Guest guest Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Enbrel has certainly been my wonder drug. I've been on it for about eight years. It's been so long I don't remember how long it took to work for me, but I don't think it was very long. Sue On Feb 23, 2011, at 2:56 PM, sunnys wrote: > hi guys just wondering how many men out there have RA? I have been > noticing a lot of females get RA over males? my husband has it but > no females in his family have it?? Also has anyone taking Enbrel and > really seen the results work quickly? I have read that Enbrel is a > wonder drug but just thought I would ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 sue thanks for the info, i dont know if i have asked you before but are you on any other meds or did your doc give your sternoids to have just in case you feel pain? also i was reading some crazy sites about what is in enbrel do you know what is actually in it? i'm sure the stuff i have read is incorrect? btw have you always been on it or did you try out a ton of other meds first. thanks  sunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Hi Sunny, The first med I was on was methotrexate. I took prednisone for a few weeks while waiting for the mtx to take full effect. When I learned about all of the side effects, I weaned myself off of it. My white blood cell count kept getting lower and lower, and mtx was not helping enough. My rheumy put me on Arava instead of increasing the mtx. That really worked well for me, but unfortunately, my WBC count continued its decline until it was 2.2. Then he switched me to Enbrel, but I was without meds for about a month while waiting for my stupid insurance company to approve Enbrel. Along with the Enbrel, I used to take Bextra, which worked well. They took it off the market, and I was switched to Celebrex. My insurance company decided to charge a big co-pay for that. Now I take arthritis- strength Tylenol. I also have some Tramadol, which I take occasionally for hip pain. The hip pain is not from RA, but from a slipped vertebra in my lower spine. When we have RA, our immune system is out of whack and attacks our own body. The DMARD's for RA, including Enbrel, suppress some aspect of the immune system. That makes us more susceptible to infections. I have been lucky not to get a lot of infections while taking Enbrel. I would suggest that you go to the official Enbrel site: Enbrel.com Read about it there. They have to list all of the possible side effects, but that doesn't mean that you will get all or any of them. If the side effects are too bad, you can always stop the med. Here is something that I found explaining the biologic drugs such as Enbrel: " Biologics are genetically engineered proteins derived from human genes. They are designed to inhibit specific components of the immune system that play pivotal roles in fueling inflammation, which is a central feature of rheumatoid arthritis. " RA needs to be attacked aggressively from the beginning, to prevent joint damage. The side effects of the meds can sound scary, but the effects of RA are even scarier. Good luck to your husband, and I hope the Enbrel will really help him. Keep us updated about him. He's lucky to have such a supportive wife. Sue On Feb 23, 2011, at 7:13 PM, sunny saidian wrote: > sue > thanks for the info, i dont know if i have asked you before but are > you on any other meds or did your doc give your sternoids to have > just in case you feel pain? also i was reading some crazy sites > about what is in enbrel do you know what is actually in it? i'm sure > the stuff i have read is incorrect? btw have you always been on it > or did you try out a ton of other meds first. > thanks > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Sunny, I'm one of about a half-dozen men that post here. I've had it since 1990 after a bout of the flu. That's the trigger that put my RA in motion. I'm the only one of 6 siblings, 3 boys and 3 girls. One sister claims Fibro and another may have a light case of RA. Our mother and 3 of her sisters had RA, but none of the males on either side of the family have had RA except me. The published ratio of men to women is 1 man to 4 women. I haven't had any real deformities but certainly have had the pain and swelling related to it. I'm going to see my Rheumy tomorrow and will probably start Enbrel soon. I hope it works. Dennis in eastexas On Wed, Feb 23, 2011 at 1:56 PM, sunnys <ssunny1812@...> wrote: > > > hi guys just wondering how many men out there have RA? I have been noticing > a lot of females get RA over males? my husband has it but no females in his > family have it?? Also has anyone taking Enbrel and really seen the results > work quickly? I have read that Enbrel is a wonder drug but just thought I > would ask. > > thanks > sunny > (a concern wife) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Dennis, You're probably going to start Enbrel soon? I hope that " probably " turns into " definitely " ! I know that you've been wanting to try it for a long time now. I really hope that it works out this time, and also that it works as well for you as it does for me. Keep us updated please. Sue On Feb 23, 2011, at 11:06 PM, Dennis W wrote: > Sunny, I'm one of about a half-dozen men that post here. I've had it > since > 1990 after a bout of the flu. That's the trigger that put my RA in > motion. > I'm the only one of 6 siblings, 3 boys and 3 girls. One sister > claims Fibro > and another may have a light case of RA. Our mother and 3 of her > sisters had > RA, but none of the males on either side of the family have had RA > except > me. The published ratio of men to women is 1 man to 4 women. I > haven't had > any real deformities but certainly have had the pain and swelling > related to > it. I'm going to see my Rheumy tomorrow and will probably start > Enbrel soon. > I hope it works. > > Dennis in eastexas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Hello, Sunny. I am generally a lurker on the group, reading the articles and absorbing what I can. For the last 4 years I have been on a medical roller coaster with 2 major surgeries (back and prostate cancer), depression, and RA. My RA was caught in its early stages (praise the Lord!). It is progressing but not as fast as my rheumy thought it would. Symptoms are picking up however. My mother and both grandmothers had arthritis - osteo and rheumatoid. I have both also. Have learned to deal with it and prepare for the next stage. So far, the methotrexate seems to be doing the trick. As with every disease and treatment, everyone responds differently. I have been in the low-moderate RA class, but that is changing to the moderate. Will know more next month when I see my rheumy. Tell your husband to keep his head up, exercise when he can, and do exactly what the doctor orders. Steve S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 hi, I don't post here very often. But I do watch the group every day and read the posts. I was diagnosed with RA quite a few years ago. There is no one in my immediate family that as been diagnosed with RA nor are their any distant relatives that we know about that have it. I took Enbrel for about six months before it started working for me. It then lasted for about a year before I had a bad flare up and was taken off it. It did seem to work good while I was taking it. Tomg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 It breaks down to about 2/3 of women have RA to the men. I am one of the lucky guys. Haven't started Enbrel yet. Stan Seattle, Snow! [ ] Men with RA hi guys just wondering how many men out there have RA? I have been noticing a lot of females get RA over males? my husband has it but no females in his family have it?? Also has anyone taking Enbrel and really seen the results work quickly? I have read that Enbrel is a wonder drug but just thought I would ask. Â thanks sunny (a concern wife) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Hi Dennis.  Nice to see you posting today. I hope Enbrel works for you. I wish you good luck with it.  Hope Betty is feeling good.  Hugs,  Barbara > > > hi guys just wondering how many men out there have RA? I have been noticing > a lot of females get RA over males? my husband has it but no females in his > family have it?? Also has anyone taking Enbrel and really seen the results > work quickly? I have read that Enbrel is a wonder drug but just thought I > would ask. > > thanks > sunny > (a concern wife) > 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.