Concerns about safety of Adalimumab

Backofthenet

Hello,

New to the forum and would appreciate some feedback about Adalimumab safety.

I have just been approved for the drug as my arthritis condition has worsened and not responded to increased dosage of methotrexate.

I have had Psa for around 20 years and have had flare up's over the years but it has been fairly well controlled - even in remission at one stage. I have gone from 7.5 mg to 20mg of methotrexate over last 12-15 months but my hand / finger swelling is still visible and quite painful and of course joint damage is worsening and i can't make a complete fist with either hand due to inflamation/joint damage.

That being said i consider myself very lucky and am still very active at 60 and manage 2-3 hours of really intense excercise everyday and feel better after the excercise.

Having read the patient safety leaflet on the Amgevita website it's made me more than a little nervous about the side effects of the drug. I know we are all different but what has been the experience of people on the site here who take the drug and is it worth the risks associated with these types of drugs?

Ellen

Hello @Backofthenet (great name!)

Welcome to the Online Community.

I see you have had Psoriatic Arthritis for some 20 years and seem to have done really well until the last year or so when Methotrexate just isn't enough. So Rheumatology are suggesting Adalimumab and you are understandably concerned about the side effects.

Many of our members on here take anti TNF medications so i am sure you will get some feedback from them, but in the meantime I am going to attach a couple of links for you to read. The first is about Anti-TNF:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/november/anti-tnf-transforming-the-treatment-of-inflammatory-arthritis/

Particularly relevant is 'Ian's story.

and this too is about Psoriatic arthritis itself I know you have had the condition for a long time but it's still worth a read I think:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/

Finally well done for keeping active it really does help if it's possible. You might be interested in our Let's Move category:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/categories/letsmove

Best wishes

Ellen

Backofthenet

Thanks for the quick response Ellen,

Both stories are really uplifting and really give hope to all of us with this condition.

I'd love some feedback off the members taking these drugs (good or bad). I suppose the concerns were raised when reading the patient leaflet for Amgevita. Some of the side effects seem quite traumatic and the leaflet says can effect up to 1 in 10 people taking the treatment - which seem pretty narrow odds to me.

That being said all that I have read say how good biologics are in treating arthritis - particularly inflammation and joint damage limitation.

looking forward to any feedback and being a member.

Best Regards

Mike

Backofthenet

Hi,

I took my first Amgevita injection on Tuesday and realise it's very early days but I have noticed a reduction in inflamation on my hands and fingers and there is less of that pain associated with Psa around the fingers and wrists.

The injection itself was very straight forward as well (no different really to the meth injection ) and the support nurse was really helpful in taking me through the process.

As I said very early days but have noticed an improvement after 2 days....

Jo_A

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/54451/concerns-about-safety-of-adalimumab

I’ve been on it for 1 year now with no side effects and I’m sure I would be more disabled without it

Backofthenet

Just an update

By 10th July I had developed some of the symptoms of side effects of Amgevita - that is cough, temperature, change in sense of taste and smell.

it just so happens these are the same symptoms of a. Covid and b, a viral type infection

Have had a PCR test and awaiting the results.

Rheumatology nurses view is that it's either Covid or an infection - as my response to the drug has been so rapid that would also have lead to a similar rapid lowering of my immune system.

If it's not Covid i've got to have anti-biotics to clear up any infection and once that is cleared up then take my second injection. A second injection is the only way to see if i have had / will have an adverse response to the drug itself.

Have to say the positive response to the drug and it's reduction in my Psa symptoms has been amazing for me - pretty much pain free with no inflamation - so hoping I do not have an adverse response / side effects as I don't think I could face a cycle of this every two weeks.

Backofthenet

Hello,

PCR test eventually came back today - 76 hours after the test. The test was positive! That explains a lot.

I am double jabbed and still felt quite ill - so it shows the effect Covid can have on the clinically vulnerable.

Also - makes a mockery of test and trace - waiting for the result for 76 hours - but that's a different story.

trying to find out now if i should still go ahead with second Amgevita injection next tuesday (one day after isolation period ends)