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Hi there. I need to go on a biologic & am trying to decide btwn Humira & Remicade. Wondering how others made their decisions? If you've been on both, is there one you liked better? Different side effects? One more effective? All insight welcome!

Reply posted for senary.

Hello,
    
According to me, Remicade and Humira are two drugs that can be used to treat similar conditions.

Let me an example of these two drugs.

1. Humira (adalimumab) is an injection and not oral medication.
2. Remicade (infliximab) lowers your ability to fight infection and can cause serious illness.

I hope you can understand my point.

For more reference, you can also read:
https://www.pipelinepharma.com/product/0/adalimumab-pfs-40-mg-manufacturer-104272

Reply posted for senary.

A quick response: I was on Remicaide for a 13 years and it help; I would say 70% effective. My colds or flu took longer to get better but it's a trade off. Infusion can take up to 6 hours depending on your weight and how fast you can tolerate the infusion. In addition to the pre-meds.I got xemirol and adivan due to severe headache. I developed antibodies. Next came Humira: 50/50 For me it started to work within a week and it does ok. What ever you do - don't stop the injection during flu season - get a shot. The cold or flu suffering is 10x better than the worst flare I years I got. I was in the hospital for a week and another at home. I was so sick. My doctor about killed me. The injection itself hurts like hell; like 5 pound wasp just stung you. Bottom line; start and stick with it. It's chronic and genetic and isn't going away. It's a crapshoot as to how long we'll live but if you watch your diet and stay on meds you'll generally be ok. I'm not dismissing the patients who have paid a terrible price for treatments and I'm so sorry for them. I opt to stay on them; something in the end when I'm old will kill me but I'm fighting like hell to last as long as I can. Best of luck and wishes to you. Be safe and healthy.

 Reply posted for tommyo1023.

I had side effects to my third induction infusion to Remicade. My hands, shoulders and knees are so sore. It feels like arthritis pain kicked up 100%. It hurts to close my fingers, raise my arms, or walk. It has been about two weeks and seems to be lessening. My doctor said he never heard of it?  Does this sound like what happened to you?  Trying to decide if I go for infusion number four and hope this was just a fluke because of the three infusions given so close together?  

 Reply posted for senary.

Humira was not very effective for me and I had a pretty bad experience with Remicade. I talk about about in my new blog. 
https://www.acrosscountrywithcrohns.com/home/2016/11/17/remicaide-infusion 

 Reply posted for senary.

I used Remicade for less than a year and developed anti-bodies to it.  Requires a visit to a hospital for an infusion. Then tried Humira for 8 months before developing anti bodies to it.

I liked the ease of use of the Humira.  NO IV's or hospital visits.  Humira cost less then the Remicaid and hospital visit.  I had one reaction to Remicaid 6th treatment.  Heart palpitations and numbness in hands and face. Stopped IV, gave me benadryl and restarted IV with no issues.

 Reply posted for senary.

I was on it for 5 yrs....then my body got ammune to it and then swich to entivo....some now drug and it works well for me as long as i font miss a treatment. But remicade is a good med....it work for yrs for me.

 Reply posted for tommyo1023.

CONT. 

I started having bloody BM's again by late August.  I wasn't going back on Humira and I lost trust in doctors.  I tried the autoimmune paleo diet a few months later and that seemed to work for the month that I was on it.  I didn't reintroduce foods as I should have and again, let myself go.  By May this year, I began bleeding again.  Lialda, Mesalamine enemas, steroid enemas, nothing worked.  I resorted to no meds and I'm now in a tough position. 
I was hospitalized last week for a fistula, abscess, and infection.  Turns out I was misdiagnosed initially and I have pretty severe Crohn's disease in my colon.  My new doctor, another CCFA board member and tops in the field, is telling me my only options are Remicade or surgery.  We toyed with the idea of Entyvio before hospitalization but because it takes longer to take effect, I'm not a good candidate anymore.  
I'm deathly afraid of biologics but I trust what my doctor is telling me.  He's says I won't be on it forever, but maybe look at it as a 5-year plan. If I go through with it, I will be on antibiotics and prednisone for the first 8 weeks during infusions.   I'm still searching for more natural ways to beat this disease and currently on the SCD diet, prednisone and antibiotics.  I think a combination of medication, diet and lifestyle changes are key to managing CD or UC.  
I hope this story helps someone.  If not, at least it helped me to get these thoughts out and rationalize the upcoming decision in my head.

 Reply posted for senary.

