REMICADE VS. HUMIRA

[1WeekAtATime]

Hey all. I have been taking Trexall for my PA, and it's making things worse, so I'm being switched to a new medicine. I haven't had the appointment to discuss options yet, but I know they want me to use Enbrel, Remicade, or Humira.

Over the summer, I used Enbrel, but had some nasty injection site reactions. The dermatologist said that if I take it and that happens again, I have to keep injecting until they've cleared. The only problem is that it took weeks to clear, and I am NOT injecting into swollen flesh.

My other options are Remicade and Humira. I'd LOVE to have Remicade infusions, but I hear the medicine stops working after a period of time for a lot of people. Otherwise, I don't care about the rat proteins or whatever is in there- I don't want to stick myself with a needle forever.

So then there's Humira, which is probably what the rheumy will want me to take. There's an injector pen now which is awesome, but I had to do Enbrel twice a week and also inject anti-coagulant into my stomach the entire summer, and I'm sick of sticking myself all the time. Also, I'm worried that if I have to do a double-dose, after 2 years I would be required to half the dose and then not feel as good, which is what someone on Enbrel had to do. If I'm going to go through the self-mutilation of injection all the time, I want it to work!

What are your thoughts/experiences with these medicines? Do all people on Remicade eventually reach a point in which it does not work anymore??

[Ihurt]

The only reason Im not on it is because of my ex boss!!!!lol. Long story short he caused me great great amounts of stress because I caught him committing fraud (trying to do it in my name), and my body went into overdrive and I built up antibodies to the Remicade.

OTHERWISE...Remicade made me feel like I was 20 again!

Im currently on Humira with very very limited success. Tomorrow will be injection number 5...I feel only very limited effects, even though Im also on MXT.

I'd opt for Remicade all over again if they'd give it to me!!!!!! lol

Hope this helps. BTW...Enbrel cleared my skin BUT DID NOTHING for my PA.

[nyoki]

I am currently on remicade (a little over a year) and, for me, it's been as close to a miracle drug as an atheist can get. :) I'm back at work and able to workout and I can actually leave the house for hours at a time. It's been years since that was true. I've been on celebrex (useless), sulfasalazine (a near fatal allergic reaction), enbrel (not bad), humira (same as enbrel) and now remicade. It is clear that different people have different levels of success w/ various meds. All you can do is try and see what happens. After a year I am showing no signs of remicade not working. All that said, I'm still on pain mgmt and take a fair amount of pain meds. The difference now is that they work.

[Tilldee]

I've been on Enbrel since Jan.07 and it has cleared my skin, with the exception of a bad flare in May and I'm having one right now. As far as helping my PsA, I can't say it does, but it does relieve the fatigue or most of it anyway. I tried Celebrex for 6 weeks and there was no difference so I went off that. I take Tramadol for pain, but it's not really that effective. What do you all take for pain? I can't take anything with codiene in it as I'm allergic to it.

[polo123]

The only reason Im not on it is because of my ex boss!!!!lol. Long story short he caused me great great amounts of stress because I caught him committing fraud (trying to do it in my name), and my body went into overdrive and I built up antibodies to the Remicade.

OTHERWISE...Remicade made me feel like I was 20 again!

Im currently on Humira with very very limited success. Tomorrow will be injection number 5...I feel only very limited effects, even though Im also on MXT.

I'd opt for Remicade all over again if they'd give it to me!!!!!! lol

Hope this helps. BTW...Enbrel cleared my skin BUT DID NOTHING for my PA.

if you have your dr contact centocor the maker of remicade they can tell him how to stop you from having a reaction to the med.i had a severe reaction to it after restarting it when my study was over.

[Ihurt]

But I didn't react to it, it just didn't work anymore. Are u telling me it could be restarted and work again with some help from the manufacturer?