Nervous to start Humira...advice?

Hi I'm new to this forum and have been interested in so many other people's experiences, so I finally decided to start posting my own. I am 20 years old and went from being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 17, and now being diagnosed with Crohns colitis since August. My azathioprine starting failing to work in July, and I eventually was told to stop it in October. After being tapered off prednisone again, trying lialda and 6 MP, and starting entocort, (all failures) I am finally accepting my doctors advice that I need to start humira. I just made the call and I am so nervous after reading side effects (particularly unusual cancers in young adults). Does anyone have any advice about humira? Or even how to inject it in the least painful way? Anything would be helpful because I do not know much about it!

Thank you!

Humira does have a scary list of side effects but the life-altering ones are very rare! These drugs are vigorously tested before being approved for market use and they wouldn't be available if the risks outweighed the benefits for certain patients.

Humira will hopefully be of great benefit to you. Are you going to do the pen or syringe? Either way you can leave it out for 30 min before to adjust to room temp so it's not as cold and painful to inject. You can put an ice pack over the injection site before and after to minimize pain. Personally I find the syringe less painful than the pen but it's a matter of preference. Neither are too painful!

I'm sorry you are flaring I know it's hard, but starting Humira may be the best decision you've made in your life. Yes, there are scary side effects. However, they are very, very rare.

If it's possible, you could ask for the syringe instead of the pen. It is a little less painful, because you can control the speed of the injection. Icing the site before you inject is super helpful, as is numbing cream (Emla). You will need a prescription for the Emla, but you could get it from your GI. This also helped me a lot when I was on Humira http://buzzy4shots.com/ Good luck, and I'm sending you hugs!

I was on Humira for over a year at once every fortnight and then once every week. I had experienced no long term side effects. I did get the nausa, ickly feeling the day after taking it but it only lasts 24 hours.

I agree with EssieLuv, I only used the syringes as you have more control over the injection. I didn't like the pen, the anticipation of pressing the button and waiting for the needle to fire.

Hope it goes well for you!

IM the same waiting to start humira after Xmas once all my test results come back in extremely nervous i need to continue taking my imuran while using humira

:smile:Hey I've been on humira 9weeks now I injected in my stomace although it still is not a nice feeling I can't do it in my thighs as its hurts to much so id say defo go for the stomace so far so good its helping me alot I also take 6mp to along side good luck xx also I use the pen x

nogutsnoglory said:

Humira does have a scary list of side effects but the life-altering ones are very rare! These drugs are vigorously tested before being approved for market use and they wouldn't be available if the risks outweighed the benefits for certain patients.

Humira will hopefully be of great benefit to you. Are you going to do the pen or syringe? Either way you can leave it out for 30 min before to adjust to room temp so it's not as cold and painful to inject. You can put an ice pack over the injection site before and after to minimize pain. Personally I find the syringe less painful than the pen but it's a matter of preference. Neither are too painful!

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Thank you this post helps ease my anticipation a little bit, I guess I really need to ask my doctor more questions since this is so new to me and happening so fast! I still have to hear back from his office but from what you recommend, and other posts I have seen, I am going to ask my doctor about using the syringe instead of the pen. Thank you so much!

The first time is the hardest. Humira was the best decision medically I have ever made. It will be okay!!