anyone switch from Humira to Enbrel? | Arthritis Information

Hi,

I was on Humira for 8 months and it didn't do much good. I am to start taking Enbrel on Weds. Has anyone here been switched like me? If so, how long did it take to notice any difference? Did you get releif from the Enbrel? I am anxious and have been on so many different drugs (as I'm sure others have) and I am either allergic or they didn't work. I'm praying this one does the trick especially with my energy level. I don't have any energy and sleep for 10,12, even 14 hours a night. I am sleeping my life away, and when I'm awake I feel so bad, I just want to go to sleep again. Vicious cycle.

Any body??

thanks

Hi Cindee,
I too switched from Humira to Enbrel. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! The Humira didn't help and in fact caused me to break out in shingles. I switched to Enbrel and several things happened, the most important being, I have so much energy now. I started exercising again and lost 26lbs. That's the best part! Also, it decreased ALL of my swelling so much that I actually forgot what it was like to be in so much pain that I couldn't do ANYTHING!!! I'm telling you it's the greatest med I've been on in 2 years. The only problem with this med for me is that I have a constant sinus infection so I have to go off of it periodically and take Cipro to clear it up. The other problem I have is I break out in fever blisters on my mouth pretty frequently. I take Valtrex and that helps clear them up. I had to have surgery back in August and I went off of the Enbrel for 6 weeks prior to surgery. I just in the last 3 weeks went back on the Enbrel. During the time I was not taking it I had no RA symptoms other than a lack of energy and my RA said that was because I was healing from my surgery. I'm sure my lack of energy was probably due to a little of both, no Enbrel and healing. Anyway, as I said, I'm back on it again and I saw my RA doc last week and she told me that I'm in a form of remission. She stated that I may have some pain but my bloodwork shows remission. Now, that's pretty amazing considering how sick I was this time last year.

So, I hope Enbrel is the drug for you! Let me know how it does and how soon you start to feel better. My prayers are with you.

KIMM

Hi Kimm, thanks for your reply. It was very encouraging and thanks for the prayers. I can't wait until Weds. to start. I hope it does the trick soon so I can do all the things I like to do for Christmas and have energy and not have to take pain pills. I felt so bad last year, I didn't even go with family to pick out our tree. They decorated it and I sat in the recliner. My kids (14 & 19) still like our family traditions and the last couple of years I haven't been able to do hardly anything. I want to make cookies, go shopping and LIVE!!!

So, again, you made my day. Thanks for everything and I will keep you posted on how it works.

Happy Holidays!

Just wanted to say good luck to ya CinDee. Hope you have as much success as Kimm.

I too switched from Humira to Enbrel. The Humira worked ok for me but I kept getting infections, the Enbrel seems to be kicking in now and I feel loads better without infections. I do have a UTI but not enbrel related as I suffer with them anyway I have just had to miss my enbrel while the antibiotics do their trick. I hope you get some relief from the switch.