They are no different than any other medication - they all have risks to a degree. As with all meds the benefit vs side effects must be weighed.

With that said I am so happy to be living in a time that these biologics are available to us. I always think back about those folks 10+ years ago that were't so lucky. I look back at how I was before starting Humira and certainly wouldn't want to be as bad as I was then all the time.

They are scary because they are still new.
In my case, Enbrel elevated my liver enzymes. But, I am reminded that methotrexate REALLY has the liver track record yet it's by far one of the first and most prescribed.

Everyone has a point here.
My first dr told me the same. They have to list the worst even if the number is so low.
They can have some nasty side effects but so can other meds.
Depends on the person. Although darn lucky we have something to give us options & hope.
I can't touch anti depressants. For me they are a big no no.
Yet very common.
The commercials alone scare the heck out of people. Just watched one yesterday on Orencia. Which I'm currently on.
It's no wander people are concerned just as you are now.
Sammy

I try not to think of what could happen. Driving the car has risks, but I still want to go places.

I am now on my 6th biologic. All of them have helped me, but this last one - Rituxan - has helped the most. I have not had any nasty side effects from any of the biologics. I did have elevated liver numbers from methotrexate, so that dose was cut in half, now my liver numbers are good.

I know the side effects look awful. But, with the drugs my quality of life is hugely improved. I get my blood tested every 3 months. I get a copy of all the test results. For me, the biologics have been a good thing.

that thinking went out the window for me 7 or 8 years ago. I need to be able to move.

and I don't take narcotics or prednisone. tried the antibiotic road back thingee dooee. umpteen ago. nsaids are for keeping me from running into traffic.

so....

what does that leave for me?

without the biologics and the dmards how scary would that look like? not a picture i care to take of myself.

you can treat the symptoms or you can treat the disease. i barely treat the symptoms so I have no choice but to treat the disease.

if you have been doing better lately and your movement is good maybe you don't need them which would be awesome

depot

I no longer care what the side effects are. I've been bumped off so many drugs because of side effect. Mthx affected my liver, Rituxan my lungs, Actemra pretty much everything. I became severely allergic to Sulfasalazine and NSAIDs

But the years I had a good med combo, with a biologic, I got my life back. I have just been through a complete med failure - Simponi just stopped working over 2 months. From perfect to bedridden. I couldn't dress myself, or feed myself, or get to the bathroom on my own.

About now, I am ready to chance anything. Pain meds don't help, prednisone does a bit, but how long can you stay on that? I think the choice of being on a biologic is so much better than watching deformities progress and suffering 10/10 pain on a daily basis.

I know occasionally, people have really bad reactions to meds. But that includes antibiotics, and drugs for mental health, heart, diabetes, and even hypothyroidism. And so on and so on.

So for me, the chance at getting back part of my life is so much better than the thought of living forever with RA unmedicated.

Perhaps something to keep in mind is RA is so darn unpredictable.
The alternatives are not good. One day you can function fairly well the next you need a walker or cane. Even if it's a short term need it's a preview of what could happen. Or God forbid it goes internal. Of course we don't know what the future holds but I know none of us want to be there.

Pretty smart people here right? There are those few who can't take the big guns. They would & want some chance at holding the beast off.
That's speaks volumes to me.
I don't do so hot with the treatments thus far. Meaning if there's those little nasty side effects they'll find me. Yet I'd rather deal with those if I possibly can.
Then there is the pooability of RA inviting another condition or disease to join the party.
Guessing it's the worse of the 2 evils for some patients.
As there are those who deal very well with treatments. You may indeed be in that group.
Food for thought.
Sammy

I did my 4th Humira injection 2 hours and 43 minutes ago. Have I noticed improvement thus far since beginning Humira? Yes, slight but yes. Have I noticed side effects? Three: first was severe constipation but that was easily headed off with more consumption of fruit and daily glasses of apple juice (not from concentrate, read that on a thread here sometime back, THANK YOU); second is forgetfulness which seems to be a little worse with each injection, I can't seem to find a homeopathic solution to this or if I did I've forgotten it; third and possibly related to the second is an amazing increase in my anxiety level which is the worst beginning the day after the shot lasting for about five days. I am mentally a very strong person but this is scary in it's intensity.

