Remicade vs enbrel | Arthritis Information

Hi All,

Humira is no longer working for me and my rheumy wants me to start Remicade. I asked her about enbrel and she said that Remicade would be better for me. Has anybody has any experience with going from Humira to Remicade? Anybody tried enbrel first to see if it would help? I really need the relief but hate to think about the cost and inconvenience of infusion appointments. Some post that they have had hair loss and are extremely week after infusions not looking forward to that with work and all. I do take MTX and on medrol right now. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Windyone, I've been on Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, and then back to Humira. When I stopped Remicade I was taking 800mg. every 4-5 weeks. Went back to Humira with an increase in MXT and added Sulfasalazine and with that combo of meds I achieved clinical remission and have been in remission for 14 months. Talk to your doctor about increasing MXT if there's room to increase and starting Enbrel if you have reservations about Remicade. I didn't lose any hair and had few problems with Remicade. I was tired after the infusion but was fine the next day. Let us know how you're doing. LindyLin- Thanks for the reply. Yes the rheumy did also mention the possibility of sulfasalazine. I am hoping to get back into remission soon. I see her again on the 12th after I finish the medrol. I will be receiving some steroid injections and will review what the next step is. Wish me luck!!

Lindy- I had my first remicade infusion earlier this week. Ran a slight fever and was a little tired after treatment but probably because of the antihistamine they gave me. I don't feel any benefits yet but I know it is early. Hope this treatment works soon!

Windy, Sounds about normal for Remicade. When is your next infusion? I really hope you can get back to remission. I've been fighting an abcessed tooth, root canal, yadda, yadda, yadda and have been off MXT and Humira for about 5 weeks. Pain and inflammation has creeped back but I did restart meds tonight. Hopefully, things will improve this week. Want to achieve that same level of remission that I had. Good luck. Lindyhello I have gutate psoriasis from 2006 more and more pustule, i tryed just cortison creme and now my doctor told me to try enbrel and i am wandering if to try or not, because i dont think i have more then 20% of my body with pustule, even if it is all over my body. What you think? I read a lot about remicade and for sure i will never try...in my country(Romania) is all ready fotbidden.

Thank you

Why is Remicade forbidden? There are many people on the forums who do quite well on Remicade. If your gutate psoriasis is increasing over time and not stabilized then Enbrel might be the answer. Only you and your physician can make that decision. LindyYes I for one am on Remicade faithfuly every 6/wk, and without it I think life would slump down to nil for me considering everything I'm doing right now. Before treatment every day felt like I was dying. Of course, what works for some is a nightmare for others. Good luck finding something to treat it with though Thank you LinB and mohgeroth....i am just affride of secundary effects...and i am not proud to say that romanian doctors are not very good..., anyway today i made the first step... biopsy....i will tell you how I fill after the injections...i heard that the 3 rd is with some problems...

Brenda

Hi Brenda, good luck with the biopsy. Let us know how you're doing, keep in touch. Lindy

Hi all- sorry but have not been able to visit sight for a bit. Lin- I go for second infusion tomorrow. I have felt an improvement in fatigue. Just the boost in energy gives me a pick-up. Up late due to back pain so still hoping the remicade treatments really kick in. Very sorry to hear about the teeth! Ouch! I know what being off the humira and mtx is like so glad that you are able to restart them. I hope by now you are already feeling better.

Hi all. I've had PA for 30 years now. I'll be 60 in October. Been on all types of medicine Including Gold, Methotrexate, Gold, etc, etc. Also been on Prednisone for over 20 years. The latest treatments over the last few years where Embrel (worked for a while) Humira (didn't seen to work at all) and now have started Remicade. I've been in lots of pain before my first treatment, expecially my knees and left elbow. After my first treatment, the next morning my elbow didn't hurt and I haven't used my cane since. Wow, it was like a miracle (I use the term loosely). I just had my 3rd infusion and have gone down to 2mgs of Prednisone and am feeling great. Well as great as you can feel after 30 years of PA. Hope to be finally off Prednisone in the next 4-6 weeks.

