Migraine like headaches with humira.

Jaclyncollin

I am on humira from past one month. All was well till last week, when I started getting headaches that resembles migraine, after taking my dose. I am planning to call helpline on Monday. I am not keen to take any other OTC paindullers till then. But just want to know if this has happened to other humira users here.

dreamdaisy

Hello, I have been taking humira for around seven years and have had no trouble at all with headaches, for which I am thankful. I am sure that headaches are listed as a common side effect (all my meds list it) but there can be other reasons for it too. It is tempting to blame other health events on the meds but when I find my head throbbing I do the following:

1. I drink at least one pint of cool water within a half-hour time frame. and then keep sipping.

2. I sit in a darkened, cool room and rest.

3. I find that unsettled and thundery weather can trigger a tense mood (toady is a doozy for that!), my shoulders and neck stiffen in response and this can set things off.

4. I have a constant-but-low-level pain relief regime because none of my meds do anything to relieve the pain, they never have and they never will.

5. If symptoms persist for more than three days then I contact my GP or rheumatology helpline, depending on who I think might be the most help. Leflunomide floored me with appalling headaches, I spent an entire Easter in bed in a blacked-out room - it wasn't pleasant.

I hope that things improve for you soon - whereabouts do you live? I ask because the weather can have a great influence on the likes of us whilst leaving others untouched. :roll: DD

theresak

Hi, I`ve been on humira now for almost eight years, but never had the headaches you describe, fortunately.

Hope DD`s tips may help - I had the same experience when I was on leflunomide, but not on any other of the DMARDs.

As5567

I'm sorry to hear you are having Migraines. I took Humira for years and do recall having a slight headache from time to time but it was nothing like a Migraine. I think it would be wise to call your helpline just to be on the safe side but I agree with DD it could be something else other than the Humira.

One month in is also very early days and it could just be your body getting used to the drug, my only advice would be to give it time and see how things progress. Not what you want to hear I know and it's easier said than done but I suspect most of us here have had unpleasant side effects with medications at some time or another and most of the time things do settle down.

In the meantime keeping hydrated and taking things easy might help things to settle down.

Let us know how you get on and I hope things get better for you soon.

Jaclyncollin

Thank you DD and others for taking time out to reply. Yes, I do agree we might tempt to blame any ill health effect on drugs whereas it could be anything else. However, I don’t recall I have made any change in routine or diet. Thanks for the tips DD. I don’t think weather has anything to do with it; because if it changes, my joints are the first one to be affected, fortunately that’s not the case. This is the first time I am getting this kind of severe headaches; I was on leflunomide for some time but nothing of this sort has been experienced before. I hope it settles out on its own as mentioned by Ash.
Call to helpline is in order.

premierscfc04

Sorry to hear about your headaches/Migraines..
I had migraines and skin rashes will all three of the the Anti-TNF drugs.
I was only on Humira for 3 months and Embrel for almost 9 years and throughout the time I had migraines.
I was told initially it couldn't be the medication causing the migraines but now after all these years the Skin Rashes and Migraines are accepted side effects.
I was put a migraine tablets which made the side effect manageable so much so I put up with them for just over 10 years 8)

I hope they can control your migraine like headaches if the meds are the cause!

dreamdaisy

Hello, we're a couple of days on now - how are you feeling? Were you able to get in touch with your rheumatology unit? DD