Cimzia post-injection white patch?

[SoonAnon]

I've been on Cimzia for just over two months now, and done a lot of injections prior to that for egg freezing, so I am pretty experienced with different injection site reactions. After my injection below my belly button, noticed a white oval area a few inches in size popped up 24 hours later and is still there after another 12 hours.

I've seen a few people comment on having this. Have you had it go away? I called my dermatologist and he doesn't have any appointments, but said it could be collagen damage and permanent and we should take a biopsy, and that feels pretty extreme, but also, ahhh where did the color in my skin go?

[MadBunny]

I used to get a similar thing , when I first started using Cimzia . It was as if the fluid collected under the skin and took a while to disperse. I asked the nurse who showed me how to inject, but she'd never seen it before. It would disappear after a day or so and only seemed to happen if I injected it into my thigh.

I now only inject it my stomach, which is more squidgy , and that seems to have solved the problem.

It's never affected the effectiveness of the injections, and I've been doing well on it.

I hope you get some answers and that all will be OK for you.

[SoonAnon in reply to MadBunny]

Oh awesome, thank you! I am surprised I didn't notice it sooner, and I'm glad it goes away in a day or so. Does anything help it clear up faster or should I leave it alone?

I am also not sure it's working, but that's a different issue.

[MadBunny in reply to SoonAnon]

You're welcome.

I just left it.

I must emphasise though, that we are all different so obviously if you are unhappy, do seek help.

I remember they said give it 12 weeks to start working , but I think it was quicker than that for me- although it was almost 10 yrs ago, so I can't remember.

[Scottishlad]

I often get a "blanching" of the area around the Cimzia injection site. It goes away after a few days and hasn't caused me any concerns.

I used use my thigh and got more of a reaction there. The area around the injection site was more tender and I felt that the injection was less effective. I am slim and male and cycle so probably don't have much subcutaneous tissue on my thigh.

Now I only use the abdomen.

[fred42]

I have been taking Cymzia very successfully for more than 2 years now having arrived at it after trying other biologics. I inject in my stomach every 2 weeks alternating which side of my belly button.I always get the white mark which goes away after a day or so with no help from me. The nurse who first showed me how to inject warned me about this and said it was normal.Hope Cymzia works as well for you.

[Button_ in reply to fred42]

Hi Fred42, did you try Amgevita by any chance before taking cimzia? I am currently taking that but don't think it's fully working for me so one possibility may be to switch to cimzia if possible. I've been told if one biologic doesn't work then another may also be no good but apparently that isn't ways the case. I am hoping you are proof of that. Thanks in advance for any input/feedback you can provide.

[fred42 in reply to Button_]

I did take Humira but not Amgevita. The only other one that worked well was Tocilizumab which was great but hammered my white blood cells.It all seems so long ago now, once you have found your biologic the worry goes away.

[Button_ in reply to fred42]

Many thanks, that sounds hopeful! : )

[Rheumy_]

I’ve been on cimzia for 2 years now. I always get a white patch appear after injecting, goes away after a day or two. I alternate between injecting in my stomach and thighs but get it wherever I inject. Never really thought about it but think it’s pretty normal

[LRC90]

I have been on Cimzia since August, and I always get this blanching too! It does seem to happen more when I inject the thigh instead of the stomach, but it always goes away within 2 days. I think it does have something to do with the volume of drug, and the time it takes to be absorbed. Don’t panic! 🙂