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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/6/2016 3:17 PM (GMT -5)
I have been on weekly Humira Shots, for two months now, just had a Prometheus test done.. The Dr.s assistant just called that the Dr.said that there is no trace of Humira in my blood???? Could that mean there isn't Humira in the shots but water instead??????
Posted 1/6/2016 3:21 PM (GMT -5)
I am not taking Humira so I don't know a lot about it but I wonder if that means your body is just metabolizing it out too quickly. I know they tested my remicade levels to see if that was happening. And the drugs are similar.
Posted 1/6/2016 3:21 PM (GMT -5)
and why would they give you water shots ?
Posted 1/6/2016 3:58 PM (GMT -5)
Time to increase the frequency of humira. Were there any antibodies found in that test?

Each humira shot includes many humira proteins. A Humira protein is designed to bind with one tnf-alpha protein and make it inert. Your immune system creates tnf-alpa proteins to say "send an attack over here". Once that signaling is muted or reduced, you heal.

If you run out of humira proteins then that means one thing, there isn't enough humira in your system to get you by from one shot to the next. Why might there not be enough humira in your veins? Because of a louder signalling from your immune system to send an attack. Antibodies developed by the immune system are another culprit (your immune system can identify humira as a foreign invader and develop antibodies to make humira inert). Your Prometheus anser ADA test should've identified them, if present. Some do metabolize/get rid of humira from their veins faster than others, as well.
Posted 1/6/2016 4:02 PM (GMT -5)
You are clearly using up or emptying this drug quicker than most if you have not developed antibodies to it

Start weekly injections. You might need to do another loading dose to make sure there is enough in your serum to start with
Posted 1/6/2016 5:24 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks for your replies. I am doing weekly shots. I have a call in to my Dr. to try to explain what is going on!!! Obviously I can't do the shots more than weekly.. Guess I have to try something else. Waiting to see if I can start Entyvio-- but am a member of a group that is showing me many people on it...and they have horrific side effects....
Posted 1/6/2016 5:36 PM (GMT -5)
entyvio should have less side effects than humira
but obviously that is individual

its possible that you can do another loading dose and than continue with the weekly humira
Posted 1/6/2016 5:47 PM (GMT -5)
Entyvio has almost no statistically significant side effects. Anecdotes should mean little to you.

I think you are probably loosing the Humira through your gut; happens a lot with Remicade
Posted 1/6/2016 8:01 PM (GMT -5)
I have a girlfriend on entyvio who has awful side effects. I never had any but it was like water to me - did absolutely nothing.

I had terrible side effects from remicade. I was also a person who was a complete non-responder. I never had the levels checked, I had no response at all, I guess no reason to check for antibodies in my case. I bet I would have had no sign of the drug in my system if I had the test.

I used to wonder that too, what if the drug wasn't mixed properly? but you know it was. It's a controlled facility. Plus, I tried simponi and that is a prefilled syringe. I also had ZERO response to that...

I have another friend who never had any sign of the drug in her system. We both had surgery.
Posted 1/7/2016 7:54 AM (GMT -5)
What are your current symptoms? We might be able to recommend some things you can try to help you relieve some of them while you find a better biologic.
Posted 1/7/2016 9:48 AM (GMT -5)
Based on our similar experience, the doctor explained that the reason there is no Humira in your system is that you have developed antibodies to it. That means it won't work anymore. My husband had success with Remicade, however, after about 6 months developed antibodies to that. Entyvio never worked. The only side effect he had from all of the biologics, especially entyvio, was extreme exhaustion.
Posted 1/7/2016 10:49 AM (GMT -5)
Suzy-q
Just because your husband developed antibodies does not mean that every other person who doesn't have the drug in their system as also developed antibodies.

I "ran out" of remicade after my first infusion and it worked quite well. I just needed to have the second dose early and doubled.
Testing showed that I didn't have significant antibodies

Please try to be careful before making your situation sound like the only one. While your case is possible there are other likely options.
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