RA and Biological Drugs

PoppyBaggins

I have been on Rituxamub infusions for 5 years and had to stop due to Covid and and had a really good result with no side effects, since I stopped have been in a constant flare up of most of my joints and really suffering, have been changed onto another biological but an injection this time called Adalimumab to be taken fortnightly at home. Has anyone been on this and can give me any tips or advice on this drug x

CarylW

Hello @PoppyBaggins

Welcome to our online community. We are a friendly bunch of people, and we will try and help you with any queries you have.

I understand you have RA and have been moved from Rituxamub to Adalimumab and you would like some tips on this drug from anyone who is taking it.

This information may may be helpful for you, and I hope that members with experience of the drug will be able to help as well.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/adalimumab/

Do keep posting and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Caryl

jamieA

Hi @PoppyBaggins

I've been on the adalimumab biosimilar Amgevita since the end of July 2021. It was added to the sulfasalazine and methotrexate I was already on at the time and which hadn't worked for me. Two months after starting Amgevita I was able to hand back my crutches and I now regularly walk 50-60kms a week. I'm not cured but I'm in a far better situation than I was from late 2020 to mid 2021. My rheumatologist asked at my consultation in February this year my level of pain/discomfort on a scale 1-10 with 10 being how I was at my worst in 2021. I replied that now I'd regard it as a 1 or 2.

I know these drugs don't work for everyone - I recently met someone who was now on their 4th biologic - but it has worked for me and hope it does for you.

Woofy

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/709594#Comment_709594

Gosh this gives me hope. I’ve tried Hydroxychloraquine, sulfasalazine, now Methotrexate. Which I’ve been on about 5 weeks.it really takes a long time to get the meds right sometimes doesn’t it. I am grateful I have a good rheumatology team.

Fif

Just seen my consultant today having been on methotrexate for over a year and sulfalsalazine since February. The sulfalsalazine doesn't seem to have made much difference so I've to stop taking it and start on Amgevita. I'll let you know how I get on, but @JamieA sounds really positive.

PoppyBaggins

Thank you @jamieA for the reply, have been on Methotrexate a few years ago and wasn’t that happy with the nausea even with medication to help and didn’t see that much improvement in my RA so was happy to try the Rituxamib infusions which were fantastic but Covid put a stop to that as being on the infusion and catching Covid was deemed too risky as it was one of the worst biological drugs for the immune system and I think there had been an increase in deaths from Covid and being on Rituxamib, was phoned by my rheumatologist and told I couldn’t get it and would try another safer one. I never had any side effects and was wary of the new injection, feeling bad enough with my joints in constant flare ups and dreading new side effects, just need some genuine advice from someone taking it.

Thank you for your reply, any other advice would be welcome

Barbara

jamieA

Hi

Just to be clear @Fif @PoppyBaggins and @Woofy I still take Sulfasalazine and MTX as well as Amgevita. My rheumatologist said the combination is giving a better result for me than the 3 drugs individually. I think it is called synergistic. I think I proved that when I asked her if I could reduce my drug intake and she agreed to reduce the Sulfasalazine from 6 to 5 then to 4 a day in February. I had a flare about 4 weeks later and my rheumatology nurse said she was sure it was caused by the reduction so I’m back up to 6 a day.

argen

Hello I would like to share my experiencie with Angevita ( Adalimumab). I started with that biological inyection in 2021. I had been taking in the Metrotexate, Sulfasalazine, Hydroxychloroquine. I am not sure if it was too much medication but I satrted having my white blod cells low since I started with Amgevita. When this happened I stopped Amgevita some weeks and then I started again.

In some appointments with my Rheumatologist I requested reduce my medication and to remove the angevita, but this never happened, the Dr. accepted to reduce a bit of metrotexate. 

When I had a inyection CT contrast (December 2022) to relief the pain in my hip ,( sacroiliac joint), the radiologist found Lynphomas in my body.

So I have being diagnosticated with Non hodgking Lynphoma, big cells and I am doing chemotherapy. 

I don't want to say with this that some medication was wrong, probably it was too much, could be too much covid vaccines in the same time with the medication. I am not sure 

The only thing I know is that my white cells started lower since I started with Amgevita. 

So please, check your blood tests, and following up. Because I had being talking with my nurse and my Rheumatologist about this and they consideret like " normal".

If the radiologist don't find the Lynphomas accidentally had been too late, Even with that I started the chemos late because the Orthopedist and Rheumatologist never did the following up. This was found because I had been insisting.

I hope my experience can help, take care all

Argen

Chris_R

Hi @argen

Welcome to the online community,it is great you are sharing with others your experiences,but what advice do you want from us at versus Arthritis you dont say.

I hope you find what you are looking for in chatting to others,please let us know how you get on

All the best Christine