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Lialda vs. Humira

Are Humira and Lialda the Same Thing?

Lialda (mesalamine) and Humira (adalimumab) are used to treat different forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Lialda is used to treat ulcerative colitis, proctitis, and proctosigmoiditis, and also to prevent the symptoms of ulcerative colitis from recurring.

Humira is used to treat Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms. Humira is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis.

Lialda and Humira belong to different drug classes. Lialda is an aminosalicylate anti-inflammatory agent and Humira is an injectable protein (antibody).

Side effects of Lialda and Humira that are similar include headache and stomach cramps or pain.

Side effects of Lialda that are different from Humira include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas, fever, sore throat, flu-like symptoms, constipation, dizziness, tired feeling, or skin rash.

Side effects of Humira that are different from Lialda include injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain, bruising, swelling, or bleeding), stuffy nose, or sinus pain.

Both Lialda and Humira may interact with azathioprine, mercaptopurine, or cancer medicines.

Lialda may also interact with pentamidine, tacrolimus, amphotericin B, antibiotics, antiviral medicines, or aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Humira may also interact with abatacept, etanercept, anakinra, certolizumab, golimumab, infliximab, or “live” vaccines.

 

What Are Possible Side Effects of Lialda?

Common side effects of Lialda include:

  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • stomach cramps,
  • diarrhea,
  • gas,
  • fever,
  • sore throat,
  • flu-like symptoms,
  • constipation,
  • headache,
  • dizziness,
  • tired feeling, or
  • skin rash.

Contact your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Lialda including:

  • severe stomach pain,
  • fever,
  • headache, and
  • bloody diarrhea.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Humira?

Common side effects of Humira include:

  • injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain, bruising, swelling, or bleeding),
  • headache,
  • suffy nose,
  • sinus pain, or
  • stomach pain.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Humira including:

  • fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat,
  • stomach pain,
  • blood in the stools,
  • mental/mood changes,
  • severe headache,
  • easy bruising or bleeding,
  • dark urine,
  • yellowing eyes and skin,
  • leg pain or swelling,
  • numbness or tingling of the arms/hands/legs/feet,
  • unsteadiness,
  • unexplained muscle weakness,
  • difficulty with speaking/chewing/swallowing/facial movements,
  • vision changes,
  • extreme fatigue,
  • joint pain, or
  • butterfly-shaped rash on the nose and cheeks.

What Is Lialda?

Lialda (mesalamine) is an anti-inflammatory agent used to treat ulcerative colitis, proctitis, and proctosigmoiditis, and also to prevent the symptoms of ulcerative colitis from recurring.

What Is Humira?

Humira (adalimumab) is an injectable protein (antibody) used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. Humira is also used to treat Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

 

What Drugs Interact With Lialda?

Lialda may interact with azathioprine or mercaptopurine, pentamidine, tacrolimus, amphotericin B, antibiotics, antiviral medicines, cancer medicine, aspirin or other NSAIDs. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking. Lialda is not expected to be harmful to a fetus. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. This medication can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication if you are breastfeeding.

What Drugs Interact With Humira?

Humira may interact with azathioprine or mercaptopurine. Asacol may also interact with pentamidine, tacrolimus, amphotericin B, antibiotics, antiviral medicines, cancer medicine, or aspirin or other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Humira may also interact with abatacept, anakinra, infliximab, etanercept, certolizumab pegol, golimumab, or rituximab.

 

How Should Lialda Be Taken?

The recommended dosage of Lialda for the induction of remission in adult patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis is two to four 1.2 g tablets taken once daily with a meal for a total daily dose of 2.4 g or 4.8 g. The recommended dosage for the maintenance of remission is two 1.2 g tablets taken once daily with a meal for a total daily dose of 2.4 g.

How Should Humira Be Taken?

Humira is given by an injection under the skin. Your doctor will tell you how often to take an injection of Humira. This is based on your condition to be treated. Do not inject Humira more often than you were prescribed.

Do not try to inject Humira yourself until you have been shown the right way to give the injections. If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may be able to give your injections of Humira at home, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject Humira.

Do not miss any doses of Humira unless your doctor says it is okay. If you forget to take Humira, inject a dose as soon as you remember. Then, take your next dose at your regular scheduled time. This will put you back on schedule.

In case you are not sure when to inject Humira, call your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more Humira than you were told to take, call your doctor.