Re: Humira or enbrel? meds Dreamer

[Guest guest]

Hi Dreamer:

No, you are not being weird or paranoid - these drugs

do come with side effects. I, too, become mentally

different when I am on Prednisone, more serious, more

agitated, and I don't like it, but I need it sometimes

for the pain, and, boy, does it work on that. I have

been on 30 mg. a day, but only for one week, then 20

mg. for two weeks, 10 for one week, and then tapered

off to 5 and then off altogether. You need to taper

it. Did your doctor tell you how long you need the

Pred? or if there is a tapering schedule?

I have been on Enbrel with my Mtx for six months and

have found a great difference in my joint pain level

with it. I am not afraid to go to malls, parades, and

etc., being around crowds of people does not affect

me, but if I am sick, I stay home. I have to stop the

Enbrel from time to time when I am feeling ill, colds,

etc., but I don't fear people and germs just because I

am on it. Yes, you do have to take care if you know

that a person is sick, but it can't drive you to

become housebound. As a matter of fact, hopefully you

will feel much better and be able to get out more. It

does not mean you have to give up your scooter - you

can still use it to avoid increased pain when you are

out and about a long time. Don't overly fear these

medications - the side effects on some are scary to

read, but they have to list every little thing that

has ever happened, and the chances of the worst of

them happening to you are very slim.

Give the Mtx time to kick back in, and if it is not

enough, then consider Enbrel. I am very glad that I

started it, and even look forward to " shooting up " as

my kids call it on my Enbrel days because I know that

it will fight my RA, and keep me more active.

Oh yes, and good luck on stopping smoking - my mom

smoked only since she was 30, got colon cancer at 60,

and never stopped smoking, dying at 65 from the

cancer, but I also believe the smoking contributed to

her being more prone to colon cancer. Best of luck -

Kathe in CA

--- dreamer_plus <dreamer_plus@...> wrote:

> well, if I succeed here with the smoking thing, the

> doc said he is going to put me on an injectible in

> addition to the mtx I am on.....

> Meanwhile he gave me prednisone.

> I was not happy about the prednisone. I suppose you

> guys might think me weirder every moment. here I

> smoke, but prednisone scares me. My friend got

> insanely psychotic on it (and landed in a psych

> hosp) another friend got terrible illness and awful

> symptoms from it. they thought she had Lou Gehrigs.

>

> The doc wants my symptoms brought under control

> faster. As dumb as it sounds I was willing to wait

> for the MTX to kick back in again. (due to my doc

> retireing, I had been off for awhile while trying to

> find a new doc)

> So, Iknow it sounds dumb I am nervous about

> prednisone but I smoke. I know it seems

> contradictory.

> He Rx'ed 10 mg 3 times a day. Seems like a lot to

> me. My old doc gave it to me once and gave me way

> less. I think 5 mg a day. I remember it worked

> GREAT.

>

> ANd doc did not say whether he meant Enbrel or

> Humira or what. I am not sure of the differences.

> And again, it sounds contradictory, becuz here I

> smoke (but am TRYING HARD to quit) but what about

> side effects?

>

> I suppose my doc prolly wonders why I even came to

> him. I guess after 6 years (and prolly many more

> before that that I did not realize it was RA) I was

> not looking for a magical perfect cure. I guess I

> was just looking for the worst edge to be taken off

> the pain etc?? does that make sense? I have

> gradually altered my home, my day etc to learn to

> live with limits. Right now I canot even wrap my

> mind around all this change my new doc is talking

> about....and I amnot sure why but it sounds

> sorta.......unsettling and scary.

> Having energy and freedom of movement totally again?

> Really? But.I also wonder.at what cost? will I

> find the cost acceptable?

> I never got colds or flu etc. Never had pneumonia

> etc. not sure I want to begin getting those things

> now. rashes? shingles? I can be in public in

> crowds on my scooter right now and it is not a

> problem, I do not get sick. SO doc says I can give

> up scooter. BUT will I get sick? will I hafta stay

> out of the crowds? I am not positive but I think I

> would rather be on my scooter in the crowds than not

> on my scooter but not able to be in the crowds? (I

> love parades, fireworks, outdoor concerts all in

> person and county fairs etc)

> Am I making any sense or do you all think I am past

> weird?

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe

" To ride a horse is to borrow freedom. "

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