New Severe Warnings About Arthritis Type Medications

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This is precisely why I don't rush out to get prescribed medications. You listen to the ads on TV about this medication and that medication and listen to the possible side effects and it's like why the hell would you want to take this? It's seems more and more "miracle" drugs sooner or later will have an announcement of placing severe warnings to the potential of sometimes life-threatening side effects when a certain medication is taken. The latest group are several medications usually prescribed for arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, and Crohn's disease. The medications involved are [b]Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade [/b] From what I've read, severe warnings have been around for Humira in particular as early as 2004, and it was usually a combination of taking Humira with other types of medications, in other words, drug interactions. As usual our dear sweet FDA is only getting around to alert the medical community of the risks involved in taking such medications, like Humira. The former warnings in 2004 were as follows: (Quote) [i]..."rare cases of hypersensitivity reactions, blood cell deficiencies, and problems from taking Humira with another rheumatoid arthritis drug, Kineret. Other problems include "rare" cases of anaphylaxis, which is a sudden, life-threatening allergic reaction. The new warning says Humira should be "discontinued immediately" if anaphylactic or other serious reactions occur, noting that overall, about 1% of patients taking Humira in clinical trials had allergic reactions..." [/i] You can see the full article here http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/20041109/new-warnings-on-humira-drug-label The new warnings just issued out September 4, 2008 includes a potential for life-threatening fungal infections...to quote another article (Quote) [i]The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade to strengthen the warnings about the products because the medications are associated with a risk for opportunistic fungal infections, specifically histoplasmosis. Some patients have died from these infections. [/i] The full article is here. http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/makers-of-tnf-blockers-to-strengthen-warnings-about.html?ref=newsletter_bca_makers-of-tnf-blockers-to-strengthen-warnings-about And from the FDA Website itself here are a few more quotes: [i]The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade must strengthen the existing warnings, in the Warnings and Precaution sections of the drugs' prescribing information and Medication Guides, on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. Some patients with invasive fungal infections have died. The four drugs, known as tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers (TNF-alpha blockers), which suppress the immune system, are approved to treat a variety of conditions which may include rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, and Crohn's disease. The FDA reviewed one reported case of histoplasmosis in a patient taking Cimzia. The FDA also has received reports of cases of coccidioidomycosis and blastomycosis, including deaths, in patients treated with TNF blockers. [/i] The full article is here http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01879.html {Warning...these links are related to articles and are NOT referral links} I bring this all up since I know many mylotters may have arthritic type conditions and may even be taking some of these medications. So to make this a discussion...One, do any of you take these medications. If not, in general, have you ever been prescribed a medication in which you had a severe reaction to, or gave more complications to the health problem it was supposed to solve?