New Medication! Amgevita & Methotrexate

Nikki1971

Morning, I just wanted to say hello. I was diagnosed with RA 3 years ago and would like to speak to people who have got it to find out some answers to some questions I have. My meditation is methotrexate ( injection) Hydroxychloriquine daily and I’ve just been prescribed Amgevita ( injection). Does anyone else take these together and do you find they help? 

Many Thanks 

Nikki

Poppyjane

Hello @Nikki1971

I attach a recent thread on which some members discuss your question. I hope this is helpful , do come back to us with any other questions.

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/60348/adalimumab-and-it-s-long-term-side-effects

Best wishes

Poppyjane

Fif

I've been on methotrexate since diagnosis, then sulfalsalazine was added but didn't make any difference so prescribed amgevita alongside the methotrexate. Did my first injection yesterday. I'll let you know how it goes when it's had a chance to work. As with all these medications it can take a few weeks to make a difference. I'd be interested to know how you get on.

JJJBBB

Hi I was also recently prescribed Amgevita alongside Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine. I have now paused twice (Once due to infection/fever needing Antibiotics ,and now again as I got flu like symptoms/slight fever and banging headaches when I restarted) awaiting further advice from Specialist nurse today.My instinct is that with all the uncertain longer term health risks alongside these horrible poss side effect symptoms,that this isn't going to work for me.I am on 15mg Methotrexate and wondering if an increased dose might help get better disease control.

Anyone had similar experience?

jamieA

Hi @Nikki1971

I'm not on the same 3 drugs - I'm on sulfasalazine, MTX and Amgevita. I was one of those who responded to the post @Poppyjane referred you to above. This combination has worked for me as I'm in a far better situation than I was before Amgevita was prescribed. I'm not cured but I'm functional and I'm able to walk 50-60kms a week with my dog - albeit with a limp. I now don't have a need for regular painkillers - whereas at my worst I was taking 12 a day. I did ask my rheumatologist to reduce my rheumatology medication in February and she agreed to reduce the sulfasalazine and I subsequently had quite a bad flare. She explained that the 3 drugs work together to give a better result than each could individually - what she described as 1+1+1>3. I think the medical term is synergistic. I'm aware this combination leaves me immunocompromised and I watch what I eat and avoid crowds.

I hope it works for you.

argen

Hello Nikki1971

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

JJJBBB

Hi I was also recently prescribed Amgevita alongside Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine. I have now paused twice (Once due to infection/fever needing Antibiotics ,and now again as I got flu like symptoms/slight fever and banging headaches when I restarted) awaiting further advice from Specialist nurse today.My instinct is that with all the uncertain longer term health risks alongside these horrible poss side effect symptoms,that this isn't going to work for me.I am on 15mg Methotrexate and wondering if an increased dose might help get better disease control.

Anyone had similar experience?