Humira and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Kat...
• May 7, 2018

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "I was diagnosed at 40 with ankylosing spondylitis and found out I am HLA-B27 positive. My pain in my back, neck, and ankles was unbearable at times, and the exhaustion was horrible! I quit my job of 17 years because I could no longer stand for hours anymore. After many medications that didn’t work and made me very sick, last week I started Humira and noticed a huge difference by the next morning. I am no longer exhausted. So far, I have nothing but great things to say about Humira. The side effects are scary, but not hurting anymore is priceless."

• Spa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 21, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I was put on Humira when I was 25, and I am now currently 31. The first thing I noticed was that it cleared up my plaque psoriasis very quickly. My nails and scalp looked normal within 3-4 weeks. I have PsA in my spine, ankles, knees, and hands. I was having trouble walking and experienced chronic fatigue, which caused me to gain 20 lbs very quickly. I would fall asleep from exhaustion after getting myself showered and dressed. After Humira took effect, I had my energy back. I could exercise again, and I was back to doing the things I enjoyed. I still experience flare-ups (mostly due to stress), and I still have difficulty sitting for long periods of time, but this drug was life-changing. Vicodin helps me with the flare-ups."

• Lin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 24, 2019

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "HUMIRA has worked great for 4 years. Dr. prescribed new citrate-free HUMIRA, been on it for 2 1/2 months. My hands are weak again, my feet hurt/burn again, I’m tired and cold all the time. I’m calling Dr. to ask for a script for original HUMIRA. I’ll take the little pain of original over the not helping citrate-free."

• Und...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2014

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Humira was my first medicine to try for recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis. I had to stop after the second injection due to nausea, lethargy, my teeth hurt, and I had three to four migraines a week. I am trying a new medicine now and hope to see results. Humira has a discount program where you only pay $5. Ask your doctor about it!"

• dox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 12, 2015

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been living with RA for the past 8 years. I have it in my left foot and both wrists, moving to my knees. (lovely) @ 53? As everyone knows who is on the site, the pain for most of us is constant. Wake up with it still there if you want to go walking mid-afternoon. Dinner time, tired, don't feel like cooking. Tell your MD. They tell you about Humira.... All these great biogenics on the market, how good are they? Last Saturday, I ended up in the hospital overnight. Feeling heart racing. Sweating, body and mind feeling exhausted, can't move or even lift my hand. Has anybody got any of these symptoms while taking Humira? I welcome any feedback."

• jak...
• January 10, 2014

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) when I was 17. I was prescribed Humira very quickly because my AS caused severe back, hip, and ankle pain, and I have been taking it for over a year now. So far, the medicine has worked very well, and I feel no pain whatsoever. The medicine does make me feel tired, but this is a genuine side effect."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2012

For Psoriasis "I just started Humira at the beginning of this month, I'll be taking my fourth shot next week. I have to say I'm very impressed! I've had psoriasis since I was 18, and I'm almost 22 now. I have it on my elbows, legs, feet, and scalp. After the first 2 starter doses, my elbows are completely cleared. The spots on my legs and feet are in the process of fading! I'm so anxious to see the improvement after a few months! The only side effects I've noticed are that I'm much more tired and my muscles are achy. But I'd much rather deal with that any day than my psoriasis. I strongly suggest trying this medicine if you are struggling with psoriasis. I was honestly out of options, tried everything else, and nothing ever worked. TRY IT."

• Pin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2017

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Diagnosed with RA in 2014, started with methotrexate and low-dose prednisone. 46 yrs. Had other medical conditions and taken off meds for approximately 1 1/2 years. Placed back on meth/pred in 2016. Started Humira in Feb 2017, weekly shots, and taken off meth/pred. Then went to Humira every other week and placed back on meth/pred. Now Humira every other week only. Then informed my RA was being managed and taken off meth/pred once again. It is now June, and I feel terrible. My hands are killing me. They feel like they are on fire/placed in a press/hot/cold/asleep/etc. My feet are starting to hurt a lot, and my knees too. I am so, so tired. I can sleep constantly. I feel like I have the flu daily, with a cough and congestion. Making another doctor's appointment."

