Humira - Treatment Review

Ahhhh Humira. 💗💚💚

I know. You guys will probably think that I'm ridiculous saying Methotrexate was my most memorable after reading all this, but for reasons unbeknownst to me, it still sticks out more to me than Humira does, for all the wrong reasons!

*Facts -
Humira (Adalimumab) is another anti-rheumatic. It's used for treating a range of Auto-Immune Diseases such as rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, to name a few. It works because it is a TNF inhibitor, which is a part of the body's inflammatory response. (This is great if you, like me, enjoy tattoos - quick healing times :p)

It is available as a Pre Filled Pen or as traditional pre filled injection. these can be done yourself with training, or by a loved one - or by your treating physician. These injections are painful. I can only speak for the pen (my fiance couldn't bring himself to give me the injection) but they do sting one whole hell of a lot, and will remain tender for a while after. Tis' the nature of the beast!


Before beginning Humira, you'll have a range of blood tests run, to check for Tuberculosis, and to check your liver and kidney function. All things coming back clear, you'll begin!




In Aus, if you are lucky enough to qualify for the PBS - Humira will set you back $38.80, However, if you are paying privately each box will cost from $1,679.35 (that's what my box says) to $4370 per month (According to Wikipedia). In each box, you receive 2 of your chosen method injections. This is a one month supply.

This does, of course, come with a list of common side effects -
  - Headaches/ Dizziness
  - Cold like symptoms
  - Rash/ Redness/ Bruising/ Itching or swelling around injection sites
  - Higher risk of infection
  - Easily bruising skin

You begin this treatment with a loading dose - 2 injections on day 1 week 1, and then one per fortnight from week 3.

*My Experience. 
Humira for me was a breakthrough drug. After methotrexate, I lost any belief of a drug doing me more good than harm. I certainly lost hope of anything working for me, and as such was struggling with my skin, as well as my joints. But for me, I knew no different than for my skin to feel that way so it was easy for me to push it aside. I was used to the pain of my skin, but the PsA was a new round of pain and add in recurring Bursitis in my hips, this swiftly became my main issue. I was regularly sitting in the ER, stiff as a board, waiting for someone to pump me full of something useful so that I could rest, and no sooner would I start to rest, they would come and say "You must be comfortable now, you're falling asleep, so you can go home." Thing is, they couldn't even say I was only there for the pain killers because I am allergic to all the best ones!

After a while, they must have got sick of me, because I was getting to see specialists. The day the Ruem was sent to see me for about the 3rd time that month, she flat out told me that as bad as I was, I was not even close to qualifying for any of the good stuff on my joints alone without starting from the bottom and that my best bet was, in fact, Dr Derm - who happens to be a treating physician at my hospital.
J (fiance) had been doing some research as he was fed up with all the doctors just brushing me off, and found some information about Humira. He asked if it could be an option for me. Dr Ruem says it would be a good fit, and we should do what is necessary to access it. In the mean time, she would continue to give me the Cortisone injections in the ass for the Bursitis in my hip joints (so I could keep being a waitress because I am insane) and to call her and she'll come grab me from emergency so I dont have to wait. Score!

In strolls Dr Derm - J asks him the same question. He mentions Methotrexate again, I tell him where the door is, he mumbles something about "that's a no, then?" and moved right along. After that, I started Sulphasalazine. That did nothing and gave me stomach ulcers. Pass. "UV therapy one more time?" This actually did help (more on that in the dedicated post) but I was burning after 3 minutes. Pass. Humira Time!

Now, I want to remind you, that the day of my first injections, I hobbled into his office with crutches to walk. I was given the needles, I hobbled out, Went home, got in bed, and stayed there.

The next morning. I woke up, sat straight up, without thinking about it. Almost wet the damn bed when I realised. I didn't have to do that weird knees-up-roll-push to sit up.

I stretched. It didn't hurt.

I stood up. It didn't hurt.

I walked out to J. He almost fell off his damn chair.

I cried for about 10 minutes, then decided I wanted to test this out. We leashed our dog, loaded her in the car, and took her to a walking trail that just so happens to be on the side of a mountain. And I walked the whole damn thing. Apart from realizing, I was horrendously unfit, I was FINE. it just got better from there.

After about a week, I noticed my skin texture change. It was softer, the flakes were much thinner, and softer. It was much paler too. After a month, I had whole bare areas. It went from the "centers" first, leaving a weird border line of skin, and after about 3 months, it was gone. Wholey and completely gone. No colour weirdness or pigment missing - I did have a crap ton of freckles I didn't know were there.. but I like them. :)

My first time out in the full sun after that, I got a little pink on my shoulders, and where the spots of Psoriasis were, turned into little blisters - not painful or anything, but they went down overnight, and that was it, never happened again.

Now. I am going to, for the first time ever, show a before and after. I have never shared these photos anywhere or with anyone. But I think its time. This was me (almost) at my worst coverage wise, although this was not a flare. These were taken around 19/20 years old - somewhere between 6 - 12 months before I started Humira. By then all the bare spots on my back had joined up and filled in, and it was solid to my shoulders, it was further down my arms in small patches, same with my legs, and my scalp was full.

This was me 6 months from starting Humira. In a bikini. In Public. Where people could see me. First time ever.

Sadly, I am no longer on Humira. It did not stop working, I stopped using it. Not because of side effects - I had NO side effects from this drug. NONE. I stopped because I got comfortable and decided I didnt need it as often. This resulted in not always filling all of my prescription, which has now resulted in them no longer approving it for me. It sucks. If you get on it, and it works for you, dont do what I did. I also thought my joints were deteriorating while using it, and I waited too long to do anything about it, so when I needed it, it wasnt there, and it was my fault. Really. Dont take it for granted if it works for you. Humira is also the reason I have my beautiful son. Used sparingly throughout, I had a problem free pregnancy. It did dry up my milk though - But thats another story.

On that note - I'll shut up. :p

As always, thank you for reading! If you have any experience with this and would like to share, please leave a comment down below, and as always if you have any questions, I am always willing to answer!

Millz
xx