Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 Hi, I'm an Enbrel since May and I agree the needles are a pain. The Embrel needle (syringe) does NOT contain the Enbrel active ingredient, it's only pure sterile water (1.mL) used to dilute the Enbrel which is a dry powder in a small vial. Here is the info from the company: http://www.enbrel.com/patient/html/patpi.htm " ENBREL is supplied as a sterile, white, preservative-free, lyophilized powder reconstitution with 1 mL of the supplied Sterile Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP (containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol). Following reconstitution, the solution of ENBREL is clear and colorless, with a pH of 7.4 ± 0.3. Each single-use vial of ENBREL contains 25 mg etanercept, 40 mg mannitol, 10 mg sucrose, and 1.2 mg tromethamine " . " No other medications should be added to solutions containing ENBREL, and do not reconstitute ENBREL with other diluents. Do not filter reconstituted solution during preparation or administration " . I guess they want you to use the water they provide in the syringe, but maybe you can extract the water or find another substitute. The needle bothers me at times, it depends on how it goes in, but I'm sticking with it for now. Good luck on the switch. Bruce > I've just read the post about switching to thin needles (i.e. like > the ones used for insulin). I suggested that to my fiance a while > ago, but he told me that he can't switch because the injections in > Enbrel actually have the active ingredient inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 I use the insulin needles for MTX. Seems to be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2001 Report Share Posted January 30, 2001 Someone posted how to do it recently. Just inject the contents of the Enbrel needle into the vial. When it dissolves, suck it back out with the insulin needle. I also believe the person said to insert the needle in the same spot that you just pulled the Enbrel needle out of to keep from dulling the insulin needle. Sounds brilliant. I have kind of a high pain and needle threshold so the Enbrel needles don't bother me much. I also have lots of nice stretch marks since I used to weigh 65 pounds more than I do these days. I've found that most of my stretch marks are completely numb to pain and I can't feel the needle go in at all! However, after months of Enbrel I had the first needle last week that I had to stop and find a less painful spot. Must've been right on a nerve. --Jay V. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2001 Report Share Posted January 31, 2001 >his thighs, and he has psoriasis all over them. > The problem is that he has not many spots of > " healthy " skin there and whenever I see > him " suffer " is because Hi - just wondering, maybe you could give him the shot in a non-P area?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2001 Report Share Posted January 31, 2001 Thanks. I figured that out myself just a couple of days ago. I hadn't taken a look at his injectable meds yet and I was able to figure it out once I did :-) In any case, when I brought up the subject again, he told me it really wouldn't matter, since the problem is that he injects it on his thighs, and he has psoriasis all over them. The problem is that he has not many spots of " healthy " skin there and whenever I see him " suffer " is because he hit one of the psoriasis spots. This is a no-win situation for him; those are patches that just started clearing out (they are not scaly or raised anymore) but are still on the way to complete clearing out. I don't know if I am making sense now :-D Anyway, thank you. I am glad I decided to join this group. > Someone posted how to do it recently. > > Just inject the contents of the Enbrel needle into the vial. > When it dissolves, suck it back out with the insulin needle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2001 Report Share Posted January 31, 2001 OUCH!! The thighs? Shudder. Walking at work etc. I find the thighs the hardest place to inject. The stomach around the bellybutton is so much easier for me to inject that I will NOT try the thighs again:) As for side effects of Enbrel versus MTX I can live with a stuffy nose due to " slight flu like symptoms " of Enbrel rather than the hair thinning stomach churning etc.. of mtx side effects. PatB > ... In any case, when I brought up the subject again, he told me it > really wouldn't matter, since the problem is that he injects it on > his thighs, and he has psoriasis all over them. The problem is > that he has not many spots of " healthy " skin there and whenever I see > him " suffer " is because he hit one of the psoriasis spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2001 Report Share Posted February 2, 2001 Has he noticed the P clearing more quickly near injection sites? I have and I choose sites where possible so that I stick right near the P. Also, since starting Enbrel I've seen at least a 90% clearing of the P, mostly thru increased usefulness of my Temovate cream. I can use it with no risk of rebound. I'm down to 6 to 10 spots no bigger than 3/8 " across and one large trouble spot on my scalp. Of course, it used to be my entire scalp and about two dozen spots .5 " to 1.5 " across plus countless smaller spots. At 01:48 PM 1/31/01 -0000, you wrote: >Thanks. I figured that out myself