Anyone taking Actemra?

Is anyone taking actemra (tocilizumab) for rheumatiod arthritis? My current meds are not working and this is option and so I'm trying to do some research.

I've not been able to locate any info about impact on sleep apnea in those patients that have both RA & apnea. So if anyone has any of their own experience they would be willing to share, either by reply post or PM I'd really appreciate hearing from you:)

TIA

This appears to be a medication which is injected not taken as a pill. Your doctor should be able to provide that info or ask your pharmacist.

Online, there is no reference to any sleep related side effects.

I was on Actemra for my RA for 8 years. I was in drug trial initially and then on the drug. I got it by IV infusion, every 4 weeks. I would have to be at the hospital for about 2 1/2 hours total each time. I had very good results with it for a long time but about 4 months ago it lost it's effectiveness for me. I was switched to Xeljanz. It is an oral med - a nice break from monthly IV infusions! It is working well for now. By the way, Actemra is now available in an subcutaneous injection form. It can be done quickly then, either by yourself or someone else if you can't (same as Enbrel).

I have had RA for about 24 years and was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 12 years ago. While I was taking Actemra, my sleep apnea was not affected (I have always don well with cpap and it didn't change while I have been on any RA drugs, except that the pain was much more controlled and I slept without much pain).

PM me if you want to know more. I have been on a Ton of drugs during my 24 years with RA! Good Luck!

Thanks Hawthorne

I should have said in my OP, I'm in Australia and at the moment Actemra is approved for use here as an iv infusion only & is funded under our health system but only in some cases after meeting certain criteria. I've been offered the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial using the weekly injection form, which seems to already be available in the US, So that's why I posted, thinking there might be someone here with some direct experience so I really appreciate your reply

Xeljanz isn't approved for use in Australia yet from what I've seen, but it's great to hear it's working for you. I understand the frustration of finding meds that work without nasty side effects then after some years of successful treatment having to start that process over.

Thanks again

What a good database of various general hands-on knowledge CPAPtalk is. I'm always amazed.

There is no way to know if the injectable form will work, or even the IV form for that matter, but I say "go for it!" I have been in clinical trials and I was so well monitored that if I had any side effects at all they would have been caught early. I had blood work done each time I went for an infusion, a chest Xray and physical exam every year that I was in the trial. I am in Canada but I am sure drug trials are the same in Australia.

I would have moved to the injectable form of Actemra, had it still been working for me, since it is now approved in Canada in that form. Since it was no longer working for me, I got switched to Xeljanz. I've been taking it (it is a pill, 2 a day) for 3 months now and am getting good results.

Good luck! Many people in Canada do very well on Actemra and I did for a long time.

Please let me know how you get along if you go in the trial -- and I hope you will!