What Other Medications Interact With Humira?
Humira may interact with certain medications. These interactions can either increase or decrease the effectiveness of your treatment.
Humira can interact with the following substances:
- Echinacea
- Live vaccines
- Arava (leflunomide)
Echinacea
Echinacea is a supplement that is available over-the-counter (OTC). It has numerous health benefits, but it may reduce the effectiveness of adalimumab. Do not take echinacea without first consulting your doctor.
Live Vaccines
Humira can exacerbate the adverse effects of live vaccines. It may also have an impact on how well a live vaccine works. Do not receive live vaccines if you are taking adalimumab. Before getting immunized, you should wait at least three months after taking Humira. MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), varicella (chickenpox), rotavirus (which causes severe diarrhea), and the intranasal flu vaccine are all examples of live vaccines.
Arava (Leflunomide)
Arava is used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. When combined with Arava, Humira may exacerbate its side effects.
This combination can cause blood problems, such as:
- Pancytopenia (low red and white blood cells and low platelet count)
- Agranulocytosis (the body does not make white blood cells)
- Thrombocytopenia (low platelet level).
If you are taking both drugs, your healthcare provider should monitor your bone marrow at least monthly.
