Welcome, Kathi!

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Kathi!

Sorry about your lupus and scleroderma diagnoses. Did your physician

diagnose an overlap syndrome of some kind or the concurrence of SLE with

systemic sclerosis? I'm just curious. No need to answer my question if

you don't care to. Sorry about your SIL and her RA, too.

I have no experience with Enbrel (etanercept), but, you're right, we

have several members who have had success with it. I'm sure you'll be

hearing from some of those people. Demand for Enbrel is very high right

now, and there have been problems manufacturing enough product to meet

that surge.

Here is the home page for Enbrel:

http://www.enbrel.com (loaded with information)

Enbrel is an injectable, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor. TNF is a

cytokine, a chemical messenger, that is thought to play a major role in

inflammatory disorders. Some researchers believe that in RA and certain

other diseases, there is too much TNF (TNF is found in healthy people,

too). So, Enbrel was designed to inactivate excess TNF and,

subsequently, reduce the symptoms and slow the progression of RA.

Here is a link that might be of interest to you regarding the

investigation of etanercept therapy in systemic sclerosis:

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/edu/acr2000/scleroderma.html#etanercep\

t

One caution: some rheumatologists are hesitant to prescribe anti-TNF

therapy for their lupus patients. Both Remicade (infliximab) and Enbrel

have produced some lupus-like syndromes, symptoms, and/or labs in some

patients who previously had no lupus diagnosis. So, although TNF does

seem to have some role in lupus, nobody can quite agree what it is

exactly and whether anti-TNF therapies are advisable. You might want to

ask your rheumatologist about this aspect. The sort of lupus you've been

diagnosed with will most likely factor in here, too.

There doesn't seem to be any consensus as to the relationship TNF has to

systemic sclerosis either.

Anyway, again, welcome to the group. Glad you found us!

[ ] RE:Thanks

> Carol in FL: Thank you for responding so quickly I have sent your

> link on to NY I really appreciate your help. As I was reading all the

> posts I saw that there are members that are taking Enbrel and now I

> have a question for me.....I belong to a scleroderma group and no one

> is using Enbrel my rheumy recently decided to have me try it as the

> other meds are not working and he thinks it is worth a shot...the

> question I have is how long did you have to wait to get your

> presciption?

> I have been on the waiting list for 3 months and the drug company cant

> seem to give me a ball park figure for how long it may take. From what

> I read it seems there has been good luck with the Enbrel in your

> group, any input on this medication would be great as I havent met

> anyone that is using it.....Thanks again....Kathi