Re: Another ENBREL QUESTION (and a comment)

[Guest guest]

So, , are you using the twice-weekly 25 mg Enbrel or the

once-weekly 50 mg? I use the 25 mg, and it doesn't sting or feel thick.

I've heard that the 50 mg does sting some people, maybe because it has

preservatives in it.

I tried the 50 mg, but didn't like it because the needles seemed very

dull, and it didn't seem to last all week for me. After one month's

supply of the 50 mg, I went back to the 25 mg.

I've been on Enbrel for over two years, and I really can't remember how

long it took to take effect. I had been without RA medication for a

month waiting to be approved by my insurance company, so that probably

made it take longer.

Hope it works for you as well as it does for me.

Sue

On Tuesday, July 11, 2006, at 04:39 PM, Randall wrote:

>

> So far I haven't had an injection site reaction, but it does sting a

> bit... It feels like it's " thick " or something as you push the

> plunger on the syringe. (as opposed to the Mtx, which is like

> water) I wonder whether it is the consistancy that makes it more

> uncomfortable.

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Are you feeling a bit like a pincushion? I would give

the Enbrel at least a month worth of shots (I do the

two shot a week 25mg. Enbrel, so that would be 8

shots), to see if it begins to help. Hopefully, you

will start to feel benefit before that, trying to

cross my fingers for you! I am so sorry that you had

to discontinue the Arava, but Enbrel has worked very

well for me with Mtx, so I hope it will do the same

for you.

I have not been able to ride in the past several weeks

because it is just so hot here lately - up in the high

90's - and the heat just drains me physically. By the

time it is cool enough to ride about 6, I am too tired

to go. Just thinking about going down, grooming,

picking hooves, tacking up, trailering out to ride,

whew ...... just too much, but I sure miss it (Shekar

is getting fat and sassy too so the next ride should

be a doozy).

Hope you are feeling better soon, and back on the

trail with Oliver! hang in there -

Kathe in CA

--- Randall <krandall@...> wrote:

> Gee, I find that my belly is more sensitive to

> injections than my

> thigh. Since I've started on Enbrel, I've been

> using my belly for

> my Mtx, since that doesn't sting much (it's more

> just the pressure

> of the liquid) and my thigh for the Enbrel.

>

> So far I haven't had an injection site reaction, but

> it does sting a

> bit... It feels like it's " thick " or something as

> you push the

> plunger on the syringe. (as opposed to the Mtx,

> which is like

> water) I wonder whether it is the consistancy that

> makes it more

> uncomfortable.

>

> For those of you who have been on Enbrel, how long

> before you felt a

> difference? I've only taken one shot so far, and my

> fingers hurt too

> much to cross them,<g> but both the Rheumy and I are

> really hoping

> this one (plus my Mtx) will do the trick. She is

> hopeful because

> the Mtx/Arava combo was working so well. She says

> that makes her

> think that Mtx plus one of the biologics might also

> work well.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > Also, , if you have any padding on your

> tummy, that might be

> a

> > less sensitive area to inject into instead of your

> thigh. I have

> plenty

> > of padding on my tummy, and use that. I would

> think the tummy

> would

> > perhaps have fewer nerves in it.

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathe,

Yes, pincushion certainly fits! My shoulder has been bothering me

again, and she offered to inject that again too, on the same day as

my hips. But I decided to put that off for a couple of weeks and

see if the Embrel will kick in and take care of that. After having

my hips done, I didn't want to face any more that day. I'm not

usually a baby about needles, but the ones they use for hips look

like they belong on a fire hose or something. I also had to have

blood drawn that day, and they had trouble with one arm. After

digging around until I was ready to scream at them, they switched to

the other arm, had no trouble at all (I've NEVER had a problem

before... my veins are easy to find) the tech decided it must have

been a bad vacutainer. Sheesh!

My hips have been a problem since this started, and she said I may

be one of those people who just needs to have them injected semi-

regularly, no matter what meds I'm on. The good news is that even

though my hips are still sore from the shots, my range of motion is

already much better again.

Up until Monday when I got my hips injected, I've been trying to

make myself ride, even if it's only a short hack, as close to every

day as I can. I really don't want to lose muscle. When I flared so

badly last week, I got really discouraged, because I just couldn't

do it. I'm giving my hips at least one more day to recover from the

shots, but I'm hoping I can go for a ride tomorrow.

I've got high hopes for the Enbrel/Mtx combo, but at the same time,

after trying so many other things, I'm also a little nervous that it

WON'T work. The good thing with the Enbrel is there's just one

dose, and it either works or it doesn't. You don't have to wait

through a long period of building up to a target dose before you

have a clue whether it's going to work or not.

Why do you take the Enbrel twice a week? Is there a benefit to

doing it that way, or is it just the way it happened to be

prescribed?

Hope you are on your ponies again soon... Mine are getting " new

feet " even as I write this!

> > >

> > > Also, , if you have any padding on your

> > tummy, that might be

> > a

> > > less sensitive area to inject into instead of your

> > thigh. I have

> > plenty

> > > of padding on my tummy, and use that. I would

> > think the tummy

> > would

> > > perhaps have fewer nerves in it.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

I'm taking the once a week 50 mg kind right now. If it really

bothers me, or if it feels like it's " wearing off " before the end of

the week, I'll talk to the doc about the twice a week form.

She and I were both very surprised how fast I got my Embrel. She

started the process, thinking it would take at least a couple of

weeks, and I had it the day after she called it in. Best of all, my

co-pay is only $20... less than my Imitrex!

I'm glad to hear it worked so well for you... I can't WAIT for

something to work well enough that I can get off all the prednisone

& Voltaren I'm taking. Taking Voltaren means I also have to take

Nexium for my stomach, Taking the prednisone, while it doesn't

bother me on a day-to-day basis, I know it is all sorts of bad news

in the long run, and I really want both out of my system. Besides,

even WITH them both, they don't control my symptoms, just make it so

I can creak through most days.<g>

> >

> > So far I haven't had an injection site reaction, but it does

sting a

> > bit... It feels like it's " thick " or something as you push the

> > plunger on the syringe. (as opposed to the Mtx, which is like

> > water) I wonder whether it is the consistancy that makes it more

> > uncomfortable.

>