You can learn more about it on [url]www.humira.com[/url]. My sister tried to get on it but her insurance won't pay for it. (Total BS they'd rather pay for more joint surgeries for her.)
Anyway, I understand it has a special needle to make it easier for people with damaged hands to inject. Also, you only inject it once every 2 weeks instead of 2X per week, like Enbrel, or have to get infused in a hospital, like Remicabe.
I have been on Humira for 7 months. It has turned my life & my attitude around. I have RA and was in constant pain from head to toe. When I went to my doctor (after two years of denial and trying natural ways) I said I wanted the most effective medicine that would do the least amount of damage to my body. She said humira. I still have some swelling in my wrists and one elbow and some fingers but have just started plaquenil to hopefully take care of that. I tried methotrexate but had to many side effects. Have had none on the humira. My doctor's attitude is never settle, go for 100%!!
I have been on Humira for 7 months. It has turned my life & my attitude around. I have RA and was in constant pain from head to toe. When I went to my doctor (after two years of denial and trying natural ways) I said I wanted the most effective medicine that would do the least amount of damage to my body. She said humira. I still have some swelling in my wrists and one elbow and some fingers but have just started plaquenil to hopefully take care of that. I tried methotrexate but had to many side effects. Have had none on the humira. My doctor's attitude is never settle, go for 100%!!
Thanks for the info. How long have this been in the public use.
Lizmontes.
It was approved December 2002.
The worst thing so far with humira is that when you have an infection you need to wait on your shot until you are well. It can slow down your healing. I have strep throat right now and my shot was due on Tuesday and I am feeling the results of not taking it. I won't be able to take my shot till next Thursday. Hopefully after the plaquenil gets in my system I won't have this bad of flair ups in the future.
My doctor was hoping the humira would put me in remission and after a year of no symptoms I could quit the drugs if I wanted to. Haven't hit remisson yet but am SO MUCH better when taking humira.
It was approved December 2002.
The worst thing so far with humira is that when you have an infection you need to wait on your shot until you are well. It can slow down your healing. I have strep throat right now and my shot was due on Tuesday and I am feeling the results of not taking it. I won't be able to take my shot till next Thursday. Hopefully after the plaquenil gets in my system I won't have this bad of flair ups in the future.
My doctor was hoping the humira would put me in remission and after a year of no symptoms I could quit the drugs if I wanted to. Haven't hit remisson yet but am SO MUCH better when taking humira.
Thanks so much for your reply.
I hope you get better quickly and that Humira works for you.
I am trying out an alernative medicine CMO ...and am on the second course now. Ive been resisting taking drugs except CELABREX and if I don't feel better by March I will try HUMIRA althouh my doctor wanted to prescribe METHTRIXATE to me...but I fear the side effects.
I tried alternative meds for a year. Diet was the best bet, but when I went beyond the elimination diet foods I started having problems again, then even while eatting only rice, rice protein, rice milk & rice cakes. I was allergic to half the stuff my NP doc tried me on. I finally got so bad I went to an RA doc.
Some good news. Although I can't have my humira shot yet,and it's now been 3 weeks, I'm not feeling too bad. Maybe the plaquenil is kicking in already although I have only been on it a week. And my strep throat has settled down so I'm sure that helps. I'm hoping I can just take the plaquenil and only do the humira now & then. Instead of every 2 weeks...maybe once a month. It's so darned expensive! I don't know and after this month I am without a rhuemy till March when I get into the new doc.
I tried alternative meds for a year. Diet was the best bet, but when I went beyond the elimination diet foods I started having problems again, then even while eatting only rice, rice protein, rice milk & rice cakes. I was allergic to half the stuff my NP doc tried me on. I finally got so bad I went to an RA doc.
Some good news. Although I can't have my humira shot yet,and it's now been 3 weeks, I'm not feeling too bad. Maybe the plaquenil is kicking in already although I have only been on it a week. And my strep throat has settled down so I'm sure that helps. I'm hoping I can just take the plaquenil and only do the humira now & then. Instead of every 2 weeks...maybe once a month. It's so darned expensive! I don't know and after this month I am without a rhuemy till March when I get into the new doc.
Joelle
Thanks for keeping in touch. I am still on alternative med 'CMO' and on diet and some stretching exercises. I am giving this a go. Hope you get better.
Thanks for the info. How long have this been in the public use.
Lizmontes.
I was, and still am, one of the original human trial group for Humira, back when it was known only as the D2E7 study. It is a miracle drug as far as I am concerned. I'm entering my 5th year of the study, and if I recall correctly, the drug got preliminary approval at about the halfway point of the 3rd year and final approval about 6-8 months later. I stand to be corrected on those times, though. I really didn't pay that much attention to them
HUMERA 
