Second Infusion | Arthritis Information

Hi all,

Had my second infusion of Orencia on Monday -- no real improvement yet. I guess I'm a little disappointed as when I began Enbrel, had immediate improvement the next day! My goal is to stop Methotrexate if the Orencia can do the job. I still have waves of exhaustion for 2-3 days after I take it and have cut dose to 7.5 mg. (My nurse practitioner said this is as low as I can go.)

Receive infusion #3 on June 2nd and then will go on a once-a-month schedule. The plan is to try to take me off Methotrexate after about four months on the Orencia. I guess this must be the amount of time most people need to feel better. I still long for the days when I only took Enbrel, felt normal and wasn't so absorbed with my health!!

Thanks for listening!!

Sharon

Well... I hope you see more improvement after your 3rd infusion, but might not be until your 4th infusion. Did you start out with loading doses, too? I did not see a lot of improvement swell wiese with the loading doses, but it did help with the stiffness.

Well keep us posted.

I hope it starts working for you... quicklySharon, I know it's hard to be patient. I've had 3 Orencia infusions and get my 4th on June 3rd. I saw my RD on Monday and he was really disappointed that I hadn't seen an improvement yet. I thought it was really too soon to tell. I think that's the most frustrating thing about this disease...the "try an approach and wait and wait and wait" method. But hang in there, we may just see an improvement yet!InnerGlow -- Sounds as if you and I started this treatment within a couple of weeks of each other. I am scheduled to have three loading doses two weeks apart, and then will be on a once-a-month schedule. I acually felt better after the first infusion than I did the second; but I've had an extremely active week and I really overdid it at the gym yesterday.

I hope you start getting a response soon -- you are right, it is so difficult just waiting and hoping the treatment will work. (I should be used to it by now, as the only med that worked almost immediately was Enbrel and I have been on one med or another for 40 years!)

It's so hard to look at the photos that have been posted recently. I have damage in both hands and feet, but nothing compared to the photos. It's hard to stay optimistic when you see these photos, but it does make it easier to take the meds! If I hadn't been in denial the last two years (not wanting to admit the Enbrel just wasn't doing the job any longer), I would have been in better shape today!

Thanks to everyone who have responded.....I appreciate your good wishes and hope that we all manage to keep this disease under control!

Sharon