humira in the fridge?

kezzo1 · 27. May 2009, 04:25

pls can u advise got my first ever humira arriving thurs but do u keep it in the fridge? they say u do at health care but they said that with mtx and i found out ur not supposed to, just store at room temp pls help? thanks

madgirlzzz · 27. May 2009, 05:45

Hi, yes Humira is to be stored in fridge and it depends where you get your methatrexate from to whether that needs to be in the fridge!! mine comes from health care at home so does not need to be in fridge but i had some from hospital and that did have to be fridgerated!
hope that helps
Gayle x

kellis · 27. May 2009, 07:06

I keep my Humira in the fridge as instructed.

My question is about the length of time it should be out of the fridge prior to use. Everything says 15/20/30 mins, and for my first 3 doses I did just that. But this morning it was out of the fridge for, maybe 1.5 hours before use, and interestingly it was the first one that hasn't stung.
So, does it affect the actual medicine (as in 'kill it') if it's been at room temperature for too long?

luckybug · 27. May 2009, 10:20

I always administer mine within 30 mins, stings really bad if you don't let it warm up a bit, still stings though.

vijaysa · 27. May 2009, 10:34

Hi

I administer Humira within 30 mins of taking it out of the fridge. It stings, but I use an ice pack on the injection site before & after the injection which does help a bit. Vijay

madgirlzzz · 27. May 2009, 13:45

Hi i think if you leave it out of the fridge more than 30 minutes I think it starts making it less effective (i think!!)
gayle x

dori123 · 27. May 2009, 16:58

Hi all

I leave it out for 2 to 3 hours which the nurse from healthcare at home advised me to do and she said it has no effect on the medicine. The first time I had it she was coming at 11:30 and told me to take it out the fridge beween 8 and 9!

I was wary of this at first thinking surely thats too long but she said its absolutley fine and its what she advises. Funny how everyone receives slightly different info!!

Hope this helps Xx

jeannie2 · 27. May 2009, 17:29

Can I butt in and ask how bad is this stinging. Wonder if it's as bad as the injection I had in the front of my ankle where it joins my leg. Hopefully am just about to go down this route and would like to know what I'm in for. I read that someone said that 'rubbing the site of the injection helps' ... is that true?
Hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm the world's biggest coward.
Jeannie S

kellis · 28. May 2009, 02:47

For me it's just a sting - a bit like nettle sting (not as bad as wasp sting) - that lasts a few seconds as the actual medicine is going in. It's not horrendous, but just enough to make me draw breath. Before you know it it's over!
From the mountains of Googling I've done, some find it a bit worse, some nothing. The thigh appears to be generally worse than the tummy, but I've not tried the thigh.
Thinking about it is worse than doing it!

I've also had an injection into the joint on the wrist (both sides) and there is no comparison at all between the two! I'd inject Humira a thousand times before having to do that again!

jeannie2 · 28. May 2009, 03:02

Thanks for that, kellis, my confidence is beginning to grow. Oh, I am a baby! I know, but since a dentist took out a molar when my gum wasn't frozen, I'm such a coward. Now THAT was painful and I'll never forget it.

Thanks for your support.

madgirlzzz · 28. May 2009, 06:00

Hi,
i hated the thought of injecting myself too before i started. Yes it does sting as it goes in but for me i saw the benefits quiet fast and so now grin and bare it! but it is the thought of it i think that makes it worse!
gayle x

joyful164 · 28. May 2009, 09:05

Though I would add my little bit of twopenny's worth! I don't keep my MTX in the fridge at any time. I was given a metal box to keep the packets in and it just sits in the bedroom.

There are no instructions with to say otherwise.

As for injecting, I do about 75% myself and my OH does the other 25%. I have to alternate between left and right thigh or stomach whichI can do myself. Got in a mess when I tried to do my stomach and lost the MTX all over the place. OH injects into my right arm because I cannot do that one and sometimes left. As for stinging. The needle is so fine and short I hardly feel a thing. Perhaps a slight smarting feeling afterwards. Just stick the plaster on and the sensation has gone.

I'm one of the lucky ones I suppose, but anyone who has a phobia of needles, I feel sorry for. You should perhaps try a bit of hypnotherapy. It might help.

Joyful

ktl297 · 1. Jun 2009, 11:45

Hi,

Your meds will be labelled to tell you how to store them, my humira says it must be kep in the fridge and I take it out about 10 mins before I inject and hold the "barrel" of the syringe in my fist to bring it to temperature. The humira does sting a little when it's going in - the Nurse tells me it's because of the preservatives in it. I've found the best way to do it to avoid stinging and itchiness is to put an ice block in the waistband of my trousers for a couple of minutes before I inject to freeze the bit of my tummy I'm going to inject into. When I do the injection I press the plunger quickly because if I do it too slow the stinging is worse. Then I put the ice block back on my tummy for a minute or two and then firmly rub with my hand the area I've injected to stop the solution hanging around under the skin (which can cause itching). I've been injecting Humira about a year, just started injecting MTX too which is a bit different - I'm told it doesn't sting because no preservatives which is why it needs to be kept in the fridge until about 30 mins before you use it. also the Nurse warned me not to rub my tummy after injecting Humira as the liquid will stain your skin if it leaks out!

Good luck with it! KT

ichabod6 · 1. Jun 2009, 16:26

I too get delivery of my first humira on Thursday.
This is in addition to methotrexate and sulphasalisine
in tablet forms.
Are there any noticeable effects and how soon do
they kick in?

northumbrian · 2. Jun 2009, 18:11

If you are lucky the Humira will kick in straight away. I noticed a difference within days and no side effects, that was 18 months ago. After about 2 months the improvement leveled off and the psoriasis completely dissapeared. Still need diclofenec for some residual pain.

Wonkylegs · 2. Jun 2009, 18:16

just to add to the comments on here about MTX - mine is also from Healthcare at home, and is to be kept at room temperature. However, it needs to be below 25'C so in this warm weather that can be a bit too close for comfort.

i was told that it was ok to keep MTX in the fridge during warm weather, but to make sure that it couldn't get frozen, which would be disaster.

kiki12 · 2. Jun 2009, 23:36

jeannie wrote:

Can I butt in and ask how bad is this stinging. Wonder if it's as bad as the injection I had in the front of my ankle where it joins my leg. Hopefully am just about to go down this route and would like to know what I'm in for. I read that someone said that 'rubbing the site of the injection helps' ... is that true?
Hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm the world's biggest coward.
Jeannie S

Had my first injection two weeks and did not use ice pack just to see how bad it would be w/o it. Stung (not too badly) for about 10 minutes then nothing. Piece of cake. Have no comments on results. It is too early. I am a baby, too, but it wasn't bad at all. Good luck

humira in the fridge?

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