Cimzia

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Butterfly62
Butterfly62 Member Posts: 3
edited 4. Jun 2018, 09:56 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi everyone, I’m new to this so bare with me. I’ve been on Cimzia just over a year now and since starting my weight has ballooned especially my stomach! More worryingly, quite soon after starting I developed chest problems giving me a constant cough especially through the night and my voice has gone really deep and breaks up when talking. Has anyone experienced these symptoms. I’m worried about my chest but I still haven’t had an appointment to see the specialist nurse since starting and I should have had an appointment 11 weeks after starting but they have a huge back log to work through. Thanks everyone.

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello, I have not taken cimzia (I'm on injected meth and humira) and I don't often suggest the following: have you read the side effects leaflet? I know they can be alarming in themselves but I take the view that they are covering their behinds so law suits are out of the question. :wink:

    I have had side-effects from some medications I've taken for my PsA but for me it's a trade-off between quality of life now compared to letting the disease run riot. Tablet meth gave me a rash, cyclosporin made me hairy, prednisolone gave me moon-face plus weight gain (and thinned my bones). I have to go so apologies for the truncated answer. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Right, I'm back.

    Before I began both kinds of meth and any anti-TNF I was given a variety of breathing tests: I developed asthma aged seven but whether this was a factor or not I don't know. You don't mention your age or medical history -. it could be that you have in other posts but I am away from home and using an unfamiliar machine with miniscule font (although it is set to HUGE. I don't think so. :lol: )


    I am 59, I was born with eczema, as I mentioned started asthma and then the psoriatic arthritis came along when I was 37. OA was diagnosed when I was 52, followed by fibromyalgia,. that's my arthritic background. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,713
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I don't think either weight gain or voice changes are recognised side-effects of cimzia but I think most DMARDS and biologics can cause lung problems so, if I were you, I'd be enlisting my GP's help. They can check out your lung function (actually a nurse can do it). If your regular blood tests show all is well then it probably is but it would be a good idea to have a health professional check you over.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright