This is my first post on these message boards. I am really getting desperate for some real relief from RA. I was diagnosed in August of 2005. I'm 61 years old--female. I am currently on 5mg prednisone (trying to wean me off), methotrexate, and Enbrel. I have one more month on Enbrel to complete 4 months to see if it will work. So far, it hasn't done a whole lot although the pain and stiffness is somewhat less. While I still have pain and stiffness, my biggest problems right now are fatigue, lack of stamina, and generally feeling unwell. It is getting very frustrating. My sed rate continues to be between 50 and 60. When diagnosed it hit a high of 103. I am considering changing to Humira if there isn't more relief soon. Has anyone else switched from Enbrel to Humira? What was your experience? I find that the chronic nature of this disease is such a downer and try to remind myself that others have worse diseases but, boy, this is sure a tough one. Any suggestions, ideas? I need all the advice I can get. My rheumatologist is excellent but it's such a trial and error kind of process to find what works and doesn't work. Thanks in advance for your help.Well, I dont know if this will help you or not, but I was on Enbrel for 3 1/2 months before I really started noticing a difference. Right now, Im doing fairly well...some pain, but not enough to even consider it "pain"....very mild. I started Enbrel and started decreasing my prednisone also....3 weeks into taking it. I am now down to 4 mg a day. I just cross my fingers and keep on going! Enbrel shocked me, I was expecting to feel well immediately, and it did not happen for me. Hopefully it will kick in for you too. Thanks, Dena. Your reply does give me some hope that Enbrel might still work. My doctor really wants me to give it the full four months---I was thinking it was pointless but maybe not after hearing of your experience. Any tips on not getting discouraged, especially on the really bad days? Anyone else have experience with Enbrel and/or Humira? Thanks.
It took three months for Enbrel to start working for me. It worked wonders for 2 years and then slowly began to lose it's effectiveness. I'm now taking Humira and I'm nearing the three month marker with no noticeable improvement. My rheumy has mentioned Orencia or Rituxan as my next possible choices.
Hi there, My name is Christie and I am a 22 living with rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 4. Needless to say I have tried dozens and dozens of medicines. I started Enbrel right when it first came out and it was a miracle for me. I went into remission. I was on it for about 5 years and constantly tweeking my medication regimine all the while...I was doing mtx injections and enbrel 1x/week...I tried things like arava,plaquenil, predniosone, naproxen, celebrex,cortisone injections, draining fluid from my joint..you name it I tried it! As time went on I increased to 2 injections a week and then 3 and then it just stopped working. I switched to Humira 2x/week and not only was it painful but it did absolutely nothing. I tried remicade and ended up being deathly allergic to it, I went into anaphylaxis and stopped breathing, my heart almost stopped. I almost died. Have you heard of Kineret? It is a daily injection and has been the only thing that worked for me. I am on it twice a day which is unheard of. It's allowed me to completely get off steroids. Now it's just a very low dose of MTX and that. Kineret does burn quite a bit but you get used to it and it's so worth it. hey there,i too am going through this i was on enbrel for 3 yrs and at first it was great but in thelast yr or so it has quit working,my labs in the last 6 mos have skyrocketed the rhumey told me he is seeing about 20% of his patients after about 2yrs the body has built up a tolerance to the drug,and trust me i gave enbrel every chance to start working again ,so now im switching next week to humira, i hope it works and keeps working,but if not who knows,have any of you taken all thats out there with no success,well take care eric in ca
I was on Enbrel for 4 months too. It worked very well at first. In fact it probably worked the best of all the meds I've been on, but at about week 13 it just stopped working. I switched to Humira, which worked pretty well, also for about 16 weeks..sigh.. I then switched to Remicade, which has worked pretty well for a year now.
This disease is so strange, what works well for one doesn;t for someone else. Just keep trying, you never know which will be just right for you.
I've been on Humira for two years now. I take it weekly though; and the recomended dose is every two weeks. That didn't help much; but the weekly injections do help a lot! (With a high dose of MTX I must add)
The first noticable change for me was an over increase in my energy level. I did notice that in the first month even on the two week dosage.
Kathy is so right though. What works well for one might not work well for another.
You are also very right about one thing Linda. This whole treatment thing is a process of trial and error. Don't give up!
Well, I THINK I have good news for my RA. I'm on my fifth day of very little pain and stiffness, almost unnoticeable!!!!!! (of course, I still have problems with OA in my knees and hip but that's another story.)This started Wednesday which was also the day I hit 3 1/2 months on weekly Enbrel injections. I am SO hopeful that it's finally working and I won't have to switch to another drug anytime soon afterall. Next week I'll have labs drawn and the following week I'll see my RD. Can't wait to see what the blood tests show, especially the sed rate. I am so excited about the prospect that something is finally working but a little afraid to get my hopes up too high, either. I've done that before, only to have them dashed. What a process this is. I am so happy to feel better than I have felt in nearly 2 years---I pray it keeps up.
Have a look at this article,end good luck.
http://www.hsibaltimore.com/articles/hsi_2001ds/hsi_200102.h tml