Humira question (well Adalimumab)

[Domhem]

Hiya, I’m aware I need to speak to my rheumatologist and will but just wanted to see if anyone else had these symptoms from Humira. I began treatment in February (I’m also on aziathioprine and pred) over the past few weeks I seem to have developed indigestion after I eat, I’ve not experienced this before but it’s almost as if the food won’t go down properly. I’m also starting to feel a little out of breath at times and slight chest discomfort at differing times of the day. My hair is also falling out but I had a baby 14 months ago so thinking it could be post partum loss as opposed to the Humira. I’ve booked myself in for a blood test on Wednesday but wanted to see if anyone else had suffered from anything similar since taking it? Thanks in advance

[oldtimer]

Any change in weight?

It's possible that your symptoms could be due to reflux of acid into the oesophagus from the stomach. Worth discussing them with your medical team.

[Domhem in reply to oldtimer]

Thank you

[Domhem in reply to Domhem]

And sorry no change in weight, I’m trying to lose a little but I’m no over weight purely to feel nicer!

[Jesnaskah]

I will have my 4th injection on Friday. My hair is falling out like crazy...I will be bald 100% by the end of the year!

And I've also experienced heart issues. Racing heart, very hard heart beating, sometimes I feel like it's hard to breathe, I now have high blood pressure. I went to a cardiologist.

I was also using minoxidil topically to try to control the hairloss... But I know that can also mess with the heart, so I completely stopped that and it seems as though my heart has been a little better.

I also have a lot more side effects but those are different than what you mentioned.

I'm really sorry...

it's very unfortunate that I have yet to decipher if Humira is working for me, as I'm also on Prednisone, which gives me my life back.

[Domhem in reply to Jesnaskah]

Thank you for replying, my heart seems fine but I’m very breathless a lot of the time and yes not sure I’ll have much hair left at this rate! I’ve got myself down to 5mg a day now of pred due to Humira so I really don’t want to take it back up but maybe this isn’t the drug for me. Hope you feel better soon and get a better mix of drugs!

[Jesnaskah in reply to Domhem]

Thank you! My hope is that you will be able to get off Prednisone... eventually. I see you've been on humira now for 6 months, maybe there is still a chance this is a side effect your body will eventually adjust to...and hopefully so, if you think it has helped. The trial and error process alone is so frustrating but the fact that it's ALSO time consuming just puts it over the top. Plus, there is a chance that once you get off Humira, it won't work for you again. So, there's a lot to weigh. Which is also why I'm not too hasty to quit it just yet. I've read and heard such varied responses regarding the efficacy of humira that literally anything is possible... It's possible to feel amazing the very next day after a dose.... To it taking over a year for a person to feel like it worked... So it's altogether a pretty rough life we live trying to figure things out. And from what I've seen on this forum, those who get things under control may not remain there... As meds stop working for them. But we gotta try to stay positive, anything to get our life back!

Wishing you the very best in this journey!!!!

By the way, is it possible the breathlessness can possibly be from something else? Especially with covid and everything?

[Domhem in reply to Jesnaskah]

You are so right about the time and it’s exhausting trying these different drugs! I didn’t know that if you came off Humira it may not work again, thank you for that as that’s quite a risk to take as this is the lowest pred dose I’ve been on in a long time. Also interesting about potentially taking a year, I really have no idea what to do for the best. I have two very small children so just want to make sure I have enough energy to look after them properly, they deserve that much. Re breathlessness I have no idea, perhaps it’s anxiety related, I don’t know. I will call up for my test results tomorrow and see if anything is going on. Thank you for replying and I really hope it all works out for you