What is your experience taking Kevzara?
What is your experience taking Kevzara and if it was effective, how quickly was it helpful?
Kevzara for the treatment of RA
New bio for me. Little relief from previous bio meds. Currently take metho, sulphasalazine and hydroxychloroquine currently.
Hi BillE. It is good that you are looking for information on any potential new medication, but I do want to stress that every person may have distinct/individual experiences or reactions. My wife, Kelly Mack (a contributor here), was diagnosed with juvenile RA at two, over 40 years ago. Kevzara is the first treatment to bring her inflammation down into the normal range. She wrote about the initial experience here: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/remission-vs-cure/. Kevzara has not been without side effects, such as some stomach issues, but the benefits have outweighed those. Kelly was diagnosed with a relatively rare form of psoriasis since starting Kevzara, but it is unknown whether it could have been a contributing trigger. Overall she has been quite happy with the impact of Kevzara on her JRA.This article from our editorial team gives an overview of the drug: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment/kevzara-reviews-how-does-it-work/. Wishing you the best. Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)
Thanks for sharing your wife’s experience! I’ve only been taking Kevzara for a month but feel improvement already. I have also had RA for a long time, constantly searching for help, most often with medications that offer short term relief or none at all. I’ve been helped by diet, supplements, and exercise, when I able to exercise. All my joints have been replaced except my left hip, some multiple times due to the erosive component of RA and long term steroid use. It’s been a long struggle but for the first time in many years, I believe I have found help. Not a cure, I know, but, for now, a brief glimpse into a better life with RA. Again, many thanks for your insight and sharing your wife’s story.
I just had my first shot on Tuesday. So far, I've had a golfball sized welt at the injection site. I have some heavy duty steroid cream that got rid of that. I tried Hydroxychloroquine and some other medicine that messed with my stomach and had to stop that. With Kevzara suppressing my immune system, im just petrified that ill get an infection and get really sick. Fingers crossed for us both! Hi
. Your concerns about immuno-suppressant drugs is certainly understandable. I do want to note that biologics focus on particular inflammatory markers in the immune system (in the case of Kevzara, interleuken-6) and do not suppress the entire immune system. I'm not saying they don't impact the immune system, but not in its entirety. For example: my wife, Kelly, had extremely high antibody count after COVID vaccination without taking a break from Kevzara. People on treatments that are more blanket immunosuppressants, such as Rituxan and methotrexate, have had more difficulty building antibodies for the vaccines. Hope this information is helpful. Wishing you the best. Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)
Kevzara has helped me tremendously. I feel like I have a whole new body. I’ve taken two shots so fast and I’m loving it
, I'm so glad Kevzara has been a good fit for you! That's wonderful!
Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.
