Questions About Rheumatoid Arthritis

1. FAQ: What Are the Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

   Question - The stages of rheumatoid arthritis -- sometimes called RA -- are defined by the 2008 recommendations of the American College of Rheumatology as the following:
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer

2. FAQ: What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

   Question - Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that usually affects the lining of certain joints, especially those in the hands. The related inflammation often causes pain and swelling and, if left untreated, can result in permanent damage to the joints and in eventual disability.
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

3. What is low level laser therapy?

   Question - Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a treatment option that uses lasers to alter the body's cells, which will hopefully decrease pain. There is still research being done to see how effective it is on certain joint problems like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), or arthritis.
   1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

4. Why am I experiencing pain after taking Enbrel for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

   Question - I have just begun taking Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis and within 24 hours of the injection I began experiencing pain in my palms and the soles of my feet. Any idea why?

5. What is life expectancy with life scleroderma?

   Question - For what it's worth, I have a friend (male, age 75) who was diagnosed with RA and Lymphodema (sp?) about 5 years ago. The meds he was taking at that time were making him very sick. He stopped seeing his physician and stopped taking his medications. He was initially wheel-chair bound, yet had no outside assistance from caregivers, for example...
   1 Community Answer

6. Can excessive use of pain killers cause rheumatoid arthritis?

   Question - I have taken too many pain killers (Exedrin) for migraine headaches in the past. Now I am having trouble with bone related pain. Does too much intake of pain killer causes rheumatoid arthritis?

7. Is chemotherapy a common treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

   Question - Odd as it may sound, a number of chemotherapy drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, usually in lower doses than when used to treat cancer. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which an abnormal immune reaction causes the inflammation of the joints...
   1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

8. FAQ: What Else Can Cause Osteoarthritis Symptoms?

   Question - What else can cause osteoarthritis symptoms?
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer

9. What is the loading dose of Humira?

   Question - 1 mL prefilled glass syringe
   1 Community Answer

10. Is Humira or infliximab more effective?

    Question - Humira and infliximab are both medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and other medical conditions. Infliximab is the main ingredient in Remicade; while Humira is the trade name for the ingredient adalimumab. Both are very effective, but one may work better than the other for different people...
    1 Community Answer

11. Is Humira effective in treating sacroidosis?

    Question - Humira is not a medication that is purposely made for treating sarcoidosis. However, Humira has been found effective in treating sarcoidosis in some instances. Sarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the glands and lymph nodes. Humira is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases that cause inflammation...
    1 Community Answer

12. Is there a relationship between Humira and diabetes?

    Question - There is no direct link between Humira and diabetes. They go hand in hand though because Humira is a drug that treats things like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Those types of problems can cause diabetes so there is no direct link.
    1 Community Answer

13. Is Humira or Simponi more effective?

    Question - Humira, which has been marketed longer than Siponi, has been shown to be more effective than Simponi. Although more expensive, many people experience less side effects with Humira than with Simponi. Rebates are avilable for both online.
    1 Community Answer

14. Can Humira cause weight loss?

    Question - Humira should not cause weight loss, but weight loss may be a sign of Humira causing something else such as stomach fullness, vomiting or abdominal pain which can make someone not want to eat therefor they lose weight. One of the less common side effects of Humira is weight gain.
    1 Community Answer

15. Does Humira cause joint pain?

    Question - Humira is a prescription medicine that is taken by injection. It is used to reduce some of the symptoms of arthritis, chrohns disease, ankylosing spondylitis and plaque psoriasis. However there can be serious side effects from taking Humira one of which is joint pain.
    1 Community Answer

16. Can Humira cause acne?

    Question - Humira is a medication used to treat certain autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Psoriatic Arthritis. Numerous side effects are attributed to taking drugs like Humira, as they treat autoimmune disorders by suppressing the immune system...
    1 Community Answer

17. What makes Humira an immunosuppressant?

    Question - The Humira (Adalimumab) injection works to treat auto-immune conditions (where the body's own immune system attacks itself). These auto-immune disorders include Rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, as well as several others. Because the basic underlying problem in disorders such as these is that...
    1 Community Answer

18. What is the Humira infusion?

    Question - The Humira infusion is the process of giving the medication through IV. It takes about two hours for the medication to be pushed into your body. Humira is also given through injections. Humira is a drug used to treat Paget's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also used to treat other inflammation diseases and conditions...
    1 Community Answer

19. How does Humira treat ankylosing spondylitis?

    Question - Humira reduces the signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. It reduces the pain significantly. It does not appear to directly cure AS however.
    1 Community Answer

