Medication

Stevenm

Hi, I have just registered on the versus arthritis site and would like to ask about medication. I am currently on leflunomide but will soon also be starting on amgevita (adalimumab) injections once every two weeks and wondered if anyone else has this and what your experience was. Thank you

Woofy

Hi Stevenm.
I have just been put on Leflunomide, along with methotrexate injections. This is the hospitals last attempt with Demards, before they give me biologicals. The first few days I felt a little nauseous on the Leflunomide, but 3 weeks in and that has subsided.

Hoping this new combo I am on will work, but it’s hard to tell at the moment, as I am on a reducing course of steroids to help with pain. How have you got on with your medication?

Ellen

Good morning @Stevenm

Lovely to meet you and welcome you to the online community. I see Woofy has already said hello hopefully some other of our members will be along soon to share their own experience with you.

I just did a quick search on Adalimumab for you and got the following threads:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/search?domain=all_content&query=adalimumab&scope=site&source=community

Some will be older, but some will be more recent and be written by people still posting regularly I may be wrong, but think @jamieA takes Amgevita the biosimilar. I am sure he will be able to tell you how he has got on taking it.

My best wishes

Ellen.

jamieA

Hi @Stevenm

I have psoriatic arthritis which came on really quickly in late 2020 and within 6 weeks I was reduced to walking with elbow crutches, I couldn't close my hands or move my shoulders much. I was first prescribed sulfasalazine which didn't work. Four months later methotrexate was added and the combination didn't work. Nine months in and Amgevita was added. Within 3 weeks I could feel a difference and two months after starting the 3 drug combination I handed back my crutches. I'm not cured by any means but I'm a great deal better than I was at my worst when I was on morphine to control the pain. My rheumatologist asks that on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being my worst condition over the last 4 years how I would rate things and I almost always reply as a 1-2. I do have periods where it is worse than that - I still get flares every now and then. For instance last month I had my covid booster with the obligatory 2 weeks off methotrexate afterwards. I initially had a bit of a reaction to the vaccine and then had a flare towards the end of the 2 weeks off MTX. My rheumatologist organised a steroid injection and that's stabilised things.

I'm able to walk my dog 50-60kms a week - albeit with a limp as my left knee was damaged early on by the PsA and needs replaced. But I'm in a far better place now than in the latter part of 2020 and first half of 2021.

I know we are all different and how we react to drugs will also possibly be different but my 3 drug treatment has certainly improved things significantly for me. My rheumatologist describes the 3 drug treatment as synergistic where the sum is greater than the parts. She does think I could be better than I am and has discussed the possibility of changing my biologic to a different one as some people build up antibodies to the biologic. However I've said I'd be a bit worried I'd lose the gains I've got.

I've found the process of self injection fairly simple. I was given a quick course in how to do it at the start. I bought a small tabletop fridge to keep the injector pens in so they are kept separate from the main house fridge. I live in Scotland and here it's Lloyds Pharmacy Clinical Homecare that has the contract for delivery and I've never had an issue - they give a 2 hour window on the day of delivery and have never missed it, they also provide a medical sharps box and take away the full ones. It's usually a 4 pen delivery every 8 weeks when I'm down to my last 2 pens.

You'll be classed as immunocompromised by being on adalimumab so just make sure your GP flags that on your records. You should be eligible for free covid tests and the antiviral treatments if you catch covid. You should be eligible for the flu and shingles vaccinations. I make sure all my vaccinations are up to date. You'll need avoid certain foods but I'm pretty sure these are all listed on the Amgevita booklet. I try to avoid large crowds and crowded places. Other than that it's life as normal.

I hope it works for you.

Stevenm

Thankyou for your comments, very helpful. I also have tried methotrexate with lefluminide but that didn’t work for me as felt nauseous all the time, which is why I am now looking at biologics

kio

Hi @Stevenm

I have only recently joined Versus Arthritis and this is my first post. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for about 10 years which mainly affects my elbow joints. Because they were becoming more painful I started the Amgevita injections last October. 40mg every two weeks. It reduced the pain in my elbows very rapidly but unfortunately the side effects were too uncomfortable.
The mild tinnitus I have always suffered with became very loud, along with dizziness and feeling very shaky so on my consultants advice I have stopped the injections for now.

I must stress that this is only my personal experience and very many people take this medication with few or no side effects. In my case I don’t think I was given enough information about the possible adverse reactions to this drug and I feel now that I should have stopped it sooner.
Consultants are obviously more focused on relieving the pain and stress of this condition which I am thankful for, although the rheumy nurses are always great for a chat and a bit of a moan when needed!

It’s been five weeks since my last injection and I do feel a lot better although it’s a bit of an up and down journey. Elbows still pain free so far…

I certainly wouldn’t rule out taking a different biologic in the future or even Amgevita again now that I know what to look out for, they are definitely worth trying. Hope all goes well for you.