:wave: Hi
Just a quick question, I am 28 and have had JRA most of my life.
I am on infliximab and it is working pretty good but my infusions are 8 weeks apart but by week 5 I am feeling rubbish again.

Does anyone know if i can get a treatment more often?

I have three weeks to my next infusion and i am getting really sore again.
I definately have more energy and much less swelling and stiffness but i now haev three loooonnnngggg weeks ahead of me.

HELP

Thistle

Hi Thistle,

I was on infliximab and I was having the infusion every six weeks 250mg. I would get to the fifth week too and it just didnt last long enough. I am now on Humira and because that is an injection every two weeks I am going really great with it. They took me of Remicade because it just didn't go the distance maybe you might be able to try Humira. There has been no side affects so far (touch wood). The actual injection hurts if you dont chill the site first. Worth having a talk to your specialist about it.

Good luck
kind regards
Olivia :)

thanks, Olivia,
I don't know if i will be able to switch as the infliximab is primarily for iritis i my eyes and that bit is working. As i am on the NHS it was quite a fight to get that, in for my next treatment in a couple of weeks i will ask then.

Thistle

thistlegirl

don't give up on this drug...it takes a while for the drug to develop its effectiveness. I spoke to a few patients in other forums and learned from my experience that infliximab (remicade) may take up to at least 6-8 infusions for it to work effectively.

Jimmyhonda,
thanks for that, I guess i am just worried since the people who are getting the treatment at the hospital with me all seem to have had pretty immediate effects. i have been on this since october, infusion 5 next week.you think after have RA since i was a baby i would have patience but i am working on it. Back at my reumy in may so i guess i will give it till then.

Thistle

hey! i started humira back in may. they told me that it could take anything up to 3 months for it to start, but i was lucky, within 12 hours my joints were a lot better. my ankles were sore, both knees, my wrist and my elbow, and i was on crutches too so i was finding it very hard and it worked fantastic

but

back in december i had to have a bowel resection and about a month after that my joints flared up, happened after my last op too in april so thats why i was put on humira.. at the moment my fingers are very sore as are my ankles and knees. im just prayin to god it kicks in again

Jimmyhonda,
thanks for that, I guess i am just worried since the people who are getting the treatment at the hospital with me all seem to have had pretty immediate effects. i have been on this since october, infusion 5 next week.you think after have RA since i was a baby i would have patience but i am working on it. Back at my reumy in may so i guess i will give it till then.

Thistle

See what the rheum says...usually the blood test would give the doc an indication whether the inflammation has gone done. If the inflammation has gone done that's a good news. If there's no changes to your blood test, then ur better off trying another drug. The reason why I didn't gave up on remicade was because I never like the idea of injecting myself. I prefer the infusion method where the nurse would monitor me. With any drugs - patients would say that their mobility has improved but you won't get 100 percent mobility back as all the damages has been done to your joints are irreversible.

I'm, or was, suffering from Psoriatic Arthiritis for 15 plus years and like I said on other threads on this board, I started taking Humira last month and the results were simply outstanding. No, life saving. I'm one of those persons who are let's say, afraid of needles but after suffering with constant joint pain for so long, I started Humira. After 24 hours of the first treatment, the pain in my joints stopped. I still felt weak though but after my second shot, I felt much much better. However, after the third treatment, I did start to feel some of the side effects of Humira such as: joint point (that's really ironic but it's on the Humira website) and backache. But, after a few days, the aching joints are fine and my back doesn't hurt that much as I'm able to stand straight.