I was diagnosed with UC in Dec of 2014.  I was put on Lialda but that didn't do much.  Over the next few months, I didn't take care of myself in terms of sleep and diet and was under a lot of stress.  By early July 2015 my doctor, a board member for CCFA, told me I needed to go on Humira in addition to Uceris.  I took my loading dose that day and within a couple days my symptoms (10x daily BM's) had completely subsided.  In fact, I healed so quickly that I became constipated and went to the hospital for stomach and chest pains because I was so backed up, although I didn't realize it at the time (I thought it was a bad reaction).  Some painkillers and stool softener and I was good to go.
About a week later I began experiencing chest tightness, difficulty breathing, body aches,  and nerve pains.  This continued for about 3 weeks to the point where I couldn't take 1/4 breathe without severe pain.  I couldn't move any part of my body without pain.  My doctor was on vacation at the time and when he came back told me to get off the Uceris immediately.   I never took another Humira shot again either.  From that point on, the breathing pain and body aches slowly got better until I felt almost normal.  However, the nerve pain was still there (it felt like I had pinched nerves in various parts of my body).  In addition, I got 3 tooth infections within 6 weeks.  I was eventually diagnosed with pleurisy, which I believe is just inflammation of the chest wall.  In late October, the side effects had almost completely subsided.  This is also around the time the half life of Humira wore off.    From time to time now I feel chest pain during deep breathes when I'm getting sick.  And I get sick more often.  

 Reply posted for senary.

Hi there, 

I haven't ever used Humeria and take the Infliximab (Remicade) infusions but I my Step Dad takes Humeria and I've seen a lot of differences. 

I live in the UK and as you know we have a National Health Service that is free. My company provides private health care so when I was diagnosed, it was through my private health care. Benefits of this are seeing consultants straight away and more of a "hotel" after care service than a hospital one. One of the other added benefits was the option to use Remicade. 

I was told that in the States, Remicade is given straight away if you need it and it works quicker and better with any immuno suppresant that you're on (I'm on azathioprine) but in the UK on the NHS they make you wait 3 months on just immuno suppresants before they allow you to start bio drugs too and they automatically give you Humeria because it's a lot cheaper. One year's supply of Remicade costs around £18,000 so I'm told. 

I opted for Remicade because the consultant told me it was better and after my 3 session trial, I was reviewed, told I needed to continue and then.... was told that my insurance wouldn't cover it because it moved from "preventative treatment" to "maintenance treatment". Basically, I had become too expensive so was passed over to the NHS who continued my treatment. 


My Step Dad takes Humeria and has to inject himself in the tummy every week. I had infusions every 2 months. He also seemed to get a few side effects of the Humeria like going red in the face a lot whereas I had no reactions what so ever, but that may be a personal thing. 

Whilst I was in hospital, I just started a blog that goes through a lot of my journey so take a look and see if it helps crohnscrisis.wordpress.com 

 Reply posted for senary.

I was started on Humira. Let me start by saying I have no pain tolerance and I am a big baby when it comes to shots and needles. My husband gave me the first two injections. One in the leg and one in the stomach. They both hurt really bad, left a bruise and were sore for days after. I did not do any of the prep that most people recommend (icing the area, letting the med get to room temp, etc) and should have. But those two shots were awful for me so I decided to not do anymore. I was started on Remicade shortly after and this has been a much better option for me. I get an infusion every 8 weeks which seems forever apart. The infusion center I go to numbs the area before inserting the IV. I find it much more tolerable than the every other week Humira injections I would have had to take. The doctor also prescribed me Valium to take before my infusions to relax me and it helps also. 

 Reply posted for senary.

I first took Remicade then switched to Humira after symptoms showed up. I made a short video to share the differences I found between the two drugs. This might be especially helpful if your doctor is offering you a choice

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMlMwtNU7Jk

 Reply posted for senary.

My 13 y.o. son is on Remicade, and it works great for him.  However, it is an infusion, and therefore takes more time to administer than a Humira injection at home takes.  His first few months required infusion over 3 hours, and after several months of no complications, they let him switch to rapid infusion, which is about 60-75 minutes.  

 Reply posted for senary.

I might not be the best source of information, but I tried Humira for a few months, but had rare side effects (cause PVCs and swelling) and in the short time started to develop antibodies so it is out. the administering of the Humira shots isn't as bad as most people say though. If you do start Humira- ice your leg/stomach first) and leave the medicine out of the fridge for at least 30 mins so it isn't as cold going in.


I am waiting for my next colonoscopy to decide if I want to try remicade, but not super excited about it.

I hope whatever you choose helps!