Anybody been on Cosentyx ?

Was on Humira for 6 months. I would like to add that I temporarly switched rhume's and the new one was clueless to my issues, concerns, or setbacks...just the line of BS that the insurance co, will not allow increased dosage or frequency until I have been on the drug for 1 year.  It was the advise of an ENT dr. that I switched rhume's. Anyways to make a long story short I am with my old rhume dr. and back to 7 weeks intervals of 750 mg. remecade. I am coping much better with the remecade vs humera. My current rhume could not understand why I was on such a low dosage of humera when I was on the upper limits of remecade. Changes in weather play an important factor in how I feel.

I fatigue easily even on good days. Trying some vitamins to see if that will get me out of this slump of tiredness. Any advise from members is welcome. 

ALL of the bilological meds weaken the immune system, and YES I get sick more frequent and for longer durations

I know - and that's what worries me! Were you sick with common cold / flu or something more severe like the infections they talk about in the warning / side affects? How long have u been dealing with AS? Are you fused or starting to fuse? Luckily, my spine is ok. I have to get X-rays at 2 year intervals to ensure that I don't fuse.

Take vitamin C. It may alter some of your blood tests after a while (kind of saying that the test shows a high level of vitamin C so the test is not conclusive) but it helps. Especially high dosage.

Yup! I do - along with other supplements . Fish oil (especially the "EPA" in it) and turmeric are said to be good for reducing inflammation. Although, I don't know for sure if it helps, I still take them anyway.

I think I know about the fatigue. Have you had your iron and B12 levels checked? I was borderline anemic and decided to go on an iron supplement. I feel much better. My iron pill has b12 in it as well. I know when both these levels become on the lower side that it can cause fatigue. Do I still have a bit of fatigue? Yes I do, but I find its more manageable since I've been taking an iron pills and I don't get that overwhelming fatigue that overtakes your day. Talk to your rheumie about getting these levels checked. Might do you some good! :-)

had double pneumonia earlier this year which started as influenza.

Almost did-me-in was in hosp for 4 days and missed 2 weeks of work. just got over a spell of Clostridium difficile (C-diff) from taking antibiotics that kill off the good bateria in your gut. 1st time with that!.

Have had AS for ~20 years and generall do fairly well. Exercise and healthy eating are key. I just cannot shake the fatigue, although I started taking multiple vitamins which seem ? to help.

spine is mostly fused.

hjave had B vitamin deficency checked and YES everybody is low including me. I sometimes take a liquid "boost" which has mega of vit. B6 and B12, including caffeine. strated taking vitamin (multiple) and jury is still out on that.

Thanks for the input! :-)

Hi I was prescribed Enbrel for psoriasis a couple of years ago.  After a few months on it I got really sick and was in hospital with viral pneumonia and other life threatening problems.  I did not connect it with the drug at the time as it was diagnosed as a 'mysterious virus'. I did not respond well to the Enbrel so Doc changed me to Cosentyx.   During the initial stages of the treatment I got diahrea and was diagnosed with collageneous colitis.  Symptoms gradually got worse and I became very sick again and to cut a long story short ended up having my whole bowel removed and now have a colostomy bag.  It is a very difficult thing to prove but I am totally convinced that the drug lowered my immune system so far that I was attacked by a virus which destroyed my bowel.  Has anyone else (or know of anyone else) who has had that problem or similar?  I believe I am in the minority but still it is certainly something to be considered.  

Vitamins seem to help me. Automatically take a 1-a-day in the am with my other happy pills and I seem to have more energy than normal. Have infusion next week and normally by this time I am feeling achey and tired, but not this time.

Hey there! Thought you'd be interested in this. Novaritis, makers of Cosenxtyx issued a press release in June of this year stating that it may be better than Humira and that up to 80% of ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with Cosentyx at two years had no radiographic progression in the spine or joints. There will also be a head-to-head clinical trial planned to compare Cosentyx versus Humira. Search this article title: "Novartis presents new scientific evidence for Cosentyx in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis patients at EULAR 2016". Interesting read!

Great, thanks. I e-mailed them asking how their drug works verses remecade. Remecade works by blocking the TNF while Cosenxtyx works on the IL-17A marker. Want them to put it in laymans termonology.

Being on Remecade, are you also on methotrexate? I've heard that it's quite common to be on this while taking Remecade.

YES, taking 25 mg. per week. Most people on TNF inhibitors are on Methotrexate. One of the drugs works with the DNA and the other works with the RNA (TNF inhibitors/methotrexate) Essentially they work in conjunction with each other. Thats the extent of my knowledge on this subject. Never had any issues with the liver function with taking methotrexate, although my rhume insists on me getting blood work done every 2 months. It can be hard on the liver, even more so if a person consumes large quantities of alcohol: Not me

Hi

Just a different experience in terms of side effects for me. Have had AS for over fifty years and before the biologics came along didn't have a lot of movement to say the least. Since 2008 I have tried humera, enbrel and since 2012 have been on Simponi which is working best of all. My life has totally changed because of these meds and am now back cycling, cross country skiing and hiking. What I want to do is ease your mind about the side affects. Although the drugs do suppress your immune system to work, I can honestly say I have never had so much as a common cold since I have been on them whereas prior to starting them I used to be picking up anything going around! Odd but true. Hope they work as well for you!!

So good to hear something positive! I'm so nervous starting Humira with all the side affects. Failed four NSAID's and now looking to TNF inhibitor. So desperately want the nagging SI joint pain to disappear!

First I a, so sorry this happened to you. I have just joined. I found this because I have been searching to figure out what is happeneing. to me. I am due for my third cosentyx injection on friday, still in the loading doses. My ibs was not an issue before this med. Humira short term did not help so this was going to be the greatest thing to get my life back. The very first shot my whole left side was untouchable my colon was spasming. My rheumy gone assoc said treat with otc...After second shot went to er head pounding I couldnt hardly see and could not stop throwing up. I have psa...my pain is much worse in joints but not swelling like a flair. 

I am so truly sorry but feel blessed to have found your post. I believe I will take what has happened to you and already have the signs and be done with this med. I thought the first time one more shot. I asked rheumy assoc if this was expected she said they dont know but to early to give up on med and just treat symptoms. My psa is active I need to get some sort of control. But there is not enough info to stay on this drug id from the word go there are issues. Thank you

 

stayed on Remecade Tammy.

Rhume said that it is the gold treatment for AS patients.

Exercise is also a great habit to get into for mental and physical reasons. It is easy to become disgusted with your body doing this to U BUT we live in an age that biological drugs are doing wonders.

Rhume did tell me that their is another drug coming out to replace methotrexate. She is going to keep me in=the=loop with thisone. Say's the results have been very promising with a small population of patients that have been on it.

Recently I was sick (flu) and had to wait an additional 3 weeks past my due date for my remecade. I was one hurting boy. dont want to do that again.

Have a fair share of colds because of the autoimmune deficencies and the symptoms are worse for me...it usually ends up in my lungs and have to go on antibiotics and predizone. I hate both drugs BUT they have kept me alive for this long and could not of gotten by without them.

Try the remecade....I think U will be happier

Jim

I was switched to cosentyx from humira a year ago. This summer I got an abcess in my spine which required emergency surgery. Lucky I did not die or get paralyzed. Doctors said I was nowhere near the typical patient for this type of event.