Enbrel

[Guest guest]

Hello.

I was diagnosed with RA in Feb. of 2004. It has been about 2 1/2

years for me. My RA is moderate to severe and very active. I have

good days and bad. I find the dry winter season to be painful due

to the Chicago bitter cold. But I also find the heat of summer to

be just as painful. And of course, as we all know, if it is a rainy

day, forget it..I will be popping a few extra pain pills.

I am on all the good stuff. I take methotrexate, prednisone,

plaquinil, nabumetone, and started Enbrel weekly injections about 8

months ago. Which I stopped after a viral infection and chest pains

about 4 months ago. My problem is the high risks of Enbrel. I do

feel better for the first couple of days after self injecting the

drug. But the flares start up again long before I am due for my

next injection. Also, I have found that my chest pains seem to

increase with Enbrel. I have informed my Rheumatologist, but he

thinks it may be something coranary and not the Enbrel. I do take

meds for cholosterol and Mitro valve prolapse. I really do not feel

like it is a seperate issue. I have read all the research on

Enbrel, the insert that comes with the drug, and my RA doctor told

me up front that it is a high risk drug. He is a good doctor. I am

not unhappy at all with his therapy. But I am a little afraid to

take the Enbrel without knowing a little more about it. The

research and the insert are all straight forward and informative,

but I need to hear some comments from people with direct experience

with the drug. Not from companies trying to increase sales. I have

about 4 months (16 syringes) supply of it in my fridge right now.

None of them have expired yet. What should I do? I want to try it

again, but I do not want to experience the excruciating chest pain

that I had before...More than once. Does anyone have any stories to

share?

thanks for reading this entire message.

Cat