20. Is Humira a steroid?

    Question - Humira (Adalimumab) is a monoclonal antibody (protein) to TNF-alpha. It binds TNF-alpha and prevents it from binding the TNF-alpha Receptor, thereby inhibiting inflammatory responses. It is not a steroid. (Sources: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/ www.wikipedia.org)
    1 Community Answer

21. What is the Humira cost per dose?

    Question - Humira is a costly drug. In 2008, the website www.mdconsult.com reported that the monthly cost of Humira, at a dose of 40mg every other week would be roughly $1662.00 per month. Patients who are fortunate enough to have 3rd party insurance may pay a copay or substantially less than the cash price...
    1 Community Answer

22. Is the Humira pen or syringe more recommended?

    Question - Patients tend to prefer the Humira pen over the Humira syringe because the pen is easier to use. The pen is a pre-filled syringe injector, where the patient just needs to push the button to have the medicine injected into them. The regular syringe requires a patient to manually inject the medication into them...
    1 Community Answer

23. What is the Humira dosing schedule?

    Question - Depending on what you are treating and your weight the dosage for Humira may be different. For people treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis the dosage every other week is 40mg.
    1 Community Answer

24. Who are the Humira competitors?

    Question - The anti-inflammatory medication Humira is relatively new to the market, but does have a few competitors. Johnson & Johnson's medication "Remicade" is a competitor, but Humira currently comes out ahead as far as popularity among prescribing physicians. Enbrel is another popular medicine from the largest pharmaceutical company on the planet, Amgen...
    1 Community Answer

25. What is the Humira storage temperature?

    Question - The maximum temperature I believe is around 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Never freeze it as it will make it useless. As long as it is stored in refrigerator temperatures, its effectiveness should be fine.
    1 Community Answer

26. What are the Humira withdrawal symptoms?

    Question - Withdrawal symptoms of Humira have been reported to include serious infections such as Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis has also bee found to develop after taking Humira. Advice is to be treated with tuberculosis medicine before taking Humira or to not take it at all. Other infections inculde both viral and bacteria infections...
    1 Community Answer

27. How much does the Humira pen cost?

    Question - I use Humira; without insurance the cost runs between $1800 and $2400 for the month (2 doses). Contact the drug company online - in the past payment assistance has been available.
    2 Community Answers

28. Does Humira cause MS?

    Question - There is no definitive proof that Humira causes Multiple Sclerosis or any neurological disorder. For one thing, the medication is not old enough to have such long-term effects proven conclusively. Also, the FDA evaluates every medication thoroughly before it allows them to be prescribed to patients...
    1 Community Answer

29. What are the long term effects of Humira?

    Question - All of any medicine cause side effects, most of the common side effects for Humira are back pain, headache, mild pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; nausea, sinus inflammation, stomach pain. Some server medical conditions that you want to seek help for include vision changes, flu like symptoms, open sores that do not heal...
    1 Community Answer

30. What is the cost of Humira injections?

    Question - The average cost of Humira injections for one year is $14,000 at the common dose of 40 mg every other week. So one dose injection would run about $538.50 for people who have no drug coverage.
    1 Community Answer

31. How is the Humira syringe used?

    Question - To use the Humira syringe make sure it's at room temperature first. Wash your hands, then chose the site for your injection either on the thigh or stomach (avoiding 2 inches around your navel). Wipe the injection site with the alcohol swab...
    1 Community Answer

32. Does stopping Humira have side effects?

    Question - Humira is an injection used to decrease signs and symptoms of moderately to severly active rheumatoid arthritis; it is available only with a prescription from your doctor. Humira does have several side effects, which may or may not occur; it is very important to check with your doctor if any side effects become serious or bothersome...
    1 Community Answer

33. What are the Humira injection sites?

    Question - A lot of Humira Injection sites are in the stomach and the front of the the thighs. Do not inject Humira through clothing, it must be injected through skin.Do Not inject where your skin is tender, bruised, red or hard, or where you have scars or stretch marks. If you choose the stomach, avoid at least two inches from navel...
    1 Community Answer

34. Does Humira cause weight gain?

    Question - Weight gain is not listed as a side effect of Humira. Common side effects include feelings of being "full", body aches, bladder pain, general feeling of illness. Serious side effects of Humira include bacterial infections, allergic reactions, blood problems, immune reactions (like Lupus), hepatitis B virus reactivation, heart failure, and psoriasis...
    1 Community Answer

35. Can you drink alcohol while on Humira?

    Question - Drinking alcohol while on Humira have not been studied so the best thing to do is to ask your doctor and see what he says because many people say that you can't drink alcohol when taking that medicine but other have said that can so see what your doctor has to say about that and then you should have a clear consensus on what to do...
    1 Community Answer

