Cimzia

[Sanbanan]

Hi there. I am new to this site but wondered if anyone has tried or is currently using Cimzia?

I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis over a year ago after a year of waiting for the GP to refer me to a hospital to see a consultant. I blame the delay on how bad some joints are now. I have tried all the DMARDs with no luck in controlling the disease.

I have recently had a terrible flare but I am due to start Cimzia injections this week.

I am hoping for an improvement but in all honesty, pretty scared at what lies ahead especially with possible side effects.

I am struggling with work (currently signed off at mo) & I am pinning all my hopes on this drug giving me some quality of life back.

Any views would be very much appreciated.

Thank you

[Hidden]

Hello there.

I'm on Humira, not Cimzia but while Cimzia is a newer biologic drug, I expect your fears (and hopes) are similar to those experienced by many who are starting a biologic of any kind.

Internet searches and the warnings provided by drugs' manufacturers can seem daunting but in general biologics seem to be pretty safe in practice. The internet does big-up scare stories and the manufacturers have to list every possibility, those flagged up on a bottle of paracetamol would also seem pretty scary if it were not a household name.

I gather that the evidence so far rather suggests that biologics can be easier on the body in both the short and long-term than some of the traditional DMARDs.

When I took my first shot of Humira, the nurse came round to show me how to do it. And then, as per her brief, she stayed with me for an hour afterwards. We sat in the sun & I waited to feel something, anything ...... but no, no weird sensations, no steam coming out of ears, no nausea .... nothing! And the injection itself was rather like putting a knife into melting butter i.e. easy-peasy and painless. Some find it stings but that doesn't last.

I've heard that the most likely side-effect with Cimzia is .... well, wind. And also that any digestive problems tend to ease up over time and can be managed.

Best to keep an open mind I reckon. Though I think that you might also reasonably allow yourself to stay hopeful, even to feel excited. I have found that Humira is a whole different ball-game to the DMARDs. And I did okay on Methotrexate. But Humira has banished swelling and, very slowly but surely it has limbered me up more than I ever thought was possible. The worst thing can be the wait for the drug to take effect, I would think that with Cimzia as with any biologic we are talking weeks, maybe a couple of months, to really start seeing what it can do.

Have you started your injections yet? If so, how was it? I really hope this drug makes a massive difference to you.

[Sanbanan in reply to Hidden]

Hi Postle2.

Thank you so much for your reply.

The nurse is coming to my home on Friday to go through everything.

I previously had methotrexate injections but they were auto inject pens and I believe the Cimzia are self administer.

Leflunomide caused severe side effects and over time Methotrexate was the same. I am currently on Sulphasalazine but unfortunately this is not working either.

I am hoping for great things with Biologics and it's lovely to hear your own experience and to know I'm not some crazy neurotic woman regarding these drugs!

I agree that the internet can be a great source of information but sometimes it's too much to take in!

I really am at my wits end with this horrible condition. I was always a very active independent person but this past couple of years have been a bit of a nightmare. I am only 51 but some days feel about 90!

Thank you so much for taking time out your day to reply and I will let you know how Friday goes.

if it's only excess wind I have to deal with I will be happy but maybe not so good for others around! Lol x

[Hidden in reply to Sanbanan]

You might not worry too much about excess wind! When I wrote that bit I was confusing Cimzia with another drug I'd been reading about - Otezla.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on, I think the most likely thing is that you will feel fine, I hope so.