Re: Humira anyone?

[Guest guest]

Dear -

Firstly, Stress can make you flare. Its a huge factor in the disease. I think the RA cells actually feed off of it because anything that affects your immune system and hormones will make your RA amplify. As for Humira vs. Enbrel, they are both TNF blocking agents. I take remicade and still find it effective when taken with MTX. Every person is different and your RA will respond better to one than to another agent. You should only take a patient off a medication once it STOPS becoming effective. When life becomes hard and alot of different things happen at once, you have to remind yourself that your RA is a part of you.

It will hit hardest when you are hit hardest. From experience I can only tell you that emotion is only helpful when it can help someone else. When you want to react instinctively in a negative way....anger, worry, sorrow, you have to try and filter that emotion and try to find the positive and hopeful in yourself and in your attitude toward a problem or situation. Its how we react to bad news. By doing something positive, whether baking a cake to give or knitting a scarf for someone. Feeling isnt doing. Feel something too intensely and it can stop you from doing everything. Doing something for someone can keep your mind and body occupied to focus on something other than pain or anger or worry. I hope that helps you. Hugs, Deborah

On 6/5/07, <haveyarn2crochet@...> wrote:

I was diagnosed with RA over 30 years ago but didn't start showingsymptoms until I was in my 40's. Since then I have had flares butthey usually didn't last until I developed gout in my knee. When that

happened I was fortunate enough to find a rheumatologist that was moreaggressive and who put me on a regimen of medications. I started outwith Prednizone and have also used MTX, sulfasolazine, Enbrel, folic

acid and now am taking Humira. (She took me off the Enbrel before Icould become immune to it, I think). My question is how long does ittake before you start seeing the benefits of the Humira. I am on thebi-monthly shots and actually feel worse than I did with the Enbrel. Is this normal? Or should I start worrying? I need to add that my stress level has sky-rocketed in the past monthas I found out that a relative has a mass on her pancreas that isconsidered inoperable and she has decided to not have any kind of

treatments. This is on top of my daughter having a baby one month andless than a month later having to have gall bladder surgery.Any input would be helpful.

[Guest guest]

I am all to aware of how stress can impact the RA. Most of the flares

have occurred during stressful situations and I am constantly

attempting to find ways of dealing with the stress.

Knitting and crocheting are the main way I attempt to maintain

mobility in my hands and I am a firm believer in that being a factor

in the flexibility that I have.

After I joined this group I finally managed to contact my doctor and

was told that the reason I was changed to Humira was for my sake, as

the only version of Enbrel that I am eligible for is the type that has

to be mixed by me and the Humira was available in the pen. The doctor

knew that I was losing strength in my hands and felt like it would be

easier for me to do my own injections without the hassle of the

mixing. She did agree though to allowing me to go back onto the

Enbrel. I am now just waiting for the time to lapse so I can go back

on the Enbrel. I have to wait for the Humira is out of my system

before I start the Enbrel again.

Thanks for your kind words and know that I am trying very hard to deal

with the stress in my life and that I usually can maintain a even

level, but sometimes things just don't work out that way.

>

> > I was diagnosed with RA over 30 years ago but didn't start showing

> > symptoms until I was in my 40's. Since then I have had flares but

> > they usually didn't last until I developed gout in my knee. When that

> > happened I was fortunate enough to find a rheumatologist that was more

> > aggressive and who put me on a regimen of medications. I started out

> > with Prednizone and have also used MTX, sulfasolazine, Enbrel, folic

> > acid and now am taking Humira. (She took me off the Enbrel before I

> > could become immune to it, I think). My question is how long does it

> > take before you start seeing the benefits of the Humira. I am on the

> > bi-monthly shots and actually feel worse than I did with the Enbrel.

> > Is this normal? Or should I start worrying?

> >

> > I need to add that my stress level has sky-rocketed in the past month

> > as I found out that a relative has a mass on her pancreas that is

> > considered inoperable and she has decided to not have any kind of

> > treatments. This is on top of my daughter having a baby one month and

> > less than a month later having to have gall bladder surgery.

> >

> > Any input would be helpful.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear - I run a wonderful Dishcloth Knitting Group that you might be interested in. We do an exchange every 8 weeks or so and have a knit along also. You can loom or knit or crochet your cloth. I also am running Tea Time Knitters on which I can send you an invite for either if you are interested. I know you have alot on your plate but most of the people in the group have physical and emotional challenges and while its a small group, everyone is very caring and supportive. I am always here to listen if you need an ear. My hands are swollen most of the time but I manage to knit small things despite that and am going to endeavor to learn crochet. You are in my thoughts. Hugs, Deborah

On 6/11/07, <haveyarn2crochet@...> wrote:

I am all to aware of how stress can impact the RA. Most of the flareshave occurred during stressful situations and I am constantlyattempting to find ways of dealing with the stress. Knitting and crocheting are the main way I attempt to maintain

mobility in my hands and I am a firm believer in that being a factorin the flexibility that I have. After I joined this group I finally managed to contact my doctor andwas told that the reason I was changed to Humira was for my sake, as

the only version of Enbrel that I am eligible for is the type that hasto be mixed by me and the Humira was available in the pen. The doctorknew that I was losing strength in my hands and felt like it would be

easier for me to do my own injections without the hassle of themixing. She did agree though to allowing me to go back onto theEnbrel. I am now just waiting for the time to lapse so I can go backon the Enbrel. I have to wait for the Humira is out of my system

before I start the Enbrel again.Thanks for your kind words and know that I am trying very hard to dealwith the stress in my life and that I usually can maintain a evenlevel, but sometimes things just don't work out that way.

>

> > I was diagnosed with RA over 30 years ago but didn't start showing> > symptoms until I was in my 40's. Since then I have had flares but> > they usually didn't last until I developed gout in my knee. When that

> > happened I was fortunate enough to find a rheumatologist that was more> > aggressive and who put me on a regimen of medications. I started out> > with Prednizone and have also used MTX, sulfasolazine, Enbrel, folic

> > acid and now am taking Humira. (She took me off the Enbrel before I> > could become immune to it, I think). My question is how long does it> > take before you start seeing the benefits of the Humira. I am on the

> > bi-monthly shots and actually feel worse than I did with the Enbrel.> > Is this normal? Or should I start worrying?> >> > I need to add that my stress level has sky-rocketed in the past month

> > as I found out that a relative has a mass on her pancreas that is> > considered inoperable and she has decided to not have any kind of> > treatments. This is on top of my daughter having a baby one month and

> > less than a month later having to have gall bladder surgery.> >> > Any input would be helpful.> >> > > >>