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scouting

Hi
I've been away for ages looking after a lovely four year old. I've got a new name I used to be petkengemma.

After having a baby I was set back by having the worst flare up of my life and being in such a bad way I was put on to cimzia, which I have to say has been a life line.
I'm just over two years on cimzia and I gave been symptom free since my first injection. Until now. I'm flaring in my hands and knees every other day and nothing is helping my hip. (I have RA practically every where. OA in knees and coxa brava in my hip causing it to dislocate)
I guess I'm asking do I need to change to something else other than cimzia and if so will I have to stop cimzia for six months before a new drug? What else is out there? Thanks in advance.
Gxx

As5567

It could be time to swap to a new medication yes, but waiting 6 months to swap is not normal.

Every time I've swapped biologics I have just simply changed to the next medication when the dose of my old medication was due. Some hospitals might make you wait 2-4 weeks but I've never heard of anyone waiting 6 months.

Have you spoke to your doctor yet? They should be able to do a blood test to check for antibodies towards cimzia, although from what I read on here this is hardly ever done and most doctors just swap drugs anyway.

Sadly it's common for anti tnf drugs to stop after a certain amount of time because some of us will end up producing antibodies towards the drug which makes it much less effective, taking something like Methotrexate along side a tnf drug is meant to help but there isn't no proof yet.

scouting

Thank you. I didn't realise it was common for the anti tnf drugs to stop working.
That's a blow. I also thought I would have to let it out of my system before trying another one. The next dose or even 2/4 weeks isn't bad. Guess it's rheumy phoning time.
thank you. Gxx

scouting

Update - have an emergency rheumatology appointment on Friday morning.
gxx