Are you doing the first injection in the doctor's office with the nurse?

The first time is always the hardest, but once you get past that it should be a cinch from then on. If you have private insurance(not Medicare/Medicaid), be sure to activate the manufacturer's copay card right away as that will make it cost only $5/month.

Take it out of the fridge for 20 minutes before you inject. Use a place on your belly and ice it down while you're waiting. Good luck!

i disliked the auto injector pen. i hope you like it. let us know.

once i switched to the pre filled syringe I was a happy clam.

ditto on the ice pack. absolutely required if you are going to do that injector.

it's wicked easy. don't watch the videos they are full of histrionics folks being held down and wailing. it's a pen. it will do all the work. you have to remember to not pull out the pen before it is done is about all.

write me off list if you panic. i had someone on this list once offer to call me and walk me through it on the phone years ago. this is a nice list.

the humira nurse line will also do that if you want to call them :)

Ros

I agree. Remove from frig about 20 minutes prior. Ice the area. I prefer belly to thigh. I had a nurse help me the first time. Done OK on my own since then. I found it to be less painful in the belly. I don't know if that is the case for everyone. I figured that how ever much it hurt, it was only 10 seconds, while the pain from RA was much worse and on going. Good luck. Hope it works for you.

Ayvah,

I will be starting Humira in about six weeks. I have private insurance. Would you be kind enough to elaborate on the "manufacturer's copay card" which brings the cost down to $5.

Can you please steer me in the right direction to be included in this program?

Thanks so much,
TheWino

lretz, one thing that really helped me was watching the injection video at the myHumira website. The current video shows the person injecting in her thigh, but when I started using Humira 5 years ago, a different video showed a belly injection instead. The nurse at the rheumy's office showed me how to inject in the thigh, but I've had better luck (and less pain) with the belly area.

TheWino, at the same website you also can find info about the "Humira Protection Plan." https://www.humira.com/myhumira/

Good luck -- hope it works for you.

Wow, that URL came out weird -- probably because I cut and pasted it. Let me try that again:

www.humira.com/myhumira/

You got some good advice here. Just pray that it works for you.

Yup as the poster above mentioned you can get it off the website, or, if you are having your first injection in the doctor's office the nurse may have extra copay cards there as well. If you happen to need to switch to a different injection (or infusion) in the future, they all have a corresponding copay card (though not all for $5/month!)

Ayvah,

That is some very comforting information. Thank you for passing it along.

Iretz: I wish you well with your first injection.

Take care,
TheWino

For assistance with copays, contact Abbvie. They are the Patient Assistance Foundation. I have gotten Free Humira for 3 years due to unemployment and no insurance.

Your doctor should have the information.
Everyone can get assistance from them.

Lretz, be prepared to feel better and just know that tolerating the sometimes painful injection is worth being able to function. I take it out of the fridge for 30 minutes, and when you hear the BAM of the shot - think - TAKE THAT RA! I will conquer you!

Hope it helps you!
Debbie

Thank you thank you thank you everybody! Love the mantra Debbiestl when injecting! I think I will use that!! Lol