HUMIRA TREATMENT FOR PsA - THREE WEEKS IN

I'm pleased to report I'm already feeling relief of my psoriatic arthritis symptoms with Humira. I did my first injection about three weeks ago and the second injection about a week ago. They say it can take 6-8 weeks to really kick in, but I'm already feeling a lot of relief. Since my case is more moderate, it might made sense that I am feeling it kick in earlier than someone with a really bad case. My knees almost feel normal again. I do overdo it playing basketball over this last weekend because I was feeling pretty spunky and was barely able to get up the stairs when I came back home... so I'm not all the way back yet.

As for the injections themselves, they are super easy and painless. I already injected methotrexate, so injecting Humira versus popping the leflunomide pills is not a big deal for me. It's pretty funny though getting calls from the nurse aide and pharmacist, trying to reassure me how easy it is, offering to walk me through the process, etc. I'm fine guys. I've been poked more than a pincushion these last few months, I'm over it. I definitely had some hesitation the first few methotrexate injections, but this time around... whatever. Jam it in there, I honestly don't care.

And not to sound like an advertisement, but these auto-injector pens are super easy. A little wasteful, the tree hugger in me hates the waste... but they do make it super easy. Basically painless as well; I could barely feel each of my first two injections. I'm sure at some point I'll stab it right into a nerve or something and it'll hurt more, but so far I've felt very little and the drug doesn't burn or hurt going in either. Overall it is definitely easier than when I was injecting methotrexate manually every week.

In regards to any side effects with Humira, the only one I have noticed, and this is the most common one people get, is headaches. I haven't gotten actual headaches, they are sort of almost like the start of a headache... but then I never get a headache. It's hard to explain, but I'll notice the feeling and it feels like I'm going to get a headache but then it never comes. It's just lightly threatening for a certain period of time and then it goes away. Not ideal, but honestly not that bad. If I was getting actual headaches, it might be a different story, as this is something I am feeling just about every day. Although, honestly, I don't know of I got a "sorta-headache" yesterday or so far today.

Throwback Thursday.

I'm hoping as my body adjusts to the medication, the headache side effect will go away. With leflunomide, I don't remember if I put this in the blog or not, but the first few weeks I had horrible diarrhea. That was basically the most common side effect for that drug too. I actually lightly shat my pants at work (TMI?) like the second day I was on it. And I would get five alarm poop alerts almost out of nowhere. However, eventually my body figured it out, and after a couple of weeks I was back to normal. So I'm hoping for a similar adjustment period here. Since these aren't "real" headaches, I could probably live with it, but I am hoping they go away.

Other than that, things are ticking along. I have another, hopefully final, liver test at the end of the month. That should hopefully show my liver enzymes back to normal. I haven't had a drop of alcohol in two and a half months. Honestly, I don't miss it. However, it will likely come in handy on election night, one way or another.