Biologics

[diana16]

I have been on biologics (Imraldi) now for about 8 years but am experiencing what seems to be a flare up - feeling flu-like, pain in joints etc, extreme fatigue - and wondered if at any point anyone has experienced their biologics stopping working. I am sincerely hoping that this is not the case as I have felt so well up until now.

[medway-lady]

I don’t know really but around here there is a dreadful flu bug going about. My DIL has it and looks awful. We dropped off some shepherds pie yesterday and will do more later. But can’t babysit as really don’t want the bug. My son is recovering but they both tested negative for Covid.

[Amnesiac3637]

As medway-lady says you may have contracted a virus but on the other hand your drug could have lost its efficacy and just stopped working causing a flare and the symptoms you’re describing.

Hopefully, it’s a virus and you’ll know as it’ll go in a short while but if your Imraldi isn’t working your blood tests should show ongoing inflammation and the usual flare symptoms associated with RA cranking up again.

Sincerely hope it isn’t that though I have experienced drugs that I’ve been on becoming less effective and ‘switching off’ though that has usually happened after some kind of illness or infection. Best thing is to get in touch with your rheumatology team if you don’t feel better in a couple of weeks. Best of luck and hope it’s a bug!

[diana16 in reply to Amnesiac3637]

Thanks for that medway-lady and Amnesiac3637, fingers crossed but it does just feel like a flare. If it continues I will get a blood test and contact my rheumy x

[Zip1]

my first biologic worked well until it didn’t… I flared after 8 months of taking it. I got in touch with my rheumy team and after blood test changed me on to a different biologic which seams to be working at the moment. There are many different biologics and hopefully you will find one that works well for you soon! Get in touch with your team - good luck I hope you get sorted soon.

[Scottishlad]

I'm on Cimzia and get occasional flares but so far after a short while things return to normal.