Do you mean Actemra?

http://www.dailystrength.org/search?q=actemra&t=discussion&community=Rheumatoid+Arthritis

Yeah....Actemra. Sorry - brain is fried today....need more caffeine.

The only reason I corrected the spelling is there are a lot of results in the search (link I posted).

I am on Actemra, but I inject myself. If I get infusions, I would have a 4 hour round trip drive. Another thing to consider is the portion of expense you would have to cover. With the injections, my cost is $5 a month. No side effects.

On the positive side, the shot is pretty much painless.

I just started my infusion today. I was scared but it was completely painless. I wish I would have done this a long time ago instead of Humira and Embrel. Hoping it works!

I go back to my Rheumatologist the first week in September. Since the Enbrel has totally failed now, there is a possibility of me going to something using an infusion next.

My biggest fear is being able to drive home afterward. If I get it done at my doc's office I have a 2.5 hour drive home. If this comes about I am hoping I can have it done at the local hospital which is only a 45 minute drive.

I've read where nobody has really had any side effects right after their infusion. But it still worries me with that long drive right afterwards.

I have been having Actemra infusions since last November but had a 4 month break because of a staph infection. I haven't had any side effects except that it has lowered my immune system and almost knocked it out completely - hence the staph infection.
The infusion itself is painless, takes about an hour or so, once it has been set up.
Actemra has loered my inflammation markers to normal levels for the first time in almost 5 years. I have no swelling but am in a lot of pain (may or may not be from Actemra) so having extensive blood tests, MRI, CT Scan and a Nuclear Bone Scan next week to see if shows up anything. My Rheumy is puzzled about the pain when blood tests are showing huge improvement in inflammation levels.
Hugs

Hi Yankees - I was on Actemra for about a year and, like you, Actemra was indicated due to my high Vectra DA score. More importantly, the Vectra test showed an unusually high number of IL-6 proteins and that's what Actemra is specifically intended to fight. The treatment was successful, but doing monthly infusions is difficult to fit into my life for a number of reasons. If injection had been an option at the time, I would have chosen that.

I now take Xeljanz in tablet form 2 times daily, and it seems to work just about as well. One of the reasons I think it helps about as much as the Actemra is that the dosage is far more even (daily) rather than the monthly infusions I got before - my first 2 1/2 to 3 weeks would be good, then I'd start flaring again in my last week or so before the next infusion). Actemra was the most effective of the four or so biologics I've tried. BTW, side effects minimal with all of my biologics - I'm one of the lucky ones.

I'd suggest looking into how the infusion process works for your doctor and factor that into your decision. In my case, the hassle of > order the meds at just the right time/draw blood monthly/schedule only on Wed morning/need to reschedule? Can't fit you in for another 3 weeks< just wasn't worth it.

Hi folks, I have been away from this site for a while. Lots going on with other things and truly not feeling well RA wise. I had been on Rituxan with last dose being in March. Really was not doing anything and pain and fatigue increasing. I was going to be placed on actemra and LFT's were elevated. So at this point no Actemra and no PO meds either. In 2weeks my lab work will be repeated and we will see what happens.