Thanks for this great forum.

Gord

PS I'll keep you updated over the next few months.

I'm over the oral issue I think. My gum and tooth are still sensitive and I think there's some infection lurking. We'll be back in the states on April 5th and hopefully I can get in to see my dentist soon after that. Started Humira and MXT and am on second dose since the dental problems and am better. Had a flare and it's still lingering but is getting better. Right now I have hip bursitis and it's keeping me awake at night. I'm torn about leaving our place in Mexico but I know I need to get back for labs and doctor's visits. There are few RDs here and I would have to drive to Guadalajara (4 hours) to see one. In fact several of the specialist have been trained in the U.S. and speak fluent English. My DH saw a rural doctor here in the town where we live and he had trained in the U.S. He diagnosed a problem with DH's eye that had been misdiagnosed by 2 other physicians in the U.S. I guess the longest I can live here is 6 months at a time....oh well, it's better than no time at all. We leave on Monday to start back.

Hi and Welcome to the forum, Gord. I can't for a minute imagine having PsA for 30 years!! I've been diagnosed for 10 and it seems like I've had the pain forever. Remicade is your miracle drug and it's so uplifting to hear about someone who might be able to achieve clinical remission after having the disease for so long. You can be such an inspiration to others who feel hopeless. I achieved clinical remission after 10 years. Please keep us posted. Take care. Lindy

Lin- Mexico, that is awesome! Great to hear that you are getting back to yourself. Not too much worse than not being able to chew(not to mention the pain). Good news too for your DH with the eye diagnoses. Ya never know. I guess that is why we have 2nd and 3rd opinions.

I have now had two remicade treatments and it finally seems to be helping at least my dactylitis. Wahoo! I still have tendons issues and back & neck pain. Hoping that a few more treatments will take care of it. The first treatment seemed to give me a burst of energy after a couple of days. Now I am tired almost all the time. I will ask the rheumy when I go back in April for my third infusion. Could be just because I am still flaring. I am still very optimistic that relief is right around the corner. :)

Gord- Ditto with welcome to forum! Chat anytime you like we are good listeners too!

Windy1, my RA got better quicker and I achieved RA clinical remission before my PsA pain and inflammation started to clear. PsA lagged about 3 - 4 months behing RA. All my labs were normal but then PsA never shows any positives just the tendon pain lingered. You may need a few more treatments before you show significant changes with PsA. Take care and I'm very happy that you're doing so well. LindyAwesome to hear! Yes it takes a few infusions to get it back. After my 2nd the pain really subsided and the 3rd was the first time i ran in almost 5 years! Hope it keeps going well. For me, the hardest part is getting through the last weeks between when it starts to come back
LinB & mohg- you both have given me a lot of encouragment. My family (husband, daughter & son are all running a 5 k in a few weeks and I am looking forward to going and cheering them on. Hoping soon to be back on the treadmill myself. :)Remicade update- Doing better! Walked first Mile Fun Run today with family and I was able to finish! Pretty sore right now but worth it. Energy level has improved and so has dactylitis. Neck and back are stil bothering me a bit but not as bad. Hoping things continue to progress. :)Windy, great news and it should keep improving. I'm very happy for you, enjoy. LindyHi all this is my very first post to this forum. I was diagnosed 3 years ago with PSa, I was on MTX and Pred, for a full year with not relief of either my joint symptoms or my rash. I switched RDs and my new doctor put me on Remicade and MTX. Remicade was my miracle drug. It was amazing! I had my first good night sleep in years and my swelling and joint pain went away. But after 6 months my liver enzymes were high so my DR took me off the MXT and after 18 months on Remicade it stopped working all together. 600mg would only last 1 full week thats it. So now I am back to square one. I am waiting on the approval for Embrel and I hope it's my new miracle drug. But if you can get Remicade and MTX I wish you all the luck, It gave me 14+ great months before it started wearing off and not working. Hi jzygirl and welcome. Sorry you have to be here but glad you found us. Keep us updated on how you're doing and I hope Enbrel gives you relief. Lindy
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