Are you feeling good on the MTX alone? My doctor is suggesting the same thing but I am not getting adequate relief from MTX alone. I am not yet at the max. dose though so I will be questioning him.

I take my MTX and Humira on the same day, and the side effects I notice the next day (slight nausea, "blah" feeling) are the same ones that I already had when I was taking MTX alone. (Within the last month or so, I've been geting an injection-site welt each time I take the Humira, but the medication itself doesn't affect how I feel.)

I am feeling much better taking the MTX than I felt before I started taking it but still have some inflammation. I was taking 6 tablets and he increased me to 8 but didn't think that it would make much difference. I have also been taking Sulfasalzine but he didn't think that was helping me much either. I am pretty sure I am going to start either Enbrel or Humira because I want to try stop the inflammation and resulting joint damage.

Thanks debRAinOC. I don't know if I'll be trying Enbrel or Humira (my Rheumy said it would depend on which drug my insurance would cover). Do you use a syringe or one of the pre-filled pens?

Hi Carole! I currently take 8 MTX on Wednesday nights and take the Humira injection every Friday. I haven't had much luck with the Humira. The Enbrel worked great, but I started having allergic reactions so my rheumy switched me to Humira. I have used both, the syringe and the pre-filled pin. I'm not sure why, but the Humira burns pretty bad when it goes in so I like the pre-filled pen because its quick! Best of luck, I hope you find the right biologic med for you :)

My insurance would've covered either, but I chose Humira because I have to take it only once every two weeks (instead of once a week with Enbrel). I asked for the pens because I had a lot of stiffnes in my hands and worried that I wouldn't be able to use a regular syringe. Several people on this site have said that the pens are more painful than the syringes, but I generally haven't felt too much discomfort with the pens.

I added Humira to MTX a few months ago. I feel nothing from the Humira (and the pen is, for me, barely painful at all). MTX always "slogs" me out for the next day.

Hi
I was on mtx and embrel for 2 years and had no problems when I cut on embrel within5 weeks I had severe pain aagain and went back on it.My RA has my hands deformed and curling toes bent to the right etc
Saddens me although I am 65 I loved to dance the hula all my life and play the piano
I now watercolor paint .

I have been on enbrel and MTX for about 6 months and it has done wonders for my RA. The shot is a little painful, and I try to take them on the same day. I dont seem to have any side effects from the Enbrel, a little nausea, a little hair loss from the MTX, but nothing big. When you take the shot, the self-injector, I let my out of the refrigerator for approx. 20-25 minutes before I use it, the pain seems less.

Good Luck

My rheumy wants me to go on Enbrel or Humira because I'm having bad reactions to MTX. It makes me so sick and I feel like crap for days after taking it...I will be watching all the replies to this. Good luck!

Thank you to everyone who replied to my questions. Have a great Valentine's Day!

Carole

Hi Carole!

I take Humira and MTX on the same day. It took a while before the Humira kicked in and started working. I experienced some fatigue but that quickly went away.

Soome tips for using Humira (I use the pen): I was told to bring the Humira to room temperature but it still burned so I took it a step further and wear the pen against my body to bring it to my bodies temperature. There is minimal burn. Also a nurse told me to gently pinch about an inch or so of the skin where you are going to inject and hold it with one hand while you inject with the other hand. This has minimized discomfort for me.

Good luck!

hugs jilly

Hi and Happy Day...
I was on MTX and Humria but it didnt seem to work all that well for me. I take 8 tabs on Friday night. My doctor has switch me to Enbrel. I take it every wk. I fell 1oo% better with it too. I havent had any trouble at all with it.I am also on Pred. every day and Arava every day.The Humira just didnt seem to help me.Good Luck !
Juanita