Cimzia (certolizumab)
How this therapy is used at Arthritis Care of Texas in Corpus Christi, TX — what it is, how it is taken, side effects, and safety checks.
- Treats
- Rheumatoid arthritis · Psoriatic arthritis · Ankylosing spondylitis
- How given
- Self-injection at home
- How often
- Every 2 weeks
Cimzia does both jobs: it relieves pain and swelling and helps protect joints from damage in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis and spine disease. It is not a painkiller — improvement usually builds over the first 4–12 weeks. Keep taking it on schedule once you feel better; the protection depends on it.
What it is: An anti-TNF biologic (trade name Cimzia). It blocks TNF to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis (including ankylosing spondylitis), and psoriatic arthritis. It is not a painkiller — it modifies the disease, with improvement over 6–12 weeks. It is usually prescribed with methotrexate.
Before starting: It is not started if your disease isn't active, you have an infection, or other appropriate treatments haven't been tried first. It may not be prescribed with a history of repeated or serious infections, MS, cancer, a serious heart condition, or lung fibrosis. A chest x-ray and TB blood tests are done before starting, plus hepatitis screening.
How it's taken: By injection under the skin with a pre-filled pen-like syringe; you or a family member can learn to inject at home. Each syringe is 200 mg; the usual schedule is 400 mg (two syringes) every two weeks for the first three doses, then 200 mg every two weeks. If you forget a dose, take it when you remember, then resume the original schedule. It is a long-term treatment — keep taking it even if it is slow to work, and even when you improve.
Side effects: Most common: injection-site redness, swelling, and pain (rotate sites). Infection risk is higher and infections are harder to spot — report a sore throat, fever, green phlegm, or diarrhoea promptly; stop and see a doctor if severe. Chickenpox and shingles can be more severe. Rare allergic reactions can occur. Anti-TNFs are linked to some skin cancers (treatable when caught early); there is no confirmed increased risk of other cancers. Very rarely, drug-induced lupus (rash, fever, joint pain — diagnosed by blood test; mild and clears on stopping).
Pregnancy: Discuss with your rheumatologist. Current guidelines say it can be used throughout pregnancy to prevent flares, and less of the drug reaches the baby than with other anti-TNFs (the live-vaccine caution for the baby is unclear — discuss with your team). Stop methotrexate 3 months before trying for a baby. There is no evidence of harm in men fathering children. Breastfeeding data is limited; research suggests it doesn't pass into breast milk, so it is unlikely to be harmful.
Why the checks: Each check has its reason: TB and hepatitis screening look for dormant infections that TNF blockade could wake up, so they can be dealt with first; baseline blood counts and liver tests give us your starting numbers, making any later change easy to read; and the infection history tells us how closely to watch you in the first months.
Used for Rheumatoid arthritis · Psoriatic arthritis · Ankylosing spondylitis
Common worries
Why screen for TB and hepatitis first?
Cimzia blocks TNF, a signal the body uses to keep dormant infections contained. Screening finds hidden TB or hepatitis so they can be treated or planned for before the first dose — the standard safety step for all TNF blockers.
I’m thinking about pregnancy. Is Cimzia different?
Cimzia is structured so that very little of it crosses the placenta, which is why it is often the TNF blocker discussed when pregnancy is part of the plan. Raise it early so timing is planned together, not improvised.
What if I develop a bad infection?
Call us promptly and expect to pause treatment until you recover. Serious infections on a biologic always deserve same-day advice, not watchful waiting at home.
Ready to be seen? New patients are seen within 2–4 weeks.