Side Effects of Amjevita (Adalimumab) &/or Stelara (Ustekinumab)?
Hello all,
I was on here a few months ago for advice when deciding whether to switch from an infusion-based biologic to a subcutaneous based biologic that I can do at home...
I'm now faced with the decision of which subcutaneous biologic I want to switch to;
Option 1 - Amjevita which is a TNF blocker
Option 2 - Stelara which is an Interleukin Inhibitor
I am currently on Infliximab (Remsima) which is a TNF blocker type drug. So initially I assumed it'd make sense to stick with what I know as it's always worked well for me. (To recap, my lifestyle has changed somewhat since I first started the Infliximab infusions so I need to switch to something more practical)...
However my IBD team have offered the 2 options above and advised I read up on the 2 and determine which would likely suit me best. I've read all the official info I can find, along with common side effects and reviews from other users.
So I'm just hoping some others on here might be able to share their thoughts or experiences with either of these drugs? Including side effects, effectiveness etc... Not gonna lie, some of the reported side effects you read online can be pretty off-putting 😪 Namely hair loss, severe psoriasis & low-mood/anxiety...
Glad of any responses.
Thanks!
Hi
. I can't personally speak on these medications, but I can tell you that my wife, Kelly, was diagnosed with a severe form of a different autoimmune condition at age two (juvenile RA in her case). About seven years ago she finally found a biologic to bring her inflammation numbers into the normal range. Her rheumatologist has said to her that if it should start to fail that, given the success, another medication with the same action (in this case an IL-6 inhibitor) would be the first place to start for another treatment.
That said, each person reacts differently and what works for one may not for another. Our contributor Julie Marie wrote some about her experience with Stelara here: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/switching-biologics. Hopefully others will chime in with their experiences. Best, Richard (Team Member)
