Guest guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Sounds like you have already been through the mill, huh? I'm sorry you are still having problems. I'm on Enbrel. Have been since last August. I will tell you that I love it. I feel pretty good and I can really tell when I don't take it. When you are sick and on antibiotics, the doc told me to temporarily stop the enbrel and I can really tell a difference. I like the ease of Enbrel. I give myself shots twice weekly. I had been on all the standard medications in the past but quit taking them because they really did a number on my stomach. I take MTX and Enbrel. Recently I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and started on Lyrica. I'm happy to say I've had no problems with it either so far! Phyllis [ ] Questions on Enbrel Hello everyone! I was wondering if I could get some advice. I was seeing a rheumatologist for a couple of years who began my treatment with Plaquenil. She then left the hospital that I am treated at. I began seeing a new one and into a couple of visits, my previous rheumatologist decided to come back to the hospital. I stuck out my treatment with the new one because I was frustrated with switching doctors. The new doctor added Sulfasalazine to my treatment plan and advised since my knees are still quite swollen, that we would be adding a more aggressive approach to my treatment by adding Methotrexate. She then left the University and I was switched back to the prior rheumatologist. Today I saw her for the first time in a couple of years. She went over my notes and we discussed how I needed a more aggressive form of treatment. She stated at this time, since the knee was not very swollen and not warm that she would rather I continue the Sulfasalazine a little while longer before adding a new drug because I am on medications for heart palpitations, asthma, anxiety, Fibromyalgia, and the RA. She said she would not be able to give me Methotrexate (even though the doctor that just left was going to give me that) due to the fact that I have had abnormal liver enzymes since the year 1999. My liver functions are tested every time I am at the doctor and they have never lowered or been normal. I had a myriad of tests done, mri, ultrasound and liver biopsy a few years ago. She referred me back to the Liver Clinic. She stated that we would add an anti-TNF. She asked me if I knew what that was and I told her I didn't or hadn't really looked in to what they do in the body, but that I knew Humira or Enbrel was one. She said that she would prescribe Enbrel and that it was an injection done every 2 weeks. This will begin in June. I was wondering what the difference is between what Methotrexate does vs. Enbrel? And what to expect when I begin the Enbrel? I read that many have problems with nausea and hair loss with Methotrexate but I am completely in the dark to anything Enbrel might do? And if this course of treatment sounded right to anyone? I thank you all so much for any input. __________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make your home page. http://www./r/hs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.3/1308 - Release Date: 3/3/2008 10:01 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hi Phyllis! Thank you so much for your input! I have Fibromyalgia too, that is what originally sent me to a rheumatologist and then a year later I began having swollen knees. It took about a long time for them to rule other things out and to figure out it was inflammatory. I hope the Lyrica works well for you! I couldn't continue to take it. I also had to stop Cymbalta after taking it for a couple of years. It began to affect my mood. I now take Effexor XR and the rheumatologist told me today when she asked me what I am taking for the FMS since almost all my meds are for the RA, that Effexor XR is similar to Cymbalta so she hopes I can continue taking that without any issues! --- Phyllis <mammap@...> wrote: > Sounds like you have already been through the mill, > huh? I'm sorry you are still having problems. I'm > on Enbrel. Have been since last August. I will > tell you that I love it. I feel pretty good and I > can really tell when I don't take it. When you are > sick and on antibiotics, the doc told me to > temporarily stop the enbrel and I can really tell a > difference. I like the ease of Enbrel. I give > myself shots twice weekly. I had been on all the > standard medications in the past but quit taking > them because they really did a number on my stomach. > I take MTX and Enbrel. Recently I was diagnosed > with Fibromyalgia and started on Lyrica. I'm happy > to say I've had no problems with it either so far! > > Phyllis > > > [ ] Questions on Enbrel > > > Hello everyone! > I was wondering if I could get some advice. I was > seeing a rheumatologist for a couple of years who > began my treatment with Plaquenil. She then left > the > hospital that I am treated at. I began seeing a > new > one and into a couple of visits, my previous > rheumatologist decided to come back to the > hospital. > I stuck out my treatment with the new one because > I > was frustrated with switching doctors. The new > doctor > added Sulfasalazine to my treatment plan and > advised > since my knees are still quite swollen, that we > would > be adding a more aggressive approach to my > treatment > by adding Methotrexate. She then left the > University > and I was switched back to the prior > rheumatologist. > Today I saw her for the first time in a couple of > years. She went