36. Is there a Humira generic?

    Question - Humira (Adalimumab) is classified as a "biologic" medication, and is therefore subject to different regulations than most other drugs. Manufacture of a generic version of Humira is illegal and it doesn't look like there will soon be a change...
    1 Community Answer

37. What is the difference between Humira and Cimzia?

    Question - Humira (adalimumab) and Cimzia (certolizumab) both belong to a class of drugs called tumor necrosis factor blockers. This is like comparing apples and oranges...while they are different drugs, they do the same thing. However, Humira is used to treat six different diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile...
    1 Community Answer

38. Does Humira increase lymphoma risk?

    Question - Humira has been linked to an increase in incidence of cancer. Some indicate that it triples the risk of developing several types of cancer. TNF blockers such as those in Humira are linked to increases in lymphomas.
    1 Community Answer

39. Can Humira and methotrexate be taken together safely?

    Question - Yes, apparently the two drugs taken together are much more effective than either taken alone. Researchers have seen significant gains by using both. The only problem may be the combined side effects, however.
    1 Community Answer

40. Can you take Humira during a pregnancy?

    Question - Humira is a drug that can be used to treat a number or conditions. This includes Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic plaque psoriasis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitits. Both adults and children can be prescribed Humira...
    1 Community Answer

41. How effective is Humira for ulcerative colitis?

    Question - Humira has been highly effective for ulcerative colitis, though it is not yet approved for it. It is however approved for Chron's Disease. Humira is designed to alter your immune system and is one of the stronter medications that most patients with the disease work with...
    1 Community Answer

42. What is the difference between Humira and Remicade?

    Question - Humira (adalimumab) is a "tumor necrosis factor" (TNF) blocker and is used to treat several types of arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's Disease, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. It is administered by subcutaneous injection. Remicade is also a TNF blocker used for the same diseases. However, it is administered intravenously...
    1 Community Answer

43. How does Humira treat plaque psoriasis?

    Question - Humira mechanism of action against plaque psoriasis. It acts by inhibiting a component of our immune system called the tumor necrossis factor (TNF), this factor promotes the inflammatory response which causes the plaque psoriasis, this inhibition is achieved with a monoclonal antibody such as Humari...
    1 Community Answer

44. What is the price for Humira?

    Question - Humira has varying prices depending on where you purchase it from. The lowest I found, after cursory explorations of a few vendors, for two 40mg dosage from $1,754.69 from drugsdepot.com - to the highest of $1820. If you order higher quantities, for example six pens, it goes to $862.71 cents per pen, vs the $877...
    1 Community Answer

45. How much does Humira cost?

    Question - Humira costs between $13,000 to $14,000 for one year of continuous use at the normal dosage of 40mg every other week for people who have no drug coverage. If you have drug coverage then costs for Humira can range in percentage depending on your coverage amount.
    1 Community Answer

46. What is vasculitis?

    Question - What is vasculitis?

47. Does Humira cause hair loss?

    Question - From quick research I've seen several users claiming that Humira causes hair loss. It appears that this happens rather quickly too, however this varies from case to case. Hair loss doesn't seem to be an official symptom.
    1 Community Answer

48. Does Humira cause lupus?

    Question - Humira has not been proven to directly cause lupus. However, one rarely reported side effect of Humira, according to prescription drug resource and information website www.drugs.com, is the development of autoantibodies and a lupus-like syndrome...
    1 Community Answer

49. Does Humira cause shingles?

    Question - Researchers in Germany have determined that the prescription drug Humira have a small increased risk of developing shingles. Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by a virus (the same virus that causes chicken pox). A shingles rash can be characterized by small blisters with new blisters forming every three to five days...
    1 Community Answer

50. Is breastfeeding safe while on Humira?

    Question - According to an article comment found on revolutionhealth.com, many users are having problem finding any information on breastfeeding and taking Humira. Humira is a drug used to treat crohn's disease. One patient stated that she was assured it would be safe by her GI team. Another refused to take the medicine while pregnant...
    1 Community Answer

51. Does Humira cause depression?

    Question - Depression is listed as a less common side effect of the medicine Humira, which is used to treat arthritis in patients. Even though this is a stated side effect, it does not mean that everyone using this medication will experience depression, or nany other side effect...
    1 Community Answer

52. Can Humira cause multiple sclerosis?

    Question - Yes, in very rare cases Humira may make worse or cause multiple sclerosis and other nervous system conditions. It can also on rare occasions cause very low blood counts that are dangerous.
    1 Community Answer

