About to start Fumaderm

[jiml]

Oh man, that must have been a shock not knowing of the side effects! I imagine with no prewarning the flushing may have been a bit scary too!

Yeah I've been given the initial tablets and the full strength ones and had the dosing explained to me. One a day of the initial for a week, then two for a week and then 3. Also got all my forms for the blood work too and I will be sure to ask for copies of the results too. Thanks Jiml.

Yes it was a big shock and I didn't have a forum to advise at that time ....that's why I stay around because I know how hard it can be and can tell anyone trying Fumaderm that it's well worth sticking with if you can .....but I would have stuck any amount of discomfort after coming off Methotrexate .....
I look forward to hearing how it works for you ....
Now you have done 10 posts you can start a separate journal if you wish as I have here [Group Specific]

[Maryam]

If you are really worried about flushings, you can use aspirin, real aspirin. But I would not use it everyday. So I’d inform your colleagues and take aspirin when you have an important meeting etc. 

That said, my flushes took 10-12 hours after the meds, so only had them in the evening and during the night, so most of the time I slept through them

When should the aspirin be taken? It's not something I'll use very often but it sounds like something that can be handy if it's likely a flush may come on during a time you'd really rather it didn't.

I think it takes an hour to be absorbed in the body and continues to work for about 6 hours

[arsenalfan13]

Soooooo.. took my first dose yesterday with plenty of food and a yoghurt. Nothing to report regarding side effects. Think I felt my belly churning a little 20 mins or so after but I don't know if that was just my imagination from expecting something or even just my stomach digesting which I wouldn't normally notice. That leads to my question though: I know the flushing seems to come on many hours after the pill is taken but how long after the dose is taken do the stomach problems usually occur?

[jiml]

Soooooo.. took my first dose yesterday with plenty of food and a yoghurt. Nothing to report regarding side effects. Think I felt my belly churning a little 20 mins or so after but I don't know if that was just my imagination from expecting something or even just my stomach digesting which I wouldn't normally notice. That leads to my question though: I know the flushing seems to come on many hours after the pill is taken but how long after the dose is taken do the stomach problems usually occur?

Great you’re on your way to clear skin ( hopefully)
I’m guessing you are looking for the effect ..... there will be no doubt if it happens  
As far as I can remember it’s a bit before the flushes,  but I can’t remember as it was so long ago for me, hopefully someone else may have a better answer  

[Caroline]

Soooooo.. took my first dose yesterday with plenty of food and a yoghurt. Nothing to report regarding side effects. Think I felt my belly churning a little 20 mins or so after but I don't know if that was just my imagination from expecting something or even just my stomach digesting which I wouldn't normally notice. That leads to my question though: I know the flushing seems to come on many hours after the pill is taken but how long after the dose is taken do the stomach problems usually occur?

I don't know either. I never had stomach problems as I have never used Fumaderm, but I would guess they would be quickly as the stomach is the first the pills pass.
After that they come in the intestines and release their contents. As you had a good meal it may be, at least that is what we are trying to achieve, that the DMF is so diluted that you will have little problems in your intestines. Let's wait and see.

Remember, there are a lot of people who say they have problems in their stomach but in fact they have problems in their intestines (belly).
Those two are very different things.

[arsenalfan13]

So I have just finished the first week of the initials and no side effects yet.. have been getting headaches which is listed as a side effect but I get them quite often anyway so it's hard to tell whether it's linked or not.

I know it's far too early for any skin improvements but I think my psoriasis is actually a little worse. Had a couple new patches pop up and some of my existing psoriasis looks a little angrier and seems a bit more resistant to Enstilar. Might just be my imagination though..

[jiml]

It's good you are through the first week   yes it's early for Fumaderm to be having an effect on the psoriasis  unfortunately it's not a fast worker that is mainly because of the slow build up, allowing your body to adjust to it ....you should be upping the dose now to one tablet morning and one at night, hopefully you will get through without side effects ...it should be worth the wait

[Caroline]

It certainly is worth the wait. Arsenalfan.
The DMF is speeding up your energy cycle, when you are accustomed to headaches that to my idea certainly can make a difference.
But DMF is weird stuff, you never may know what it will change in regard to your headaches. I have even heard from someone over here that his illness meunières has disappeared due to it.
In most cases the effects are positive.
Let’s hope it also works for you.

[Bill]

I had some horrible headaches when starting. Lasted about 24 hours and unresponsive to paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin. Only had a few thankfully. With DMF, you need to find a therapeutic dose, which is why you gradually increase. Hopefully you will find a working dose within the therapeutic range.

Cheers

ps Caroline, Biogen is assessing DMF as a therapy for Scleroderma. It is a very versatile drug.

[Caroline]

I had some horrible headaches when starting. Lasted about 24 hours and unresponsive to paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin. Only had a few thankfully. With DMF, you need to find a therapeutic dose, which is why you gradually increase. Hopefully you will find a working dose within the therapeutic range.

Cheers

ps Caroline, Biogen is assessing DMF as a therapy for Scleroderma. It is a very versatile drug.

Yes, It is a Very versatile drug. Dr. Thio, a leading dermatologist in the Netherlands, has once said that it is the aspirin of the future. Too bad is that this same dr. Thio does not do very much to spread it and to make it cheaper and more used.
Now we get the expensive pharmacists, who already know the versatility, to "invent" new possibilities with the same drug, while you just could use the cheapest form of DMF.
It works against Psoriasis, MS, Crohns, Lupus, bed sores, and many more chronic illnesses.