Question about Humira

[YvonS]

A question, has anyone the experience that in the two days before the injection, complaints like stifness comes back?

I feel more stifness, more fatigue, my knees start to hurt, my lower back pain is coming back on the 12th day. On the 14th day i will inject myself an the day after the injection, all these complaints vanish again.

Does anyone recognize this?

[Fred]

It's been a long time since I was on Humira but I did used to get what I called the tail off towards the end of the last dose, mostly with Stelara though as that was 12 weeks between shots.

I would say as it's only a couple of days to put up with it and see if it sorts itself out over time, if you still have problems after 12 weeks since starting Humira it may be worth asking to try another bio.

[YvonS]

Hi Fred, 
 
I have an appointment with my doctor in october and will discuss this with him ofcourse, see what his opinion is.
But i was curious if anyone had the same experience, or knows the reason for this. Perhaps you are right, it could be a adjustment, but also it could be not the right biological for me. 

Thank you for your response!

[Forest Walker]

I've been using Humira since 2007 for IBD and initially had the same experience with complaints returning a couple days before the injection was due and then vanishing the day of the injection.  I don't recall how long it took, but it changed to where I didn't notice the complaints prior to injection.  I used to wonder if 14 days was too long between injections.  For me, it did sort it self out over time.  

There are two formulas of Humira, the original and the citrate free.  I had been on the original until this year when the doc switched the prescription to the citrate free.  A small rash developed into a drug-induced psoriasis.  So if you start with one formula and it works, I wouldn't recommend changing to the other.

 Best of luck to you.  It's good to know there are other options besides Humira, too.

[YvonS]

I've been using Humira since 2007 for IBD and initially had the same experience with complaints returning a couple days before the injection was due and then vanishing the day of the injection.  I don't recall how long it took, but it changed to where I didn't notice the complaints prior to injection.  I used to wonder if 14 days was too long between injections.  For me, it did sort it self out over time.  

There are two formulas of Humira, the original and the citrate free.  I had been on the original until this year when the doc switched the prescription to the citrate free.  A small rash developed into a drug-induced psoriasis.  So if you start with one formula and it works, I wouldn't recommend changing to the other.

 Best of luck to you.  It's good to know there are other options besides Humira, too.

Thanks for your response.
Good to hear that i'm not the only one who has this experience. So hopefully this will also change in time like it did with you.

I'm still on the original Humira, i'm not sure if here in the Netherlands the citrate free will be used. Perhaps, if they are going to change to citrate free, it's a possibillity to chance to another brand with the original Humira ingredients? I will discus this with my Rheumatologist, thank you for sharing your experience 

[Caroline]

Hi Yvon,

Humira is made by only one pharmacist Abbvie. There are no other producers.
Two Humira biosimilars, Amjevita and Cyltezo, have been approved by the FDA, but they are not yet available, so they are probably also not available in Europe.

[Fred]

Hi Yvon,

Humira is made by only one pharmacist Abbvie. There are no other producers.
Two Humira biosimilars, Amjevita and Cyltezo, have been approved by the FDA, but they are not yet available, so they are probably also  not available in Europe.

From Humira

Quote:

---

HUMIRA Citrate-free works the same as original HUMIRA, but with less pain immediately following injection.* The active ingredient (adalimumab) is the same as it has been for over 15 years.

If you are interested in getting started with HUMIRA Citrate-free, ask your doctor about a prescription.

[YvonS]

Hi Yvon,

Humira is made by only one pharmacist Abbvie. There are no other producers.
Two Humira biosimilars, Amjevita and Cyltezo, have been approved by the FDA, but they are not yet available, so they are probably also  not available in Europe.

What i was trying to quote, and perhaps my Englisch was wrong, is that Humira, Adalimumab, is only a "Brand". So perhaps the biosimilars, another brand, but still adalimumab, has the same ingedients as Humira.
Like the brand Idacio is available in the Netherlands, it's the biosimilar for adalimumab.
But if the effect and the ingredients are the same, i don't know.
Do you now? 

[Caroline]

Hi Yvon,

Humira is made by only one pharmacist Abbvie. There are no other producers.
Two Humira biosimilars, Amjevita and Cyltezo, have been approved by the FDA, but they are not yet available, so they are probably also  not available in Europe.

What i was trying to quote, and perhaps my Englisch was wrong, is that Humira, Adalimumab, is only a "Brand". So perhaps the biosimilars, another brand, but still adalimumab, has the same ingedients as Humira.
Like the brand Idacio is available in the Netherlands, it's the biosimilar for adalimumab.
But if the effect and the ingredients are the same, i don't know.
Do you now? 

Hi Yvon,
True.. Humira is a brandname, the real name of the product is Adalimumab, but this also is a name and it is only produced by Abbvie.

Definition of a biosimilar:
A biosimilar is a copy of a biologic medicine that is similar, but not identical, to the original medicine. It enters the market subsequent to a previously authorized version whose patent has expired and is approved only after showing that it is “highly similar” to an approved biological product, known as a reference product, in terms of safety, purity, and potency, and in some cases efficacy, with allowable minor differences. To be called a biosimilar, these compounds need to demonstrate structural and functional similarities with comparable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties to the reference product.

So… no the structure is not the same but similar.
It does have the same effect though !

[KatT]

Hi Yvon,

I didn't stay on Humira long enough as I had an allergic reaction but with Simponi (TNF), I was and asked if I could take the injection every 3 weeks instead of 4 which has helped.

Now Humira is every 2 weeks if I remember correctly therefore I don't think the injection can be moved by much.

Maybe something to look into.