Enbrel ? & hip pain ? | Arthritis Information

I have started the new Enbrel, and I hate it! I am going back to the other. I rather take 2 shots than feel like I am shooting acid in my skin. I also get headaches after taking it. I did call the Enliven nurse and report it. I advise every one who has a problem with it to report it. (My brother is a pharmacist and said the have to report it to the FDA and they need the info to make inprovements.)

As for the hip pain, my left hip has been bothering me since October 15. I finally went away for about 3 weeks but is back. It hurts in the hip joint and in my knee deon my shin, to my ankle down to my big toe. Whne I told my ra doc she said that it wasn't from the ra. She brushed me off. ( She closed her practice since then & I see my pc till March when I go to UW to see a rheumy.) Has anyone else had this problem? I have probelms sitting, walking, and sleeping becausee of it.

My pc is trying various pain pills to help with the pain. I am now taking 2 vicodin at night to help with the pain. T3 and ultram work about as good as taking 2 asprin as I have been on them for 2 years and perocet makes me agitated so I can't take it. What do you take for pain?

My poor dh and family are so sick of hearing me complain about the pain. Don't get me wrong but I know it gets old after a while.

Sorry for being so long winded no one else to really talk to about it.

THanks for listening.

Kristin

Hi..

Dealing with pain is a personal thing, you have to do what works for YOU, and if that includes whining then your family should suport that the same way they would if you had a cronic cough!

I do " Biofeedback." meds as well of corse.As fo being long winded....... thats why we are here,Just know your not alone.that dosent make it go away,but it helps to know.You have a GOOD DAY!!!!! :-)

Mike

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem!!! It turned out to be in my back and was diagnosed with PA. They say RA usually doesn't attack the lower back, I actually believe that it can. Anyway, my RD sent me for an MRI and I have 3 degenerated discs and one herniated disc. He put me on Soma and a heating pad. Please push your RD to get it checked out. It was some of the worst pain that I ever had. Please let us know.

Hi Lu:

Would you please tell me about PA? I too have lower back pain and have had an MRI. I was told that I have degenerative spine disease?!?!?

Thanks, Windy

Hi Kristin,

I heard that the reason the new Enbrel stings is because it has a preservative in it. I had planned to try it, but have heard that the preservative makes it stings, like Humira, I'm going to ask my RD to keep me on the bi-weekly. Besides the stinging, I'm not sure I want to take the chance that I'd have a reaction to the preservative. Who needs that!!

Also, I've heard that Amgen is planning to use the preservative in the bi-weekly also. They want to have everything pre-mixed. I'm going to call them and tell them that I'd rather they didn't change the bi-weekly so that some of us can take it without preservative. I don't mind mixing it.

So, if you call them to report your experiences, you may want to mention the preservative.

Carol

Hi Wendy,

I really am not that informed on PA yet, I am still trying to learn what I can. I really don't have psoriasis, just little patches on my elbows and behind my ears on my scalp. I didn't even know that is what it was. I have NEVER had back problems before. That is what make my RD look for a reason for the rapid destruction of my back. PA is really scary to me. If the Enbrel can't stop it, I am not sure what will happen to me. From what I read there are different degrees of PA, and of course I have to have the most aggresive. I will look and see what links I looked at and pm you with the links.

Hey Kristen,

I have had the same problem with the enbrel, I thought it was just me. My husband gives me my shots and it burn so bad I would actually cry like a baby. You do have to let it get to room temp. So you have to leave it out of the frig for about 30 minutes before inj. that helped a little but still burned. I do have problems especially at night but its not in my hip. Its in my knees and down to my toes as well. I am beggininng to think all RHEUMYS ignore our symptoms.

Anyway I hope it gets better for you.

I have read so many people who are saying the new enbrel hurts. I have had 9 injections so far and here is what I do and I haven't had it sting except the first shot.

