Benlysta (belimumab) Side Effects, Uses Dosages
Side Effects for Benlysta (belimumab)
Lupus and prednisone gave me avascular necrosis. Replaced one hip; and a knee and another hip have avascular necrosis too. My lupus' most debilitating effects were joint pain, most dangerous effects are idiopathic thrombocytopenia. Other than one ER trip since i started due to ITP after a stressful solo move and ending imuran, i have felt great. I have lupus markers still but will never quit this drug by choice. Autoinject is no problem. Just follow the directions, inject AT 90 DEGREES TO THE SITE, and i do it over two inches below mu belly button. Get the angle wrong and it's pinchy. Y'all complaining about pain and injections clearly weren't like me, getting blood tested for a year, often weekly, always monthly, being on IV (rituxin abd benlysta) needles are nothing to anyone whose had lupus for 20 years. Avoid prednisone at all costs - look up "avascular necrosis" and learn how it will take the blood out of your marrow until the bones shatter and get off that mess.
Headband type headaches, extreme fatigue, lymph glands under arms and breast tender and swollen, extreme bone pain and lab work after 6 mos on Benlysta made it look like I had lymphoma.
I've been off Benlysta for 16 months and my lab work is still a mess and I still have excruciating pain in my hips, despite my hip x-rays being completely normal.
I do Benlysta infusions and take Tylenol and Benadryl before infusions which helps greatly. Benlysta has significantly reduced by joint pain, body aches, fatigue. I do get insomnia for the first couple of days after monthly infusions
Migraines, painful injection sight bruised and swollen for days, nausea & exhausted .
Hate this drug. Stuck it out for 17 weeks. Tired of my doctor always trying to get me to go on it again like I am suddenly going to feel good on it. If you have lupus migraines, do not take this because it makes those migraines worse.
Fatigue two days after injection. Better over all fatigue.
Just a bit tired after self injection.Otherwise doing ok.
Tired sick at my stomach and some brain fog but haven't really experienced anything else as I just started this a month ago.
I'm sleepy after I take it, it makes me feel sick, and I have anxiety so bad now I have to self medicate with sleeping pills just to calm myself down. I'm not going to be taking it again.
It did help my joint and muscle pain, but the side effects make it not worth it.
Migraine several days after injection, right upper groin ache,
Benlysta auto injections have helped with joint pain in fingers on both sides of hands. Benlysta has helped me gain walking back without my legs hurting, and having to sit down or come home and lay down.
Pain upper body 2nd or 3rd day from taking this injection. Especially, my breasts and under my arms areas. I feel tired without even doing anything. I extremely believed that this medicine was NOT made for minorities.
They should have tested and followed up on the results more on minorities especially, Black people. Because the percentage of lupus and RA is higher in Black people.
Trouble sleeping the night of my injection and the next but the rest of the week I sleep fine. It has significantly helped my white count, which has been terribly low through the year. Has not solved painful joint issues. The Dr. is making sure I don't have a missed diagnosis of gout as she says it should be helping the joint pain by now.
Highly recommend that you drink TONS of water 5 hours prior to injection and a pre med dose of Benadryl. I learned after the first dose that these things help the lightheaded and wheezy feelings. It also helps lessen the "sting" effect if you leave the auto injection out of the fridge one hour prior to use.
After the first dose, I felt tired after the infusion. The next day I started to feel better, my hands had no pain. However, I was itchy and my underarms hurt for 3 days. I couldn't wear a bra due to soreness. The first week I felt great, no fatigue, no brain fog, no pain. The second week all symptoms were back. My second appt, only 10 mins into the infusion I got an allergic reaction of throat closing, itchy, heart palpitations. I was given two shots of steroids and one shot of Benadryl. I will not be able to continue this treatment.
Extreme fatigue and joint pain seems worse
joint pain is better. Very tired the next day after infusion. But that outweighs what I was going threw before I started with benlysta!! Grateful for it. Don't give up!!
Itchy lips & arms...stomach pain. Fatigue and headache.
Will take next 2 does & hope it works
Very strange headaches; under arms and side aches even my breasts are aching now. Joints still hurt
I don't think this drug is working for me
I don't have any noticable side effects from Benlysta. I still get flares, but I do not require hospitalization like I did before I started this medication.
Every bad side effect from iv infusion and it's been a year and I'm still suffering. I was completely crippled and could not talk
Anxiety depresion ocd. Cant sleep scyophenia. Moods taking it for r years got worse
BENLYSTA (BELIMUMAB): This medication is used with other medications to treat certain types of systemic lupus erythematosus-SLE. Belimumab belongs to a class of drugs known as monoclonal antibodies. It works by decreasing the effect of a certain protein that is increased in people with active lupus. This may help decrease some of the symptoms of SLE. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)
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