Guest guest Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Thx for all the info on injections and Enbrel. Sorry, a, that yours isn't working I think for now I'll just not pull back on the needle to check for blood (actually my husband since I can't yet bear to do the stick) and hope for the best for Enbrel. I did cut back from 20 to 15 mgs of Pred after the first shot and will go to 10 after the third. If that doesn't send me into a flare, then the Enbrel may be working... I'm still having severe stomach pain, tho, that I think was from the 7 weeks on Arava. It's so bad that I can't eat unless I take Vicodin since that's the only thing that cuts the pain (and food makes it worse.) But my bloods (including liver and pancreas) were okay. But I think I'll call the rh again and ask for some advice. Seems like, even with the long half life of Arava, it should be gone by now (almost 3 weeks after stopping it.) Has anyone else ever had a reaction like that? Or maybe it's the prednisone? Thx, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Missy, that's awful what your daughter (and you) have had to endure! I'm so sorry. Yes, I'm really hoping that my daughter will outgrow whatever ails her and that it won't be RA or something similar. Thx, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Get a refferral to a GI doc. That sounds very much like what happened to me when I had my ulcer. It $ucked! Check it out. Jane <kyrik@...> wrote: Thx for all the info on injections and Enbrel. Sorry, a, that yours isn't working I think for now I'll just not pull back on the needle to check for blood (actually my husband since I can't yet bear to do the stick) and hope for the best for Enbrel. I did cut back from 20 to 15 mgs of Pred after the first shot and will go to 10 after the third. If that doesn't send me into a flare, then the Enbrel may be working... I'm still having severe stomach pain, tho, that I think was from the 7 weeks on Arava. It's so bad that I can't eat unless I take Vicodin since that's the only thing that cuts the pain (and food makes it worse.) But my bloods (including liver and pancreas) were okay. But I think I'll call the rh again and ask for some advice. Seems like, even with the long half life of Arava, it should be gone by now (almost 3 weeks after stopping it.) Has anyone else ever had a reaction like that? Or maybe it's the prednisone? Thx, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 , Arava can recycle in your system - for possibly as long as two years after you stop it. That's why the washout procedure is recommended if you are still having problems after discontinuation. It could be that the prednisone is bothering your stomach, too. I would call your physician. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org Re: [ ] Digest Number 5329 > Thx for all the info on injections and Enbrel. Sorry, a, that yours > isn't working I think for now I'll just not pull back on the needle > to check for blood (actually my husband since I can't yet bear to do > the stick) and hope for the best for Enbrel. I did cut back from 20 to > 15 mgs of Pred after the first shot and will go to 10 after the third. > If that doesn't send me into a flare, then the Enbrel may be working... > > I'm still having severe stomach pain, tho, that I think was from the 7 > weeks on Arava. It's so bad that I can't eat unless I take Vicodin since > that's the only thing that cuts the pain (and food makes it worse.) But > my bloods (including liver and pancreas) were okay. But I think I'll > call the rh again and ask for some advice. Seems like, even with the > long half life of Arava, it should be gone by now (almost 3 weeks after > stopping it.) > > Has anyone else ever had a reaction like that? Or maybe it's the > prednisone? > > Thx, > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 I'm supposed to be starting Arava next week. (the mtx, at least by itself, is not working) After all I've read about it hear, I have some misgivings. It sounds like the potential for problems with this one are even worse than with mtx! As of my appointment Tuesday, I'm back up to 15 mg of prednisone a day, plus Tramodol a lot of the time to stay semi-functional. When she refilled my Tramodol, it was for 240 pills! (and my ins. only covers a 1 month supply of any rx) In a way, it was nice to know I don't have to keep calling for refills, in another way, but it was also dismaying to realize that she must think I might need that much pain med. Has Arava at least been useful for SOME people here? Or am I just doing this to satisfy an insurance co. that I have " failed " the requisite number of cheaper drugs to qualify for a biologic? It sounds like this one can take a long time to become effective too, and then that it takes FOREVER to leave your system if you need to go off of it. The plan at this point is for me to step the Mtx down to 10 mg per week, and add the Arava, first at 10 mg per day, and then if I tolerate the side effects OK, up to 20 mg per day after 2 weeks. She doesn't want to start with a loading dose (as I guess is often done) because my stomach doesn't seem to be tolerating a lot of these meds well. So I guess that means it may take longer to see any positive effect from the Arava too. At least on the higher dose of prednisone, I got a decent night's sleep last night, and was able to get out of bed this morning. But even that made me feel a litle guilty, because I also know what the pred will do to me if we can't find another solution before too long. Because I'm up on a higher dose of pred. again, (and have been pretty much since mid-Jan) the doc started me on Actonel to help prevent bone loss due to the prednisone. Oh joy, another yucky med. THAT one made me mildly sick to my stomach all day, and then gave me gripes and diarrhea all night. So now I can't decide... Should I take that on the same day as my mtx, and be DOUBLY sick for 2 days, or should I take it on a different day, and be LESS sick, but for more days of the week? Also, because my hips have been getting worse and worse, I had to go