scleritis and rheumatoid arthritis

[Jjj24]

hi I have had rheumatoid arthritis for five years and scleritis for 1.5 years.

I recently started imraldi(bio similar to humira), in feb 2024, after building antibodies to cimzia.

since then I have noted small improvements in my joints but my eyes continue to be in a constant flare.

Any suggestions? Did anyone’s scleritis ever go in remission?

Would love to hear ur stories

[thekeys46]

hi,

The only medication that helped my scleritis is Humira.

I started on it in 2013. I had a a few years in remission. In 2018 I had breast cancer so had to come off it as I was treated with another biologic herceptin. Once my herceptin treatment finished I experienced flaring again. After a few months I was put back on Humira.

My diagnosis was changed from RA to PsA .

I am presently experiencing some discomfort in my eyes but it’s not scleritis.

[Jjj24 in reply to thekeys46]

Hiya

Thank you for your reply and it definitely gave me some positivity. Having these conditions have really made me a grumpy, cynical person!

Do you take anything else for your eye condition. Apart from the humira, such as dmards or steroids etc

[thekeys46 in reply to thekeys46]

Hi,

I am on metoject too. When put onto the Humira the eye hospital also prescribed CellCept but I have not gone back to that after the breast cancer.

I have recently been diagnosed with dry eyes and I’m waiting to see the rheumatologist as it is likely to be Sjrogens🙁

Humira though was a game changer for me.

Xx

[JGBH]

Hello Jjj24,

Am pleased I have just found your post regarding Imraldi pen injections ax that you believe there are small improvements. How many weeks have you been on this biologic ?

It is concerning that it does affect your eyes. May I ask you when you were diagnosed with scleritis? Was your rheumatologist aware you had sceritis before prescribing Imraldi? How does this condition affects your eyes?

I have dry AMD (beginning) and uveitis in the left eye. Have Sjogren’s and have had cataract operations, so I wonder whether Imraldi could affect my eyes too?

I hope Imraldi will continue to improve your symptoms.

[Jjj24 in reply to JGBH]

Hi I was diagnosed with ra in 2018, literally three months after having a baby!

I tried all the dmards and nothing worked so I started cimzia, which was amazing at first, with minimal side effects.

In December 2022, I started to flare with my ra and then came on the scleritis in both of my eyes. Initially they kept on saying it was an eye infection and I kept on getting misdiagnosed !

Come sept 2023, I started to flare really bad, completely bed ridden. Rheumatologist thought I may have built antibodies to the cimzia.

I started imraldi in feb 24 and it had made an improvement in my ra symptoms around 4 months into my treatment (around May 24)

The eye specialist was of the view the imraldi will also manage the scleritis simultaneously however these eye symptoms persist with significant pain and swelling ! The only thing which helps is oral steroids or steroid eye injections which last around three months and gave significant relief!

I hope and pray u have a pain free journey! It’s awful and regardless how much family and friends try to understand - they simply don’t unless one goes through the experience themselves

[JGBH in reply to Jjj24]

Hi, it must have been so difficult for you having RA not long after giving birth. I have had RA since 1986 (but had symptoms years before the diagnosis)… so have had rather a large range of treatments. The biologics only came later in my RA (plus other autoimmune diseases) journey and helped. However, the best biologic for me - Enbrel - game my life back and worked f14 years, up to 2018 when I had my second knee replacement operation. Unfortunately no such luck with any other biologics I have trialled. So Imraldi is the new one, started last Monday. Fingers crossed. In my case it might be that I have had RA for so long that perhaps no biologic can help 100%.

I agree that no one really understands what such a debilitating illness does to one, not even medics.

Do hope Imraldi will bring you remission.

[Jjj24]

hello

Thank you for your reply, greatly appreciated. Has your rheumatologist suggested adding in another medication such as methotrexate or azathioprine? Or even a very small dose of steroid to help the swelling and pain.

There are some jak inhibitors which rheumatologist has suggested to me, should biologics not work

I wish you a pain free journey.

All the best with your health