Q: Hello I am 29 y/o I was diagnosed with RA when I was 11 y/o I had used everything,now I am using Arava, is not working that good, so my docto recommended to switch to Humira o Embrel. Which is better?
Welcome to the site! We don't have a lot of people here who have had RA since they were young - I've had it since I was four years old - so it's always nice to see another "veteran".
RA meds work differently for different people - what works really well for some might not work well for others, so it's impossible to predict your reaction. Enbrel and Humira are different types of biologic medications and are fairly new on the market (you can read more about the different medications for RA in Dr. Mark's post on the topic). The Biologics have revolutionized treatment for RA and many people with RA who have tried these medications describe them as" miracle medication." I'm one of them -I was on Enbrel for two years and have now been on Humira for almost 4 and they have given me back my life.
Enbrel and Humira are both administered by self injection and come in prefilled syringes that make the injection easy. Generally, Enbrel is recommended once a week and Humira every two weeks, however, this varies by individual - for instance, I get Humira every nine days because every two weeks was too big an interval for me. It is my impression that doctors tend to start with Enbrel and if that doesn't work, they move on to other options such as Humira, Remicade or the other types of Biologics, but that seems to be the case primarily because Enbrel was the first biologic on the market. If your doctor isn't recommending one over the other, it depends on you. Basically, it probably comes down to you choosing what's most convenient or easy for you to remember. Would you prefer to only get two shots a month or would it be easier for you to remember a weekly shot? Have a chat with your doctor about the options, their possible recommendations and what may work best for your lifestyle.
Biologics are notorious for causing sinus related side effects, so I'd also recommend you check out my post on managing side effects for tips on how to steer clear of repeated sinus infections.
Good luck! I hope the medication you choose works as well for you as it has for so many others. Please let us know how things go?
yes, please do let me know. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!
Hello, well just to let you know I started last week with my first shot of Humira, hope everything works fine. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks :)
that's so exciting! I am so glad to hear it and will keep my fingers crossed that it works well for you. Thank you so much for letting us know.
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Hello Lene,
thank you for the answer, and yes you are right is nice to met another "veteran", well I will start with the humira next month, hope it works for me as well. I will let you know how it works, and once again thank you for the answer and the links you posted, I will check them.