Hi Sally and everyone else who so kindly replied to this thread and gave me lots of help, advice and information that I was not aware of, which helped me a great deal in my current 'Flare-Up' knowing that there were other people out there who understood !

Just to update everyone further, from my last appointment with my Rheummy Nurse on the 13th, it was acknowledged that the Cimzia had not worked and it was agreed that I should now try 'Humeria' after a four week period, which it takes for the Cimzia Drug to go from my system. I have had to wait for the twelve week period to end, before being given a 'Depo' injection last week, which has worked and given me some relief of acute pain and stiffness in most of my joints, the worst ever in the four years of having R.A.

I still have had to suffer from a swollen 'Throat' problem, and now every night cannot get any restful sleep due to what appears to be pain in my legs, which feel like 'Sciatica'
Has anyone else suffered from this kind of pain connected to R.A. as the pain appears to generate from the lower back,? I certainly wish that I had never tried Cimzia as it has been the worst time ever for the past three months and have suffered all kinds of different new side-effects since taking Cimzia.

Initally, during the first double doses, I felt O.K. except for cronic indigestion all the time and then worst 'Flare-Up' occured as described above. I was still advised to carry on taking the injections, something which I had also never done. As I understood that it would be O.K. to discontinue taking my Mtx. along with Cimzia, I was later advised that this could have made the difference, which I very much doubt.

Another problem I have found is continually having to go to the bathroom for at least two or three times each night, which is certainly no fun, when you cannot even get out of bed properly. However, despite the depression I am trying to remain positive whilst I wait to try Humeria in another few weeks time. I am now taking 7mg of Mtx, which I do not think will control, but the depo of course will possibly help until then.
I have also been advised to keep taking the 'pain-killers' which I am also reluctant to do, as I think it must have been the Naproxen which caused my feet to swell to twice the size.

I have also been informed from three different PCT's in the area, that they have all been advised to now try out Cimzia on their patients. One of the Hospitals, having ten patients on the drug, tells me that some have now had to discontinue because of having numerous infections.

From my own experiences, I would certainly not have tried this drug, and would have waited a considerable time longer to receive more feed-back, from a drug which was only licensed last year as I have done now from people replying to this thread.

Many Thanks,
Kathy C