Humira is a monoclonal antibody drug approved by the FDA. It can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, chown’s disease(adult and pediatric), ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and non – infectious uveitis. Wow, okay those were a lot of big words, but now we want to know what Humira is. What is a monoclonal drug. Monoclonal drugs are antibody drugs that are produced in a lab for people who need their body-made antibodies replaced or helped out. These drugs will help their body to fight off whatever target they are after more efficiently.
Humira is a tumor necrosis factor blocker (TNF). Humira specifically targets helping the body with inflammation. This drug produces proteins through DNA technology. They are made in labs and use genetic engineering. A person who has an auto immune disease the body attacks something that is actually harmless, but it mistakes it as a threat, leading to conditions, like the ones I stated above. Although we still dont know all about the conditions, we do know that tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNFa) plays a big role in regards to inflammation. TFNa is what triggers the inflammation, which can end up being harmful with healthy tissue. This is where Humira comes in. Humira kinds to the TNFa and blocks it from being able to cause inflammation. This will reduce the pain from the inflammation for patients who have one of these diseases.
With everything good in medicine, there is usually a fallback. Now, I’m going to list the side affects slowly and not sound like a super stressed auctioneer like they do when they whisper the side affects at the end of the commercial. The Humira side affects are as followed:
- redness, rash, swelling, itching or bruising at the injection site
- infections, especially upper respiratory tract and sinuses
- headaches
- nausea
- Tuberculosis can occur and other infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. You have to be regularly checked while taking Humira
- Cannot take if you have TB because TNFa is also used in the body for tuberculosis, and blocking this chemical will allow latent TB to emerge
- allergic reactions (hives wheezing, itching)
- Nervous system problems (weakness limbs, visual distrubances)
- blood problems (low platelet count)
- heart conditions (worsen or develop)
- weight gain
- Immune reactions (lupus like syndrome )
- joint pain
- liver problems(yellow skin, eyes)
- vomiting
- Psoriasis
- Can cause lymphoma of the liver, spleen, or bone marrow
- Swollen glands
- pale skin
Humira affects your immune system. As shown above you will become more susceptible to infections. Humira lowers the blood cells that fight the infections in your body. Because of this it is better for you to stay clear of anyone sick. Humira may also affect your blood’s ability to clot. You will have to be checked for this often and avoid activities with a bleeding risk. With Humira affecting your innate immune response and a bleeding risk, it can prove hard to do any activities and be in crowds. This was a whole lot of information, but I hope this was a better read than having to put the TV on slow mode. Do your own research to see if you think Humira is right for you!
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