Humira side effects

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kq1981
kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
Hi all, just had my first loading dose of 4 Humira pens, I’m 4 days in and I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck!? Absolutely no energy, flu like and irritable. I wonder if it’s coincidental or a side effect. I’ve searched on here but haven’t found too much about side effects but more about OMAD and specific conditions. What was your experience?! I’m worried I’ll feel like this for so long, utterly exhausted, that I’ll loose my motivation and the ability to exercise. Thanks :)

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  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    I'm really tired for a few days, i get an injection site reaction (a big itchy welt) and find it hurts..... a lot
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
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    I thought the pen itself hurt a lot and I would get bumps where the injection site was. I don't remember having flu like symptoms, but since it's the loading dose, that might be possible. Monitor how you feel with the first few injections.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    I haven't noticed any reactions, but I have been on Humira for 12 years or so. RA does make me fatigued if I do too much activity in a day.

    I would give your prescribing physician a call, just to be safe.

    I do the injections and not the pen, the pen was torture for me. Waiting to get whacked by a rubber band. LOL

    I'm sorry you feel crappy. I hope you feel better soon <3
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    edited June 2018
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    I haven't noticed any reactions, but I have been on Humira for 12 years or so. RA does make me fatigued if I do too much activity in a day.

    I would give your prescribing physician a call, just to be safe.

    I do the injections and not the pen, the pen was torture for me. Waiting to get whacked by a rubber band. LOL

    I'm sorry you feel crappy. I hope you feel better soon <3
    @l1zardqueen

    It's the lava flow that gets me and I am used to painful injections (in hospital I get sub q dilaudid and IM gravol which burn a lot but it goes in much faster). I want the syringe version as it doesn't have the citric acid in it. I've only been on it since November but it now takes me a few minutes to press the darn button lol.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    I haven't noticed any reactions, but I have been on Humira for 12 years or so. RA does make me fatigued if I do too much activity in a day.

    I would give your prescribing physician a call, just to be safe.

    I do the injections and not the pen, the pen was torture for me. Waiting to get whacked by a rubber band. LOL

    I'm sorry you feel crappy. I hope you feel better soon <3

    It's the lava flow that gets me and I am used to painful injections (in hospital I get sub q dilaudid and IM gravol which burn a lot but it goes in much faster). I want the syringe version as it doesn't have the citric acid in it. I've only been on it since November but it now takes me a few minutes to press the darn button lol.

    The pharmacist suggested I should ice the injection site before injecting, maybe even applying some lidocaine. I will try this next week. Yep, that stuff burns, but I am used to it. She said it has a low pH and is why it burns like lava.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Options
    I haven't noticed any reactions, but I have been on Humira for 12 years or so. RA does make me fatigued if I do too much activity in a day.

    I would give your prescribing physician a call, just to be safe.

    I do the injections and not the pen, the pen was torture for me. Waiting to get whacked by a rubber band. LOL

    I'm sorry you feel crappy. I hope you feel better soon <3

    It's the lava flow that gets me and I am used to painful injections (in hospital I get sub q dilaudid and IM gravol which burn a lot but it goes in much faster). I want the syringe version as it doesn't have the citric acid in it. I've only been on it since November but it now takes me a few minutes to press the darn button lol.

    The pharmacist suggested I should ice the injection site before injecting, maybe even applying some lidocaine. I will try this next week. Yep, that stuff burns, but I am used to it. She said it has a low pH and is why it burns like lava.

    I'm due on monday so I'll try this. It doesn't burn as much as narcotics or gravol the issue is that it burns longer lol. Plus I think I'm more ok with others inflicting the pain than doing it to myself.
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
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    Thanks guys, feel much better today, might have been a coincidence <3
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    Just for reference, I get an unrelated injection regularly for an unrelated purpose, and I always need a quiet day while my body does its thing. And new medications generally have an adjustment period for me. I think it's probably true of any. I'm glad you're feeling better!

    My injection also burns! I'll have to ask about the pH thing next visit.