53. Can Humira increase osteoporosis risk?

    Question - Osteoporosis has been reported in patients taking Humira, so there is a very slight chance of increased risk. There is also the very rare but fatal risk of increased bacteria or viral infections. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns while taking Humira.
    1 Community Answer

54. What are the Humira pen instructions?

    Question - The generic name of this drug is adalimumab.Before taking this drug be sure and make sure that your doctor will perform tests just to make sure that you do not have a tuberculosis or any kind of infection to prevent problem in the future.And always follow the 4 steps strictly in order to have a successful treament...
    1 Community Answer

55. Does Humira cause infertility?

    Question - Humira is a drug that is effective at treating many kinds of arthritis. It does pose some health risks, not least of which are serious infections. There has been no causal link found to infertility in women, and as most women who are prescribed medication for arthritis are beyond child-bearing age anyway, it is not generally a doctor's main concern...
    1 Community Answer

56. Can Humira and prednisone be taken together safely?

    Question - This combination of drugs is risky. Both drugs suppress your immune system, making you much more susceptible to infection. A serious infection could lead to death. You should definitely discuss taking this combination of drugs with your doctor and should your doctor prescribe this combination, you should be closely monitored...
    1 Community Answer

57. Can Humira and antibiotics be taken together safely?

    Question - Technically, you can be on Humira while taking other medications, however it is counter productive to take an antibiotic while your immune system is being suppressed because antibiotics work in conjunction with your immune system. What Humira support will tell you is that if you have any active infection...
    1 Community Answer

58. What are alternatives to Humira?

    Question - Humira (Adalimumab) is a TNF-alpha inhibitor. It functions by binding TNF-alpha and preventing it from interacting with the TNF-alpha receptors in cells. Like the other TNF alpha inhibitors, it is a monoclonal antibody. Other TNF-alpha inhibitors that are approved by the FDA include Remicade (infliximab...
    1 Community Answer

59. Is surgery safe while on Humira?

    Question - Surgery could be safe while on Humira, the most common side effect is infection from the surgery. A lot of doctors ask their patents to skip the dose prior to surgery, and not take any Humira for two weeks. If they do, you will not want to take any Humira prior to the next two weeks after surgery.However, there is no clear answers form the clinical studies...
    1 Community Answer

60. What are the Humira indications?

    Question - The latest indication is that it is for treatment of recent onset of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Another shows that it is for reduction of signs and symptoms of patients with psoriatic arthritis. It is also for use against Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis...
    1 Community Answer

61. What's the proper way for traveling with Humira?

    Question - You should contact the company that produces Humira to obtain a breakdown of how to travel with the medicine. Most put the drug in an insulated lunchbox filled with ice packs. However, the temperature fluctuations associated with lengthy travel may cause problems.
    1 Community Answer

62. Does Humira cause liver problems?

    Question - Yes, Humira can cause liver problems including liver failure. Humira, which is the brand name for adalimumab injection, is usually used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. It works by blocking a substance in the body, TNF, that causes inflammation...
    1 Community Answer

63. Does Humira cause fatigue?

    Question - Humira is used to suppress the immune system in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This leaves the patient more susceptable to infections. The National Institute of Health lists fatigue as a symptom of infection and also of arthritis. Humira affects the nervous system, which can bring on a feeling of weakness...
    1 Community Answer

64. What is the proper storage for Humira?

    Question - Humira should be stored in the refrigerator between 36 and 46 degrees Farenheit. It should not be frozen and should be protected from light. It should also be stored in the original container until it is ready to be used. Humira should always be kept out of reach from children and pets...
    1 Community Answer

65. Does Humira cause headaches?

    Question - Humira is a drug used to effectively treat rheumatoid arthritis and crohns disease with great success. However it comes with some serious side effect and severe headache is one of them. Some others are chest discomfort, weakness in arms and legs and several blood disorders.
    1 Community Answer

66. Is there anything I can take to boost my white blood count?

    Question - Yes. Prescription-strength folate supplements can help bump up a low white blood cell count, especially if these supplements weren’t being taken before discontinuing the methotrexate medication. Methotrexate is a good treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but as you now know, it can cause low blood cocounts in a small number of people...
    1 Expert Answer

67. How long do chemotherapy side effects last?

    Question - First off, thank you for your well-written email. I can certainly hear your frustration.
    1 Expert Answer, 68 Community Answers

68. Is there an arthritis medication that won't cause a skin rash?

    Question - Usually when people say they have arthritis they are referring to the most common type of arthritis: osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. Methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine are never used for osteoarthritis however, so I will assume you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or another similar autoimmune joint disease...
    1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers