Adalimumab: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking
adalimumab (
Humira®) if you have:
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- A history of cancer of any type
- Multiple sclerosis
- Any disease that affects the immune system, such as diabetes, cancer, HIV, or AIDS
- Any conditions that affect the blood, including blood-clotting disorders
- Any current infection
- Infections that come and go (such as cold sores)
- Plans to receive vaccinations
- A history of hepatitis B infection or tuberculosis
- Any other allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, preservatives, rats, or mice.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Warnings and Precautions With Adalimumab
Some adalimumab precautions and warnings to be aware of include the following:
- Adalimumab can increase your chance of infections, including serious infections. You should not take this drug if you have an infection (even a skin infection). While taking adalimumab, tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you may have any kind of infection. This medication may not be the best choice for people who get frequent infections.
- In rare cases, adalimumab has been reported to cause certain nervous system conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). It may also make these conditions worse. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking this drug if you have MS or any other nervous system condition.
- In rare cases, adalimumab has caused dangerously low blood counts (including aplastic anemia). You should tell your healthcare provider about any unusual bruising, bleeding, or paleness while taking this medication.
- There have been reports of lymphoma (a certain type of cancer) and skin cancer in people taking adalimumab. It is not yet known if the medication caused these cancers or not.
- Adalimumab can cause certain infections (such as hepatitis B or tuberculosis) that were inactive in the body to become active again. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had hepatitis B or tuberculosis before taking this drug.
- Allergic reactions can occur with adalimumab. These reactions include rashes, hives, itching, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and unusual swelling. Let your healthcare provider know right away if you think you are having an allergic reaction to the medication.
- In studies, people with congestive heart failure (CHF) who took medications like adalimumab had an increased risk of death. Also, worsening of heart failure and new cases of heart failure (in people who did not already have CHF) have been reported in people taking similar medications. Talk to your healthcare provider about adalimumab and congestive heart failure before starting treatment.
- You should not receive live vaccines while taking adalimumab. Talk to your healthcare provider before receiving any vaccines while you are on this medication.
- In rare cases, adalimumab has caused lupus-like conditions. Symptoms of a lupus-like condition may include an unexplained rash across the nose and checks (known as a butterfly rash) or ulcers in the mouth or nose.
- Adalimumab can cause liver problems, including liver failure and hepatitis. Let your healthcare provider know if you have any signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin, dark urine, and upper abdominal (stomach) pain.
- Adalimumab can interact with certain medications (see Drug Interactions With Adalimumab).
- Adalimumab is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. However, the full risks of using the drug while pregnant are unknown. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using adalimumab during pregnancy (see Humira and Pregnancy).
- It is not known if adalimumab passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about using adalimumab (see Humira and Breastfeeding).
