I NEVER EVER saw the needle with the humira pen. I don't know if I have a needle phobia... I never ever look! Haha (That's to make fun of me, not of you : ) )

infections- I was a high school teacher at the time, so I did catch colds, etc, but nothing serious. I had no other side effects-- except to feel better!

pain- As I mentioned before, humira has been reformulated and the needles are shorter, so my experience may not be typical anymore.
It usually hurt about as much as a flu shot. It usually only hurt for as long as the needle was in me ( 30 seconds or a couple of minutes?). The spot felt bruised for a few days- no big deal at all. When I did the shot in the abdomen, I was careful to aim at a spot that would not be under the waistband of my pants, where it would have been irritated.
Areas- The abdomen is supposed to be the most effective. I have stretch marks all over my abdomen from having children. It was virtually impossible for us to find a clear spot there, so we usually used the upper thigh. I never had one in the back of my upper arm.

No medicine has ever put me into remission, but humira and remicade helped me the most. I have been on at least 9 or 10 or more medications. But, as I mentioned before, these medications are magic for some patients and not-so- helpful for some other patients.

My husband trained with me at the doctor's office on how to give the shot. He usually gave it to me, mostly because my hands weren't agile and strong enough to hold the skin and hold the pen.

A few times, it was extremely painful (like hit-a-nerve blinding pain), but that was only a few times over the course of 2 or 3 years. And, maybe, my husband was squeezing my skin really hard-- God bless him.