Hi there!

I have been on Humira since this past July (or it may be June), and it's
working very well.  I had been on Kineret for a couple years before that,
but it slowly lost effectiveness, thus the switch to Humira.  I cannot
compare Humira to Remicade or Enbrel, as I haven't been on those drugs.
When it came time to switch from the Kineret to one of the three other "big
guns", Humira was my first pick.  One small injection every two weeks, in
addition to it being human-derived, were the two big selling points for me.
Plus, it was free!  (started out as a drug study)  My insurance now covers
80%, and the drug company's re-imbursement/assistance program covers a huge
chunk of the remainder, thankfully.

I'm pretty healthy most of the time, and haven't even had a head cold in
years.  The increased infection risk wasn't really a concern for me, but I
know others really need to be careful.  My mobility has improved (came out a
huge flare last winter), and I've not taken an anti-inflammatory for a
couple months.  That's always my test to see if the DMARD is working, slowly
go off the anti-inflam.

The only thing I haven't had, which the Humira website says I should (hehe),
is increased energy, but I think that's due to something else.  Other cons,
hmmm, not really any for me... It has been smooth sailing so far!  The
injection stings just a little, but I always attack my belly fat, and that
takes care of most of the pain!

Overall, I am pleased with the results, although I don't feel as great as I
did when Kineret was working.  Have you and your doctor considered Kineret
at all?

Nicole G.

I've been taking it for 5 months as Enbrel stopped working for me
after 3 years.  I feel pretty good except for one knee that gave me a
lot of trouble when Enbrel failed.  I haven't cut all the way down to
my pre-failure level of Prednisone yet and am taking 2 celebrex
instead of one but will be cutting both of those back in the next
couple of months.  So far it's comparable to Enbrel which kept me near
pre-RA days.
Thumper
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Hi,
I have been on Humira for about 2 1/2 months and it has worked well for
me....it didn't work as quickly as Enbrel, but it has worked and brought
me out of a bad flare up and weaning off of prednisone...I am still at
10mg of pred, but had been up to 33mg daily.

I have to use a walker when i go out to feel confident that i wont fall,
but hopefully I can use my cane soon.  All in good time!

Blessings,
Polly

Better than I ever did on Enbrel.  I'm on a every-10-days dosing schedule,
which is nonstandard.  My RD and I felt that was better than possibly over-
medicating.  If this hadn't worked, we'd have gone to once a week.  I was
getting pretty good results even on the every two weeks dosage schedule,
but the drug really faded out at about 10 days, which is what led to the
current dosage schedule.  

I can pick things up off the floor with my toes, which I haven't been
able to do in over a year.  I can stand and walk a little in bare feet.
I can point my toes fully (dancer's point).  In fact, I found out I was
starting to form adhesions in my right ankle and foot because the movement
had been restricted for so long.  The first time I was able to fully point
that foot, I felt something tear.  Ooops.  Hurt for about a week, made sure
to keep track of it.  It's better now and the foot moves normally again.

Both my shoulders were starting to go to hell before I started the Humira,
and that damage seems to have finally slowed down if not fully halted.  The
right shoulder is still sore, but that's not too suprising.  Considering
that a couple months ago I was taking 2 Percocet at night and _still_
crying myself to sleep, the fact that I've recently been able to take my
nighttime dose down to a 1/2 tablet most nights is amazing.  I'm still on
20mg of prednisone a day at this point, so I expect things to get a little
rockier when when I start tapering down.  The RD wants me to leave the
dose alone for another month or so to let things stabilize before I start
a very slow taper down.  I also take 2 Lodine a day, but there was a
while that 3 Lodine did almost nothing, and some days I forget to take
one of my doses.  Right now it's raining, so I'm less likely to forget,
but I'm still not in the type of agony I was even in October.  

All in all, I've had very good luck so far.  Enbrel _never_ worked this
well, even in the beginning.  If you can take MTX with the Humira, you'll
probably do okay on the every two weeks schedule.  I can't, which is why
we've had to shuffle my dose around some.

Diane-Just happened to read your note rather than mark everything read.

I just started Humira last Monday.  I am scared to death to say this too loud,
but it is working already.  And the results are significant.  I suspect with
time it will get better and better.  And it is ALL that I am taking.  I havent
restarted my MTX since getting over the flu.

Honey, I say go for it.
Char

"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'. We're all in this together." Red Green