just a couple of days ago. I >hadn't taken a look at his injectable meds yet and I was able to >figure it out once I did :-) > >In any case, when I brought up the subject again, he told me it >really wouldn't matter, since the problem is that he injects it on >his thighs, and he has psoriasis all over them. The problem is that >he has not many spots of " healthy " skin there and whenever I see >him " suffer " is because he hit one of the psoriasis spots. This is a >no-win situation for him; those are patches that just started >clearing out (they are not scaly or raised anymore) but are still on >the way to complete clearing out. I don't know if I am making sense >now :-D > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2002 Report Share Posted April 26, 2002 I am on Enbrel and use no other medications except Klonopin. Believe me. Enbrel has been a miracle drug in my case. I am in near complete remission and have been able to stop all other medications because of Enbrel. The difference in my quality of life is immeasureable. Personally I think that drugs like MTX are at least as dangerous if not more dangerous than Enbrel. The reports of MS like symptoms are very rare and there is some debate as to them being attributed to the use of the drug or just a consequence of the disease. R.E. [ ] Question about Enbrel I am confused as to the real benefits of using Enbrel. So many people on it report to be using so many other medications along with it that I question how well it really works. Plus several people have reported getting MS symptoms, is this a common thing and if so again do the benefits reap more than the side effects? Any info on this will be great, I see my rhuemy soon though at the moment enbrel is out of the question...no insurance. Ok thanks guys. Hugs, ali Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2002 Report Share Posted April 27, 2002 I have been on enbrel for one month and am taking no other meds. This drug has been a miracle worker for me. The pain from the PA has deminished greatly. My thumbs were basically useless prior to Enbrel - I now have much more mobility and have been able to resume the simplest of tasks (removing clothes from washer), also my P has cleared up to the point that I will now be wearing shorts this summer. That is truly a gift since I live in south Texas. While I still have some pain in the hip and shoulder, it is a lot better and I feel sure it will improve even more over this course of Enbrel. Hope this will help. I can't imagine going back to NO Enbrel. So far have been lucky and have received my monthly supply for May right on time. Hang in there, Terri from Texas --- jrnytthpst <alicat1976@...> wrote: > I am confused as to the real benefits of using > Enbrel. So many people on it report to be using so > many other medications along with it that I question > how well it really works. Plus several people have > reported getting MS symptoms, is this a common thing > and if so again do the benefits reap more than the > side effects? Any info on this will be great, I see > my rhuemy soon though at the moment enbrel is out of > the question...no insurance. Ok thanks guys. > Hugs, > ali > > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 30, 2002 Report Share Posted April 30, 2002 Terri, if you don't mind me asking, what part of Texas are you from? I am from Houston (but living in Conroe at the moment). Know any good doctors in the Houston area? Thanks, >>> tboelhauf@... 04/27/02 08:53AM >>> I have been on enbrel for one month and am taking no other meds. This drug has been a miracle worker for me. The pain from the PA has deminished greatly. My thumbs were basically useless prior to Enbrel - I now have much more mobility and have been able to resume the simplest of tasks (removing clothes from washer), also my P has cleared up to the point that I will now be wearing shorts this summer. That is truly a gift since I live in south Texas. While I still have some pain in the hip and shoulder, it is a lot better and I feel sure it will improve even more over this course of Enbrel. Hope this will help. I can't imagine going back to NO Enbrel. So far have been lucky and have received my monthly supply for May right on time. Hang in there, Terri from Texas --- jrnytthpst <alicat1976@...> wrote: > I am confused as to the real benefits of using > Enbrel. So many people on it report to be using so > many other medications along with it that I question > how well it really works. Plus several people have > reported getting MS symptoms, is this a common thing > and if so again do the benefits reap more than the > side effects? Any info on this will be great, I see > my rhuemy soon though at the moment enbrel is out of > the question...no insurance. Ok thanks guys. > Hugs, > ali > > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 Just starting on Enbrel. Any advice how to give myself injections??? What should I expect or not expect? I'm not to sure about all this but I have to do it if I want to regain my life back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Just starting on Enbrel. Any advice how to give myself injections??? What should I expect or not expect? I'm not to sure about all this butI have to do it if I want to regain my life back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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