The other scary part which may be adding to my third side effect is the cost. BC/BS of AL is going way up on premiums, AL did not participate in ACA which because of that I was able to get co-pay assistance from Humira. My Dr. prescribed it, left the room and brought in this card and said, "Call them. It's absolutely ridiculous what they are charging for these drugs". I was surprised that when I called they asked for my address and as soon as I gave the Alabama zip code they said that I qualified for XXXX a year in assistance and that because of the timing of the prescription they would cram several months worth into the first two of my script (coincided with the last two months of their fiscal yr?) and so my co-pay was only $5 each of the first two months. I very well could have misunderstood but it reminds me of the old Heroine model that we used to hear of dealers using to get people dependent and then jack up the price exponentially.

As I consider the possible conversation next week when I call the specialty pharmacy to make the next order and the financial cost I've a feeling it will boil down to the fact that to continue I'll have to somewhere between 12-17K a year to continue. Do I have it? Yes but that would mean having to radically change the lifestyle/living standard for family. We rarely vacation but our youngest daughter is quite gifted intellectually (age 14) and all of the programs that she's earned opportunity with which to participate would have to go away. I will not sacrifice helping her future to only improve my health. MTX and Plaqu keep the disease bearable and me functional. I'm not opposed to continuing the biologic but not at her expense.

But yes, there are side effects. They differ for each of us so you'll not know if you will have any of them until you start. Before starting, take extensive notes as to your physical and mental condition for a period of months so you will be able to recognize them if they occur.

Don't think so, AL did not play ball. Please correct me if I am wrong and get me started.

I don't think they are scary.

Read the list of potential side effects for any drug and they sound bad. Those lists, though, contain everything that ever happened to anyone taking the drug, whether or not the drug was an indirect, much less direct, cause. A certain number of people are going to get cancer every year, like it or not. A person who developed a malignancy of the framistan while taking Marvella will want to blame the Marvella, not genetics, those two packs of Winstons a day, or just bad luck.

Biologics are many people's first go-around with injectable drugs. Learning to self-inject can be scary, although many of us crossed that line with our methotrexate.

The price is scary. With insurance and co-pay cards, not so much.

Yes, there are people here who have had bad reactions to biologics. I've had bad reactions to penicillin, diclofenac, Flexeril, and several other drugs. What else is new?

Any rheumatologist who practiced in the pre-biologic era will be only too happy to tell you how much better, all-in-all, their patients are doing. For now, they are our best shot at minimizing damage.

@marlene

what happened to your lungs on the rituxan?

depot

I've got to say it, Humira is working. Dang sure is. Oh, after stressing and making numerous calls to insurance and Humira, co-pay is affordable. I still don't like the level of anxiety it gives me but I'm trying to adjust and also hoping that my body also adjusts. But, the combination of plaq, mtx and humira is working. I can tell by experimentation of diet....tolerating very small amounts of nightshades with very little problem. Example is that I can eat mayo and only have very slight swelling in feet that only lasts a couple of hours instead of having an entire arm lock up at the shoulder and elbow and wrist followed by the same on the other side the next day. If I stay completely clean with my diet I have zero problems. Nice.

Thank you for your thought provoking comments everyone. I appreciate it.

Nightshades - I love my mayo. Couldn't live without it, but why does it make you swell, or have pain?

Mayo bought in the store has paprika as an ingredient. That spice is from the red pepper which is a nightshade. Good ole paprika is also in mustard that you buy. You'd be amazed at all the many products that it is used in that you'd never suspect. Some labels will just say "spices" or sometimes "natural flavors" but look at the labels on the same products from other manufacturers right next to it and if they give the complete list you might find it.

Ohhhh... bummer. I had no idea.