for a bunch of x-rays yesterday, and then schedule an MRI... I guess there is a possiblility that the prednisone can cause necrosis in the hip joints (and other large joints) and she wants to rule that out as the cause of my increased pain. I don't know WHAT they do if they find out that's what is happening... I can't imagine how I'd function without the pred at this point! Gosh, this is fun! :-/ Thanks for listening to my complaining... I DO want to believe that when you find the right meds, things get better, but it's getting kind of hard to believe while I'm still in the middle of it. > > , > > Arava can recycle in your system - for possibly as long as two years after > you stop it. That's why the washout procedure is recommended if you are > still having problems after discontinuation. > > It could be that the prednisone is bothering your stomach, too. > > I would call your physician. > > > > Not an MD > > I'll tell you where to go! > > Mayo Clinic in Rochester > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester > > s Hopkins Medicine > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org > > > Re: [ ] Digest Number 5329 > > > > Thx for all the info on injections and Enbrel. Sorry, a, that yours > > isn't working I think for now I'll just not pull back on the needle > > to check for blood (actually my husband since I can't yet bear to do > > the stick) and hope for the best for Enbrel. I did cut back from 20 to > > 15 mgs of Pred after the first shot and will go to 10 after the third. > > If that doesn't send me into a flare, then the Enbrel may be working... > > > > I'm still having severe stomach pain, tho, that I think was from the 7 > > weeks on Arava. It's so bad that I can't eat unless I take Vicodin since > > that's the only thing that cuts the pain (and food makes it worse.) But > > my bloods (including liver and pancreas) were okay. But I think I'll > > call the rh again and ask for some advice. Seems like, even with the > > long half life of Arava, it should be gone by now (almost 3 weeks after > > stopping it.) > > > > Has anyone else ever had a reaction like that? Or maybe it's the > > prednisone? > > > > Thx, > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Arava worked very well for me. It's too bad that mtx had already lowered my WBC count so much, and the Arava continued it. But until I had to stop it, it had the pain and inflammation under control. I think part of my problem with a low WBC count may be due to radiation treatments that I had to take after breast cancer surgery. So you will probably not get this side effect. I didn't have any other adverse side effects from the Arava. Maybe it will work well for you without any nasty side effects. Here's hoping it will. Sue On Thursday, April 20, 2006, at 08:42 AM, Randall wrote: > > Has Arava at least been useful for SOME people here? Or am I just > doing this to satisfy an insurance co. that I have " failed " the > requisite number of cheaper drugs to qualify for a biologic? It > sounds like this one can take a long time to become effective too, > and then that it takes FOREVER to leave your system if you need to > go off of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Hiya ,I know exactly how you are feeling about your meds.It does get us down the maybe's and if only this works,it can be very distressing for us.Its ok to feel angry and fed up,always wondering if the treatments going to last longer than the last one.Stopping starting all the time,and fitting in the side affects too.I am just getting to a point where i am enjoying life,but i know only to well that it could all end soon.So i am doing things i haven't been able to do for a long time,and do you know what my favorite thing is,shopping,yes shopping,i am actually going alone for the first time in over a year.Keep positive i know it is so hard to strive on,but we are a tough bunch of people! xx > > > > , > > > > Arava can recycle in your system - for possibly as long as two > years after > > you stop it. That's why the washout procedure is recommended if > you are > > still having problems after discontinuation. > > > > It could be that the prednisone is bothering your stomach, too. > > > > I would call your physician. > > > > > > > > Not an MD > > > > I'll tell you where to go! > > > > Mayo Clinic in Rochester > > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester > > > > s Hopkins Medicine > > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org > > > > > > Re: [ ] Digest Number 5329 > > > > > > > Thx for all the info on injections and Enbrel. Sorry, a, > that yours > > > isn't working I think for now I'll just not pull back on the > needle > > > to check for blood (actually my husband since I can't yet bear > to do > > > the stick) and hope for the best for Enbrel. I did cut back from > 20 to > > > 15 mgs of Pred after the first shot and will go to 10 after the > third. > > > If that doesn't send me into a flare, then the Enbrel may be > working... > > > > > > I'm still having severe stomach pain, tho, that I think was from > the 7 > > > weeks on Arava. It's so bad that I can't eat unless I take > Vicodin since > > > that's the only thing that cuts the pain (and food makes it > worse.) But > > > my bloods (including liver and pancreas) were okay. But I think > I'll > > > call the rh again and ask for some advice. Seems like, even with > the > > > long half life of Arava, it should be gone by now (almost 3 > weeks after > > > stopping it.) > > > > > > Has anyone else ever had a reaction like that? Or maybe it's the > > > prednisone? > > > > > > Thx, > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Thanks, Sue! > > > > Has Arava at least been useful for SOME people here? Or am I just > > doing this to satisfy an insurance co. that I have " failed " the > > requisite number of cheaper drugs to qualify for a biologic? It > > sounds like this one can take a long time to become effective too, > > and then that it takes FOREVER to leave your system if you need to > > go off of it. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.