Are Biosimilars as effective

[Jaxine]

Hope everyone is well and enjoying a bit more freedom now lockdown is starting to ease down. I must say I'm looking forward to getting back to some kind of normality, especially ' visiting 'restaurants and pubs'

Feeling guilty posting about pain with RA when so many people have lost their life through Covid19, but need some advice. My RA has been treating me well over the last 6 months ( I'm on Adalimumab) however I've noticed that my joints have started to get angry! A few days prior to injecting my joints: balls of my feet, hands and knees start to to get very painful., not sure this is normal, today I found it hard to take my injection. It s very worrying that success is short lived! I'm worried that my RA is more severe than I thought or after 18 months i still havent found the right meds. Maybe Biosimilars are just not as effective? I have spoken to my nurse, she wants me to stay on them for another 3 months yuk! I have a very busy time coming up so very bad timing!

[allanah]

Yes I get peaks and flows with mine too but in general once I have my infusion in my case it picks me up a bit. But some of mine have worn off and I've had to change drugs, but yes ive had to try for in my case 6 months to 9 months before my doc will change me.

Hope it sorts itself out, oh ps when I'm stressed I always get pain back so bern a bit worse over shielding xxx

[Jaxine in reply to allanah]

Yes I was the same, as soon as I took my injection I felt relief. However, the last two injec tions havnt given me relief hence my flare.

[rab1874]

I would give it another couple off months but if you get any worse don’t hesitate to contact your Rheumy team,I’m on my 4 th biological drug and so far so good xxx

[Jaxine in reply to rab1874]

Which one are you on as a matter of interest?

[rab1874 in reply to Jaxine]

I’m on Toxilimunumb and methotrexate

[Jaxine in reply to rab1874]

Was the injection not strong enough?

[rab1874 in reply to Jaxine]

It’s 2 injections weekly but their weaning me off methotrexate as affecting liver readings,down from 20mgs to 15 methotrexate,hopefully down again to 10mgs after next Rheumy visit

[Jaxine in reply to rab1874]

Good luck x

[helixhelix]

If a biosimilar works for you then it is as effective as the original. But yes give it a bit longer. Can you top up with anti-inflammatories?

[Jaxine in reply to helixhelix]

I rang yesterday, it seems Adilimambab isn't effective enough for me. My hands are not working, my knuckles are bruised and inflamed. I took my injection yesterday but to no avail so far! I will ring again tomorrow ugg!

[Jaxine in reply to helixhelix]

Inflammatories don t work for me, might as well eat a sugar lump😂😂

[helixhelix in reply to Jaxine]

Which ones have you tried? Some people respond to one and not the others.

[Barrister]

Not for me, certainly! I much prefer Enbrel to Benepali.

Clemmie

[Jaxine in reply to Barrister]

Are you on Embral?

[Barrister in reply to Jaxine]

In the U.K. I a, on Benepali but whilst I’m abroad I get Enbrel.

[Jaxine in reply to Barrister]

Wow that must be difficult on two different types of I njections

[HappykindaGal]

Don’t know about the particular meds you’re on. I’ve been on benepali for 18 months now -a biosimilar and it works very well.

Guess it’s like all the meds, one size definitely doesn’t fit all

[Jaxine in reply to HappykindaGal]

I was on Benipali but I had horrible side effects. With Adalimubab I've had fewer side effects, but its not strong enough!

[bpeal1]

Did the original one work for you?

For a biosimilar to be approved it has to work just as effectively as the original for the same percentage of people. However, anecdotally it seems that if you are in the 90% (or whatever the figure is!!) of people that the original one works for, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are in the 90% that the biosimilar works for. I had this issue with rituximab so my consultant put me back on the original.

[Jaxine]

My nurse conveyed that unfortuntuntely she doesnt think Adalimubab is strong enough. I'll give it a few days and see if my hands become less swollen, my knuckles are badly bruised.