Starting enbrel | Arthritis Information

Hello everyone! Just went to see my rheumatologist-expecting good news but it didnt seem to work that way! She said my elbows and wrists are pretty damaged already and that I need to get on a new medication that is going to help STOP the RA- not just hide the pain. I thought bc I was feeling so much better that I was getting better but she said that is not the case and that my RA has not stopped at all. Being that I am so young (23 yrs old), I have a long life ahead of me and want to be able to use my wrists for many years to come!! I have been on Sulfasalazine and Plaquenil for awhile now and have finally weaned myself off of prednisone (THANK god)! I didnt want to take methotrexate bc of reading all of the horrible side effects-trying to feel the best I can especially because I am getting married in July of this year. So my doctor is putting me on Enbrel. I have read equally as many positive comments on it as I have negative. Just wondering what any of you think of it that are on it and are any of you on all three (sulfasalazine, plaquenil and enbrel). Im concerned with weight gain (mostly just because of my wedding- cant be gaining any weight, esp bc I have had my final dress fitting). Also read alot about an increase in risk of MS or certain type of cancers?! Eek! Does the injection hurt a lot? What side effects do most of you experience so that I can know what to expect. Am I allowed to drink alcohol? UGH

Being so young all I do is sit around and WORRY, WORRY, WORRY about what is going to happen to me years down the road. I am always EXHAUSTED- can rarely go hang out with my friends or do fun things bc I am always just so tired and just need to relax. I try to be as positive as I can but I am so stressed out with all the wedding planning, moving, starting a family sometime soon, that the RA on top of all of this somtimes becomes too much for me to handle!!! Any advice (whether good or bad) would be appreciated!

Can I just say I understand what you are going through 1010%!

I am 21, just got married a year ago this Month. I am about to start college and we are trying to have a family. So I def understand. Before when I was younger I didnt worry about what was ahead or anything. I have had RA sense I was about 7. But lately for some reason it scares me to death thinking of what could be wrong with me down the road.

But to answear your question. I have been on Embrel sense I was 13. I was on that and methotrexate and of course folic acid. It worked amazing. Yea I would have a few ruff days every now and then but thats normal. But with side effects I didnt notice anything at all except my psoriasis would pop up more often. (Which I dont really understand how when enbrel is also used to treat that) but who knows lol.

Good luck with it though :) I hope it works as good for you as it did for me.

Well at least I'm not totally alone here!!! Its all so crazy and makes my head spin around in circles!!! Thank you for your input! it's really appreciatedWell,

When i was taking Enbrel, I called it my "feel good" drug. It was like doing a hit of speed. I loved it. I went from total fatigue to extra energy.

None the less, people should understand about our drugs. Quit letting some people scare yous away from them. If you were to ask how many people here have actually had damage from methotrexate, it would probably be none or no more than a plavebo. We take much lower doses than the doses that are more harmful which those with cancers take. We take what is considered low dose, low risk.

We are in such a explosive age of new drugs and cures that Being young and having ra is not looking so depressing. Right now so many new drugs are in the workings and probably within 10 years a cure if not sooner. Right now we have drugs that can keep us close to remission and allow us to live a fairly normal life where in the short past was nothing but crippling and deformities. Do not worry yourselfs. Eventually, the right coctail will be prescribed and you will live a almost normal life. We don't have to look to gloom and doom anymore.

LEV

Enbrel is my friend - I hope it becomes yours too. I'm using the new SureClick pens and hardly feel the injections. Best wishes!When I was on it it gave me plenty of energy. I was on it for about a year but I kept getting infections and had to go off. The shot doesn't hurt so much. Take the enbrel out of the fridge 1/2 hour before injection time and I use to numb the area with ice first. That also helped prevent bruising.Hi, Enbrel was a good drug for me for a long time. I struggled with the idea of taking it at first too, but then my lung collapsed due to RA, so the decision was sort of made for me. I've never regretted taking it because it helped me feel so much better.

