"Loading Doses" for Humira

Eagle
Eagle Member Posts: 14
edited 1. Jul 2016, 13:44 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi
I found out from my nurse that i will only get one standard dose to start with and then fortnightly there after. Does it make make a difference not to have any loading doses?
They say they only got funding / license for one dose at the beginning in wales!! I also suffer from Crohne's Disease and they usually get loading doses, but i am not seeing that Dr for another 3 weeks.

Thanks for any opinion

Comments

  • As5567
    As5567 Member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am also in Wales so I understand your frustration, if you don't mind me asking which Health trust are you under? I know that the treatment I received in Cardiff and Vale was excellent in comparison to my new hospital.

    As for the Humira....... I would personally be pushing for an appointment where both your Rheumatologist and Chrones doctor both meet up and discuss your treatment with yourself. It could be quite possible for the Humira to be used to treat both your chrones and Arthritis.

    Not many people know that you're able to have such appointment, I've had many over the last year, they don't like arranging them but that's not your problem.

    How long have you been waiting to start the Humira?
  • Eagle
    Eagle Member Posts: 14
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As5567 wrote:
    I am also in Wales so I understand your frustration, if you don't mind me asking which Health trust are you under? I know that the treatment I received in Cardiff and Vale was excellent in comparison to my new hospital.

    As for the Humira....... I would personally be pushing for an appointment where both your Rheumatologist and Chrones doctor both meet up and discuss your treatment with yourself. It could be quite possible for the Humira to be used to treat both your chrones and Arthritis.

    Not many people know that you're able to have such appointment, I've had many over the last year, they don't like arranging them but that's not your problem.

    How long have you been waiting to start the Humira?


    Hi
    My Healthcare trust is Hywel Dda University Health Board in carmarthenshire.
    I have been waiting for 3 weeks and should be starting in the next week, delivery already scheduled, so i would not like to delay any more by further appointments. i have been badly suffering since 2010 and they put me on steroids, which caused a cataract. my Dr for the crohne's has been talking to the rheumatology Dr and pushing for different drugs like humira, but it was the rheumatology Dr who decided about humira drug.
    so they only got the license for a normal one dose start.I will be seeing my Crohnes's dr soon but not before i start.


    Thanks
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Eagle

    My understanding is that not everyone does do loading doses for humira. My friend has Crohn's and she started on just the one injection. On the other hand, I had a loading dose of cimzia (for my RA) and just usual dosing for humira.

    Definitely worth getting in touch with the nurses for clarification.

    Sophie
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've been on humira for some years now (I have PsA) and my first dose was administered in hospital, then a fortnight later a nurse from the organisation which delivers the drug came to show me how to do it for myself. Fortnightly is the usual dosage level but it can be upped to weekly in some circumstances. I hope you find it helpful. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • ichabod6
    ichabod6 Member Posts: 843
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have been self injecting a single dose of humira for several
    years now and take a daily tablet dose of azathiroprine.
    This combination of medication serves my rheumatoid arthritis
    and crohns disease well.