over my notes and we discussed how > I > needed a more aggressive form of treatment. She > stated at this time, since the knee was not very > swollen and not warm that she would rather I > continue > the Sulfasalazine a little while longer before > adding > a new drug because I am on medications for heart > palpitations, asthma, anxiety, Fibromyalgia, and > the > RA. She said she would not be able to give me > Methotrexate (even though the doctor that just > left > was going to give me that) due to the fact that I > have > had abnormal liver enzymes since the year 1999. My > liver functions are tested every time I am at the > doctor and they have never lowered or been normal. > I > had a myriad of tests done, mri, ultrasound and > liver > biopsy a few years ago. She referred me back to > the > Liver Clinic. She stated that we would add an > anti-TNF. She asked me if I knew what that was and > I > told her I didn't or hadn't really looked in to > what > they do in the body, but that I knew Humira or > Enbrel > was one. She said that she would prescribe Enbrel > and > that it was an injection done every 2 weeks. This > will begin in June. I was wondering what the > difference is between what Methotrexate does vs. > Enbrel? And what to expect when I begin the > Enbrel? I > read that many have problems with nausea and hair > loss > with Methotrexate but I am completely in the dark > to > anything Enbrel might do? And if this course of > treatment sounded right to anyone? I thank you all > so > much for any input. > > > __________________________________________________________ > Never miss a thing. Make your home page. > http://www./r/hs > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.3/1308 - > Release Date: 3/3/2008 10:01 AM > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search. http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hi . I've been on Enbrel since 11/06 and I'm a junkie. I love it. It started working for me w/i a week. Enbrel works differently than mtx. My understanding is that mtx interferes with cell division/proliferation (help, , science!) while Enbrel disrupts the chain of inflammation by absorbing TNF which is an inflammatory compound. Anyway, with Enbrel and any antiTNF, you have to be on the look out for infection b/c it lowers your immune response. The nice thing is that since it's weekly, if you're sick or a member of your household is ill, you can just hold it for a few days until the infection clears up. It gives me energy, greatly reduces my pain and inflammation, and I think it helped me get pregnant with this baby by getting rid of the cytokines (sp?) that go along with RA flares. It's a wonder drug, and I'm lucky it's worked well. Definitely give it a try if your rheum is on board. Hugs, Kate F [ ] Questions on Enbrel > > > Hello everyone! > I was wondering if I could get some advice. I was > seeing a rheumatologist for a couple of years who > began my treatment with Plaquenil. She then left > the > hospital that I am treated at. I began seeing a > new > one and into a couple of visits, my previous > rheumatologist decided to come back to the > hospital. > I stuck out my treatment with the new one because > I > was frustrated with switching doctors. The new > doctor > added Sulfasalazine to my treatment plan and > advised > since my knees are still quite swollen, that we > would > be adding a more aggressive approach to my > treatment > by adding Methotrexate. She then left the > University > and I was switched back to the prior > rheumatologist. > Today I saw her for the first time in a couple of > years. She went over my notes and we discussed how > I > needed a more aggressive form of treatment. She > stated at this time, since the knee was not very > swollen and not warm that she would rather I > continue > the Sulfasalazine a little while longer before > adding > a new drug because I am on medications for heart > palpitations, asthma, anxiety, Fibromyalgia, and > the > RA. She said she would not be able to give me > Methotrexate (even though the doctor that just > left > was going to give me that) due to the fact that I > have > had abnormal liver enzymes since the year 1999. My > liver functions are tested every time I am at the > doctor and they have never lowered or been normal. > I > had a myriad of tests done, mri, ultrasound and > liver > biopsy a few years ago. She referred me back to > the > Liver Clinic. She stated that we would add an > anti-TNF. She asked me if I knew what that was and > I > told her I didn't or hadn't really looked in to > what > they do in the body, but that I knew Humira or > Enbrel > was one. She said that she would prescribe Enbrel > and > that it was an injection done every 2 weeks. This > will begin in June. I was wondering what the > difference is between what Methotrexate does vs. > Enbrel? And what to expect when I begin the > Enbrel? I > read that many have problems with nausea and hair > loss > with Methotrexate but I am completely in the dark > to > anything Enbrel might do? And if this course of > treatment sounded right to anyone? I thank you all > so > much for any input. > > > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _ > Never miss a thing. Make your home page. > http://www.. com/r/hs > > > > > > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.3/1308 - > Release Date: 3/3/2008 10:01 AM > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _ Looking for last minute shopping deals? 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