I take my enbrel syringe, a nice cup of coffee, my alcohol wipes and an ice pack up to my study. I get nice and comfy in my big chair. I leave the syringe lying across the top of the coffee mug for about a half hour, the warmth from the coffee brings it to room temp. I ice my tummy for about 3 minutes.. I take the syringe and roll it between my palms to get it to body temp. I wipe the alcohol swab on the spot I've iced and slip the needle in.

I HATE HATE HATE needles, but doing it this way I don't feel a thing. I use my tummy because the skin there is much more lose than on my thighs.. The only time it hurt was the first shot and the nurse gave it to me and the medicine wasn't body temperature.

On the other hand, even if it did sting every time like the first time , heck, RA hurts a heck of a lot more than the shot does..

Hope this helps someone

I took my 7th shot of the new Enbrel today and it didn't hurt as bad but it still stung. I left it out for about an hour before I used it. And i iced my leg for 30 minutes. It still stings so I am going to go back to the 2 shots.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Kristin
Take you enbrel shot in your stomach try it from underneath, I don't get any pain then, also leave the enbrel out for 30 minutes so it gets to room temp. That usually takes the sting out of it. Windy, what do you need to know about PA? i have pa, ra, and oa. My serious problem right now is the pa and trying to get it under control. You do not have to have a full blown case of psoriasis to get pa. About 15% of the people who have psoriasis has pa. It affects your joints etc. just like ra. Favorite spots are your back, neck, shoulders, etc. If you feel that the dr has misdiagnosed you, you have a right to a second opinion. Check your library, there are some excellent books that you can checkout and read abut the various athritises. Remember there are over 100 different types of athritis. If you would like to purchase a book for yourself go to Barnes and Nobles, what is nice there is you can sit down and read the book to see wether or not you want to get it. I hope that helps you out Windy if you need to ask more questions please feel free to contact ,me and I will try and help you out, or let you know where you can go for more info. Good luck Meme

I would appreciate any help you can give me on PA. My RD just said that I have it. Are there different degrees? How fast does it progress? I have been very worried about it, as I never had any problems with my back and wham. I have been having terrible pain in my shoulders, more like the clevacle area and between my shoulder blades. My arms feel like they are pulling out of my shoulders. It sort of feels like it is in the muscles but I am not sure. I have been on Enbrel since Nov and really don't feel any better. I read some place that it can take up to 6 months for full effects. I would really appreciate any advise. I tried to explain the pain in my clavicle area, and my RD said he didn't know what it was. He is unsually really good, so I am worried.

LU; Check your pm I sent you one on pa take care. Meme

Hip, knees, feet, ankles... well, I was told that this WAS NOT all in my head. I was told that I also had Fibro. This will cause havoc with your RA which can cause that much more pain. Check into it further or really question your RD.

Hang in there... Thank GOD that we have the site back up and we have each other !!!!

Kristin - I haven't been on Enbrel but I was having severe trouble with my hip. I was not able to walk well, sit, etc. I have a friend that did some physical therapy on me and my hip hasn't hurt much since. I would reccomend asking your PC to send you to PT. I know if I start having those types of problems again, I will definately request physical therapy!!

Good Luck

and second use the tummy as an injection site. My thighs are far too tight to go poking with anything.

Hi- I think I possibly had the same thing severals yrs. ago.A nurse giving a talk,about back injuries, in a safety class at work gave me the idea. Almost everyone should have a curve in spine in the lower back . Look in a mirror standing sidew ays and practice this . It gave me immediate relief. This is a pysiatica nerve condition .When sitting roll a large bath towel or thermos bottle and put in small of back. Lay on floor on stomache ,with pillow under hips(pushing butt way up ) and try falling asleep like that for awhile .Also ,if you know of a Dr. that does accupunture it may help too.If it is a nerve condition <you have to relieve the nerve . Good luck ---Danny

WOW --my last message was to kristin_in_ak Hope I didn't confuse anyone -lol -sure confused me