• Suf...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2019

For Crohn's Disease "I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease 3 years ago. The doctor put me on Humira injections every 2 weeks. The first year went smoothly. My Crohn's was in remission and I was able to work again. After the first year, I experienced mood changes, tiredness, developed heartburn, esophageal spasms, and back pain that put me in the hospital twice. Within the last 6 months, every time I take the Humira injection, within 48 hours I am experiencing severe diarrhea, throwing up with stomach pains, hot flashes, and severe depression that lasts a few days. I had also had a sinus infection for 4 weeks. I went off the Humira for a month now and am back to normal. My husband swears Humira is evil. I will never go back on any biologic."

• cor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 8, 2016

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I have had moderate psoriasis for about 15 years, which I've managed with topicals. It started to get worse along with me developing psoriatic arthritis all of a sudden. I decided it was time to call on the big guns. This stuff is pretty great! My psoriasis cleared up in about a month, and my PsA was gone pretty much instantly! The injections are a little uncomfortable, but if you let it warm up a bit and learn the tricks, it's not so bad. Small sacrifice, really. I've had no side effects other than I am a little tired after the shot, so I take it right before bed. So glad to have this medicine! Hope it keeps working for many years to come."

• Joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2015

For Ulcerative Colitis "Been on Humira for 6 months, had 14 injections. It hasn't helped my UC symptoms at all. The injections burned really bad for several hours. Then the skin around the injection site became red, raised, and very warm to the touch. The patch became bigger and bigger after each injection. I have been more tired than I've ever been before and barely have any energy to do anything but go to work. Over the few months, I've had a few incidents of cold-like symptoms: fever, sweating, chills, that lasted sometimes more than two days. As for my UC symptoms, there's been no change, and they possibly even got worse. On a typical day, I have 10-15 bathroom trips. On a bad day, 20."

• Sar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 19, 2018

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "Took this medication when Flexiril and anti-inflammatory drugs quit helping my AS pain. Was on it a few months and ended up with a lowered immune system and several illnesses because of the Humira. My doctor took me off of it and then quit working where I live. New doctor hasn't wanted to risk medication similar to this yet. Good points are it helped my pain disappear almost completely. Bad point, it also made me extremely tired at first."

• Luc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 29, 2013

For Psoriasis "I have been a sufferer of psoriasis since I was born. Since then, I have used so many treatments over the past 20 years, but none has worked as well as Humira! Within 6 weeks, my psoriasis was clearing up, and my skin in general is so soft. It is quite painful to administer, but it's just a stinging sensation, and you only have to do it once a fortnight-so it's worth it! Recently, I've had a few patches come back, but I've been under a lot of stress at work, so that's understandable. I've had one or two side effects, but nothing major. I've been getting tired quite a lot, and I've been getting quite bad spots on my face, but it's nothing unbearable. I don't have to pay for Humira, as I am taking it for research purposes."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 19, 2012

For Psoriatic Arthritis "Changed my life for the better in terms of mobility, but very prone to picking up viruses, had several infections after a hand operation as a result and get nausea, upset tummy, and more tired than I used to, but I'm walking and have low pain levels, so worth it. My psoriasis is nearly gone."

• Ang...
• June 30, 2019

For Ulcerative Colitis "I've been on different forms of mesalamine for years, in addition to prednisone. I've been fighting to get off the steroids for the past two years, but it's been a losing battle. My doctor recommended Humira. After the initial dose, I felt great. I took my second dose a little over a week ago. My BMs haven't been great this week, and I saw some blood, but I'm once again seeming off the 'roids, so I blamed that. A few days after my last dose, I started feeling extremely lethargic and depressed. I've had a low-grade fever for days. On top of that, headaches that easily become migraines. If it was just that, I might have just chalked it up to coming off the prednisone, but the worst side effect is that my memory has been alarmingly bad. Now that I'm doing more research on the drug, I'm regretting trusting my doctor and not getting the facts myself. I'm not planning on taking the next dose."

• Uzu...
• March 15, 2013

For Crohn's Disease "Been on Humira for 5 months in combination with Azathioprine, and there is no change in my condition. Started with 1 40 mg injection every 14 days, and after 3-4 months, 1 40 mg injection every week. My side effects are flu symptoms a day or two after the injections. It has all the characteristics of a feverish flu (muscle pain, tiredness, chills, and so on), except it only lasts for 6-12 hours, and I never get over 37 C (98 F). As far as I can tell, no other side effects, good or bad."

