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humira to treat lupus

hi, i was diagnosed with sle in sept 2007, since then the diagnosis has been changed to mctd as i also have sjogrens and raynauds.  the rheumy says that i also have all the symptoms of ra but do not have the positive ra factor when testing my blood.  he thinks that i will get some help from humira and i am to start that this week.  i have done searches but only find info on humira induced lupus, nothing about treating lupus with humira.  is anyone on here taking humira for lupus?  any advise would be greatly appreciated.  thanks!!
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Avatar universal
I have been told at a hospital setting that I could possibly have lupus. I am scared to get checked. I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, although there is no test to verify you have it or not. I have what looks like bad circulation in my mower legs and feet. They turn blueish purple and tingly. I went and was checked. No blockages, actually I have one extra vein in two legs. I do get headaches that hurt my eyes. Even they feel sore. I noticed on the side of my retinas on each eye a lumpy looking area. I have very very severe skin problems. 8-9 skin doctors, not including about 4 regular Dr's can not figure it out. I have been diagnosed with taking two baths a day was causing it. I'm down to one. Still there. I am supposed to have adult acne and folicolitis, but if that's the case...it is worse now than my teenage years. One said anxiety. Which I do have and I am on anxiety medication and two antidepressants due to traumas I've been thru. I was told I was possibly allergic to progestron, because I was taking depo shots and the time the shots were taken it became worse. I had a partial hysterectomy to help this. It didn't. I had a biopsy that said it looked like I had been bitten by a brown-lacruise . Spider...but that was ruled out because of the many!!!! Lesions I have all over my body. These lesions take years to heal and alot will return in the same spot that is scarred. It will heal to a point and then a calcus like skin will come over it and it's dry and continues to peel. I do pick, because it irritated me and itches, but I have caught myself picking the calused skin when I'm nervous. My body is scared so badly that I am ashamed. I do have hypothyroidism. I feel tired all the time. I do have some memory loss, but not all the time. Usually when I'm overwhelmed. I'm highly allergic to other things they have received as chemicals because there's no test for it, yet it triggers it. There's not a cream or pull I prob have not tried. I do have back issues, but they said I had degenerative disk disease and Scoliosis. I am 42 and have never had scoliosis. My muscles in my back is what seems to ache. My hair does come out in big wads. But it's usually a lot when I'm stressed. I seem to get colder than the normal person, sometimes so cold it feels like it's deep in my bones. Steroids helps the places go away. Usually its a shot and a steriod pack. Eventually it comes back and it causes weight gain which I syruggle with anyway from my thyroid. I am white and indian mix. I noticed these changed after I had my son and he's now 17, almost 18. I have very severe stomach issues. I stay constipated to the point I use enemas regularly. I do have a dropped bladder and need surgery. They are afraid due to My sensitivity to things, whatever they use My body will reject it. But it's beginning to become to the point I'm going to have to chance it. My family Dr supposedly did blood work and found nothing, including Lupus. My friend suggests I need to go to a Rhematory Dr. I need advice and guidance if these are even the symptoms.
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Avatar universal
Can you send me the dosage of both meds thanks and any other thing you think can help my wife has lupus and arthritis and the doctor dose not talk about new meds for both .thanks god bless my email address is ***@**** thank you
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434278 tn?1324706225
Thanks so much for your input!!!  Could you share the dosage amount of both please.
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Avatar universal
I have Lupus and am being treated with Humira and MTX.  The Humira has been the best medication I have used for the severe pain.
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1 Comments
Hi! How many the dosage of humira & MTX for you? Thanks
Avatar universal
Thanks...with my current diagnosis of "undifferentiated arthritis" that is lupus-like, I don't feel like I belong anywhere right now...but my former rheumy diagnosed me with SLE because I met 4 of the ACR criteria (highly positive ANA of 1:640, photosensitivity, arthritis, and mouth ulcers)...my current Rheumy changed my diagnosis because he felt my arthritis (hands, fingers & wrists in particular) is so bad that it's RA like....but I have None of the bloodwork to indicate RA....fortunately, he is monitoring my DS-DNA and urine protein levels along with my full bloodwork every 2 months, since he still considers my symptoms to raise suspicion for SLE...am still negative for all the lupus-like antibodies except for the ANA...who knows, maybe I'll end up having both...I am on some of the typical lupus meds (like prednisone & Imuran & Celebrex) but the Humira is a big stretch & controversial for lupus patients because it can cause lupus in RA patients (so they don't know how it will affect lupus patients)....but it is helping my arthritis...deep down inside I still think I do have lupus though because I definitely have photosensitivity, though I haven't had the sun-induced rash in over 2 years now...but that could be because the plaquenil & Imuran are working to prevent that...I guess what really matters is that my rheumy is taking my symptoms seriously & treating them as best as possible...was on 6 - 40 mg per day of prednisone since Aug 2010 but we are tapering down so I'm at a record low of 5 mg now...I'm still attending my local lupus support group too...even if I end up with "just" RA vs lupus or "rhupus", the women in the LSG can certainly relate to the chronic disease, chronic pain, fatigue, and other common symptoms of these terrible autoimmune connective tissue diseases, so we have a lot in common.....nice to join the MedHelp lupus group too...maybe I'll find another person with similar lupus-like symptoms of moderate to severe arthritis but few of the other systemic organ problems of typical lupus (except for skin)...and normal bloodwork, other than the 1:640 ANA...and who is on a boatload of meds to control the arthritis, some atypical for SLE...thanks again for the warm welcome!!!
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434278 tn?1324706225
Hi there, glad to have you on board.  Welcome to MedHelp lupus forum.
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Avatar universal
Your post was about a year ago, but I am wondering how you have been doing on the Humira?  I am in a similar situation - I was diagnosed with SLE in Sept 2010 with main symptoms of finger, hand, and wrist arthritis that did not respond to MTX or moderate doses of prednisone (6 - 40 mg per day over the past year).  MTX was stopped in Jan 2011 and Imuran started, but my arthritis persisted so I was put on Humira in mid April 2011.  My current Rheumy switched my diagnosis to undifferentiated arthritis with high suspicion for SLE or seronegative RA.  Today I'm on plaquenil, prednisone (tapering down from 5 mg), imuran (150 mg per day), humira (injection every 10 days), celebrex (100 mg twice daily), and elavil (for insomnia and chronic pain of metatarsalgia & nueralgias in foot) plus medium & Zantac for GERD & Barret's esophagus, and I'm doing pretty well!  My arthritis is MUCH better than it was a year ago, so I believe the humira and celebrex have helped the most, possibly the imuran as well since I have to stay on that along with the humira.  I have not developed any bad side effects from the humira thankfully, and my DS-DNA is still negative.  I am being closely monitored for SLE related symptoms just in case, but have had none besides the arthritis.  Would like to know whic systemic, chronic connective tissue diseases I have one of these days, but, in the meantime, I'm happy with the combo of drugs I'm on....not entirely pain & stiffness free, but pretty close on most days...hoping it lasts!!!  Please let me know how you are doing (or did) on the humira.
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1 Comments
Hi! How many dosage that you took on humira? Thanks
434278 tn?1324706225
What were you taking before?
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