We are all different and the drugs do different things to different people. The choice is yours and by making the best choice for you, you are doing the right thing.

Some tips; take care not to ice the injection site after you have used the alcohol prep, you'll freeze your skin. Also, keeping a journal will help you keep track of any reactions or changes in how you feel. Talk to your doctor about drinking alcohol and get his take. I keep in mind that my liver is being stressed by processing all the medications I take, so I am kind to it by doing my best not to over stress it needlessly. Moderation in all treats is a good rule for me!

Thank you everybody! My TB test came back negative today so I will be starting enbrel this week......trying to decide which day of the week to give myself the shot? Does it make any of you feel sick. tired, etc? Because I dont want to feel that way on a Saturday haha. I'm so glad that I found this site and can talk to ppl who actually know what I'm going through! Friends and family can sympathize with you but its never the same unless you actually KNOW how it feels! Thank you all!Nah I have never felt sick from it. I take mine every tuesday and friday. It works pretty good for me that way.Jenm...... good luck with your new meds..
I've been taking enbrel since March 2008. I am bordering on remission with it together with my MTX... I have almost no inflammation at this time... while I still have some pain and minor stiffness, I am going to see an ortho because we believe it is from damage, not from the disease.
Jenn-

I, like you, was terrified to start Enbrel. But it has literally given me my life back. Sure, I am concerned about long term effects. With Enbrel I was able to get off MTX and plaquenil and I have so much more energy! It has never given me nausea or fatigue but I do have injection site reactions to some degree.

Everyone is different but I hope it works out for you. I prefer the syringe to the SureClick because I think the SureClick can be painful. I rotate injections in the stomach area and arms (thanks to my husband) since sometimes a little knot forms under the skin and last awhile.Hi Jenn. I started on Enbrel in January. Took at least 3 months to notice any effects. I was afraid it wasn't working at first... so you may need to give it time. Also, I take my injection on Thursday and have some fatigue on Friday, but actually I feel more fatigue on Saturday. Go figure! Anyway, I do experience some fatigue and so you may want to consider what day works for you. I am thinking of switching my night to Wednesday, because I also don't want to be fatigued on Saturday!!

No problems with injection. I use the syringe and have had some stinging but it only lasts seconds. My husband stands beside me and tells me to "keep going" so I am not tempted to withdraw it when the sting comes. Many people on the board have had no problems with it, so I am sure that you won't even think about it after awhile.

Good luck!!!!

I love embrel!! I've had to skip some,

bc of a cough once.. that was my decision, i was just being safe.. anyway.. a couple days off embrel and wow.. i was in major pain again.. The embrel, really helps!!

Its the best med, i've found.. note: i still have extreme fatigue.. but I'm also bipolar and my Rhem dr, think the exhaustions more due to that.. then the RA. (also have severe sleep apnea.. soo..)

No side effects, doesn't matter what day.. I have been using the sure click and yes, i do get a huge red swelling, but am told thats normal.. I hate needles, yet i once had to use the needle, by itself and Surprise.. no marks, less pain!!

I do the shot once a wk, before sleep and take a sleep med..

I really hope it works as good for you, as it has been for me..

and Congrats on your Wedding~

ohh are you using the special keyboard? Really helps!!

and wrist bands.. they help a lot, i also have it ba in my wrists..

Hey everybody!!! Have taken Enbrel twice now and am not noticing much of a difference yet, which is expected. My mother (a nurse) gave it to me the first time, and the second time I tried to do it on my own but had to have my fiance push the button bc I was too scared. I use the sureclick and it HURTS. It feels like the longest 15 seconds ever haha. But after I am through with it it only bleeds for a minute or so and it hasn't swelled up or anything (yet). Doesn't give me many side effects, just a slight headache and maybe a little dizzy feeling, but nothing too extreme! I hope it continues to be this easy and painfree and that it really does help me in the end!!

Whispered- What special keyboard?! And wrist bands?! Any help with the wrists I am very interested in!!! Let me know please!!