• Dud...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 26, 2018

For Psoriasis "I have been on Humira for about two years, and it has worked great at clearing up my psoriasis. It cleared up my skin and nails. I had also tried just about every other treatment. I don't like taking medicine in general but decided I needed to do something after suffering for over 25 years. I do often feel tired and have gotten sick more often, and I think it is due to the Humira. I also have two young kids that bring home everything from school, so that probably doesn't help. I weigh the benefits of clear skin vs. the side effects. I have stopped taking it over the summer months when my psoriasis wasn't as bad, and it was about 5 months before it came back. Then I started the injections again. I know you are not supposed to stop and start, but my body was just feeling so fatigued I thought I needed a break. In conclusion, for me, the side effects are real, but I can finally wear shorts and swim with my kids without feeling embarrassed."

• Nor...
• December 7, 2010

For Psoriatic Arthritis "I have been on Humira for nearly a year now. At first, my rheumatologist was having me inject myself every 14 days, but that was not as effective as we would have liked, so he upped it to every 10 days. I kept it that way for a couple of months, but my pain still was bad sometimes. So now he has me injecting myself once a week. Overall, I think I'm having some success with the Humira, but I still feel quite tired and have days when my hands and back hurt too much for me to perform my job at work and do things around the house. My fingernails look better, but I'm not sure if the Humira has the ability to help that. I did have clearing of some of the plaques on my skin, but recently I have noticed that they are returning again."

• Col...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 24, 2021

For Ankylosing Spondylitis "I have been on Humira for 6 months now, and am experiencing much more pain than I ever did before taking this drug. I feel sick all the time, have no energy, and have difficulty breathing. Humira has also caused me to be extremely constipated and have terrible anxiety. This drug may work for some people, but I will not be taking it anymore."

• jus...
• August 25, 2018

For Psoriasis "I was on Humira for 5 years. The last year on it, I was having hip and back pain so bad, along with a constant bad headache. Repeated visits to Drs to have them think I'm crazy and odd. I spent so much on medical bills: chiropractor, holistic chiropractor, regular Dr, sports Drs. I kept asking if it was the Humira injections causing this. I was told no way, that's not possible. Well, I decided to take the shot in the other hip, and lo and behold, I had pain full force. I stopped completely. Went to my dermatologist and explained what had been going on. She looked at me and said I have 3 other patients going through the exact same thing! Three months later, and I'm on Otezla; my back hurts again, daily headaches, and I feel so tired every day! I'm ready to give up!"

• Tan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2018

For Ulcerative Colitis "Dealing with needles the last 20 years of my life, I didn't think I'd have a problem. But, I dread every other Monday with Humira. It actually hurts when injecting. And my thigh or stomach goes red and is sore for 3 days after injection. Plus, I am overly tired in this time frame, which makes working 12-hour shifts challenging. Is it working? After 4 months, I'm still open to it, but I haven't noticed any changes. Like I said, I've never been afraid of needles until now. This pen thing really sucks."

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 18, 2019

For Crohn's Disease "I started Humira in October of 2019 for Crohn's disease. By December 15th, 2019, I had to stop using it because of the side effects. I had swollen, red legs with a rash, restless legs syndrome, the feeling of ants under my skin throughout my entire body, rashes that became raw and very sore, a very strong, foul body odor that would not go away with showers or deodorants, gums started to bleed and teeth became sensitive, my hair started falling out in big clumps, food had a nasty taste, constantly tired, and my vision started getting blurry. My family said I was turning into a monster."

• Pam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 10, 2021

For Ulcerative Colitis "I am taking 2 Humira injections every week for over 3 years now. I find I have a lot of body ache, and every now and then, at least once a month, I feel completely run down, exhausted, and feverish, like I don't have any blood in my body. Is this due to Humira?"

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 22, 2023

For Plaque Psoriasis "Been using it for 13 months now. It is easy to inject. It makes me feel a bit tired, and I get slight headaches, but psoriasis has mostly gone from my legs! There are still a few patches, but it's 80% better than it was."

• MsM...
• January 21, 2015

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Not completely pain-free and stiff-joint free. But the fatigue is awful. 5 injections so far, and I can sleep all day if my family didn't need me. Very lethargic and drained."