s kind of working but not amazing for me
the needle is tiny and you don’t feel anything by the way, it’s quick and easy

Thank you for your in depth post can you enlighten me in what way you say it destroyed your life. Obviously it has to my decision eventually whether I chance taking this and I am the only one not NHS in a large family of frontline healthcare professionals and those that know about this drug do seem to have very different views with regards to its benefits and its risks. It is obviously a very specialist and expensive drug and despite hours of research, including talking to a family members colleague who was on it for years at present we'll probably sixty to seventy percent that this drug might change my life. So many drugs I've had over last 10 years have in some ways to use your phrase destroyed my life with side effects which were considered very low risk. Then you posted and suddenly I have huge questions and doubts again. I'm well aware that every medication out there has side effects depending on a person it is prescribed too but I really have to take into account detailed side effects and decide whether it's worth the risk. By saying it destroyed your life, it was obviously quite traumatic the effects hence, why I am asking if you don't mind some more specific details as to how it destroyed your life. If you got time to reply to this, I do really appreciate your time and thank you for your help in advance

I have very dry skin, suffer from fatigue with it and am more susceptible to infection. I have a toddler and tend to get what they get but it makes them ill for 3 days and me for 10. BUT I would describe it as life changing in the best way possible as after several years of no treatments making any improvement I am now living a normalish life again.
Also weirdly, lots of allergies I had since childhood which were related to my overactive immune system have now been cured.

I used to take Humira for Rheumatoid Arthritis and found it to be life changing. However, after about four years my skin didn't feel right and I noticed that in some places I had started to develop and irritating, itchy clumps of thickened, rough skin. It was assumed to be eczerma as I have a history of asthma. After seeing a dermatologist and a process of elimination it turned out to be psoriasis as a side effect of the Humira. My rheumatologist said that it's not a completely uncommon side effect. He changed me to Simponi, which stopped most of it, but I still have itchy clumps of skin which are tolerable.

Interestingly, I felt Humira made such a difference to the quality of my life that I was prepared to put up with the psoriasis if that was my only option. Thankfully it wasn't.

Not the same drug but I’m on Xolair, which when I googled was black box in America, they’re told to carry EpiPens and I had to be monitored for my first three injections in case of anaphylaxis

no reaction, no side effects and totally life changing for me