Re: Enbel update

[Guest guest]

Hi Randy,

I feel that I am in remission however my rheumy won't use those words yet.

I'm down to 2 mtx a week and I have no RA pain or swelling, haven't had any

for quite some time. I did have a flare a year and a half ago, a real bad

one, ended up in the hospital for a week and almost lost a toe but

thankfully with IV steriods got over that. I have had this disease for 11

years now and I'm most thankful to God above that I have such a mild case

(my words). I do feel it a little if we have rain for more than 3 days in a

row though. I was so bad in the beginning but have come a long way. Stay

hopeful.

in PA

On Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 3:28 AM, Randy <rjgang10@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hello all, hope all is well and pain free with you. I

> haven.t

> posted for two half months sense I started on Enbrel. I posted 2wks after I

>

> started, at that time I was feeling a little better but I was afraid to get

> my

> hopes up. Our weather had changed, storms have came and gone, I can't tell

> where

> my OA begins and my RA ends. I am not sure I even know what remission is or

> if I

> would recognize it if I was in it. Can anyone who is in remission tell me

> how to

> know it if or when I am in it? How many on this list have been or is in

> remission? I saw my rheumy yesterday and he told me that only 20-25% ever

> experience remission, is this true? He said that in remission there is no

> pain

> or swelling. Those of you that are in remission, do you feel pain during

> storms

> or bad weather still? See I don't want to have my expectations too high or

> I

> will never be satisfied.

>

> I have been a bit down and discouraged and I am trying hard

> to

> snap out of it. I just don't feel like doing anything at all, I thought

> that

> maybe if I just try and reach out maybe I can get out of this deep black

> hole

> that I have bee in. I hate this beast RA and I hate pain, I feel like no

> one who

> doesn't have RA understands how bad it feels, how could they?

> .....Randy....

>

>

[Guest guest]

Randy,

I have been on Enbrel since 2003, and it has turned out to be my

miracle drug. I would say that I am in a medical remission. If I

stopped the Enbrel, the pain, inflammation, and swelling would come

back. The only pain meds that I am on are Extra Strength Tylenol, and

an occasional Tramadol. The Tramadol is actually for a spine problem

that is not caused by RA.

I was doing so well that I started injecting the Enbrel just once a

week instead of twice a week. I did well for months like that. Then my

knees started hurting, so I went back to twice a week.

Hopefully the Enbrel will kick in and stop the pain and inflammation

so that you won't need many pain meds. It sounds as though you are

depressed. You should ask one of your doctors for medication for

depression. It's easy to get depressed when you have chronic pain.

I hope you begin to get more relief soon. Vent to us as often as you

like; we're good listeners, and we understand.

Sue

On Nov 6, 2010, at 3:28 AM, Randy wrote:

> Hello all, hope all is well and pain free with you. I

> haven.t

> posted for two half months sense I started on Enbrel. I posted 2wks

> after I

> started, at that time I was feeling a little better but I was afraid

> to get my

> hopes up. Our weather had changed, storms have came and gone, I

> can't tell where

> my OA begins and my RA ends. I am not sure I even know what

> remission is or if I

> would recognize it if I was in it. Can anyone who is in remission

> tell me how to

> know it if or when I am in it? How many on this list have been or is

> in

> remission? I saw my rheumy yesterday and he told me that only 20-25%

> ever

> experience remission, is this true? He said that in remission there

> is no pain

> or swelling. Those of you that are in remission, do you feel pain

> during storms

> or bad weather still? See I don't want to have my expectations too

> high or I

> will never be satisfied.

>

>

> I have been a bit down and discouraged and I am

> trying hard to

> snap out of it. I just don't feel like doing anything at all, I

> thought that

> maybe if I just try and reach out maybe I can get out of this deep

> black hole

> that I have bee in. I hate this beast RA and I hate pain, I feel

> like no one who

> doesn't have RA understands how bad it feels, how could they?