I Tried Biologics and It Didn't Go Well

In January I was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis. It was a shock, as I wasn’t suspecting it. We discussed treatment plans and decided to hold off on a biologic, Dupixent for now. Unfortunately, the inflammation came back and we decided to try it. We got the prior authorization done rather quickly and were on the way to try it!

Biologic injection experience

I decided to do my first injection in my thigh. What an experience. Within 30 mins my joints felt swollen, within 2 hours I was itchy and my joints were in agony. I called the doctor and we decided to stop for the foreseeable future. I felt frustrated, I wanted this to work, but not at the expense of my joints!

I got conflicting answers on if joint pain was a side effect. Was it? Was it not? Some said yes, some no. I still have no clear answer, which has just increased my anxiety of trying it again. I like to take walks, can I be down and out with joint pain for days or weeks like some reports said? No, no I can’t.

Treatment concerns and fears

Why did I bring this up? Well it’s a biologic, and given my body’s reaction, it makes me nervous of taking biologics. My allergist and I discussed Xolair for my hives, but I am extremely hesitant to do so. Do I want to try it? Do I want to risk another reaction? For now I've decided I'm still too nervous to try Xolair. I’m still too scared of them.

For me, it’s important to have discussions with my doctors about treatment options. It’s important for me to share my concerns and fears. My hesitations. Having ongoing conversations with your doctors is so incredibly important. You need to keep that going and ensure you’re communicating your concerns and making the best choices for you.

No easy treatment decisions

I’ve struggled with finding the right treatment plan. Sometimes I get frustrated and I'm willing to try the Xolair. Others I’m still too nervous to try it. I have a feeling at some point I’ll make a concrete decision, but for now I'm deciding to hold off on biologics. Not every doctor has agreed. Which has caused a little frustration for me.

It’s not easy making treatment decisions. It’s not easy to decide to try a medication that could cause a reaction. For now, that fear of reaction is keeping me from trying biologics again. In time i’ll revisit the conversation when I feel more ready.

Have you tried biologic injections for your chronic hives treatment? Did you experience any similar fears and concerns when discussing with your doctor? Connect with others living with chronic hives in the comments below!