question re: this board

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone! I posted the message below earlier in the week (I

copied and pasted it below) because I never got a response. Am I

not allowed on this board to ask medicine specific questions? I

feel like information from actual personal expericences is sometimes

more beneficial than the " clinical " information from my rheumy.

I've noticed alot of activity on this board and everyone seems

really supportive and educated so I wanted to repost in case it got

lost in the traffic.

(sorry if I seem to be stalking, but the rash is getting worse and

worse so I am anxious to decide about changing to enbrel)....

thanks,

deedee

(previous message posted earlier in the week)

Hi everyone! I am wondering if anyone can tell me if there is

information out there doing a comparison between humeria and

enbrel? Enbrel used to work great for me then it didn't (after

pregnancy, it never got flairs under control), switched to humeria

weekly (which is sort of working, but I'm breaking out with a rash

now) and now Dr. is having me go back on Enbrel (I will try the

standard twice a week dose and if that doesn't work, will go to 3

times a week dose). My bloodwork has improved but still not sure if

it is from pregnancy hormones gettign back on track or the actual

humira (baby is 1 year old). I have no problem switching back

(enbrel shots sure are less painful and no rash, also, alittle

cheaper) but I am so nervous that it wont be as effective as

humeria. I could use any info that anyone has, or leads as to where

to gather information...Also, does anyone know where I can find out

the specifics on the RA blood test...He gave me ranges and names of

stuff he tested me for, but I would like to learn more about it...

thanks for any help you can offer,

DeeDee

7 years with RA (from what rheumy says, severely aggressive RA)

[Guest guest]

I read this post earlier and thought I replied but obviously I didn't. Brain fog! I am not aware of any comparison between Humira and Enbrel and I have no idea how a meaningful comparison can be made. Some people are benefited by one and the other seems to have no effect while for other people the opposite is true. I think each of them helps about the same percentage of people and also helps about the same percentage of people for whom the other medicine has failed. I don't really pay that much attention to percentages because RA is such an individual disease that something may work for you that does not work for most other people. Finding the right medicine and the right dosage is a trial and error situation but unfortunately there seems to be a lot more error. Often we find a medicine that works but gives us side effects for which we need to take another medicine, or decide whether the disease or side effect is worse.

The site I usually go to first for an explanation of tests and labs is http://www.arthritisinsight.com/medical/tests/ and there's a lot of other information at that site from their main page.

Sorry I failed to respond earlier. God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: deedeegreen78739

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 6:27 AM

Subject: question re: this board

Hi everyone! I posted the message below earlier in the week (I copied and pasted it below) because I never got a response. Am I not allowed on this board to ask medicine specific questions? I feel like information from actual personal expericences is sometimes more beneficial than the "clinical" information from my rheumy. I've noticed alot of activity on this board and everyone seems really supportive and educated so I wanted to repost in case it got lost in the traffic.(sorry if I seem to be stalking, but the rash is getting worse and worse so I am anxious to decide about changing to enbrel)....thanks,deedee(previous message posted earlier in the week)Hi everyone! I am wondering if anyone can tell me if there isinformation out there doing a comparison between humeria andenbrel? Enbrel used to work great for me then it didn't (afterpregnancy, it never got flairs under control), switched to humeriaweekly (which is sort of working, but I'm breaking out with a rashnow) and now Dr. is having me go back on Enbrel (I will try thestandard twice a week dose and if that doesn't work, will go to 3times a week dose). My bloodwork has improved but still not sure ifit is from pregnancy hormones gettign back on track or the actualhumira (baby is 1 year old). I have no problem switching back(enbrel shots sure are less painful and no rash, also, alittlecheaper) but I am so nervous that it wont be as effective ashumeria. I could use any info that anyone has, or leads as to whereto gather information...Also, does anyone know where I can find outthe specifics on the RA blood test...He gave me ranges and names ofstuff he tested me for, but I would like to learn more about it...thanks for any help you can offer,DeeDee7 years with RA (from what rheumy says, severely aggressive RA)

[Guest guest]

Gloria, Kineret is different from the other three biologics because it acts in a different way, something like IL-1 I think. The important thing is that it is different and may act quite differently from the other three. God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: gloriarex@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 8:44 AM

Subject: Re: question re: this board

HI Deedee:

I started out on Enbrel for 3 months and then switched to Humira because the Enbrel wasn't helping as much as we had hoped. I have had better success with the Humira, but lately it's not been as effective as before. We are thinking of upping my dosage to once a week.

I don't know whether there are any actual studies done to compare the two. As it was explained to me, both of these drugs along with Remicade and Kineret are TNF-inhibitors and that the difference in the drugs was how it was delivered into your body. Something about the different material which carries the TNF-inhibitor into your system by each drug may be better suited to your system than the other. At least that's what I think I remember.

Good luck!

gloria

[Guest guest]

Hi Deedee and welcome. I saw the message but I have no experience with either drug. You can ask anything. Sometimes we may not have an answer though.

Here is a link to some info on the tests:

http://health.allrefer.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis-diagnosis-tests.html

Sorry I couldn't have been more help.

Hugs, Jacy

~Dogs have owners but Cats have staff.

jacymail@...IM: jacygal - ICQ: 96949087www.geocities.com/mtn_rose

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-----Original Message-----From: deedeegreen78739 [mailto:ddgreen@...]Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 07:27Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: question re: this boardHi everyone! I posted the message below earlier in the week (I copied and pasted it below) because I never got a response. Am I not allowed on this board to ask medicine specific questions? I feel like information from actual personal expericences is sometimes more beneficial than the "clinical" information from my rheumy. I've noticed alot of activity on this board and everyone seems really supportive and educated so I wanted to repost in case it got lost in the traffic.(sorry if I seem to be stalking, but the rash is getting worse and worse so I am anxious to decide about changing to enbrel)....thanks,deedee(previous message posted earlier in the week)Hi everyone! I am wondering if anyone can tell me if there isinformation out there doing a comparison between humeria andenbrel? Enbrel used to work great for me then it didn't (afterpregnancy, it never got flairs under control), switched to humeriaweekly (which is sort of working, but I'm breaking out with a rashnow) and now Dr. is having me go back on Enbrel (I will try thestandard twice a week dose and if that doesn't work, will go to 3times a week dose). My bloodwork has improved but still not sure ifit is from pregnancy hormones gettign back on track or the actualhumira (baby is 1 year old). I have no problem switching back(enbrel shots sure are less painful and no rash, also, alittlecheaper) but I am so nervous that it wont be as effective ashumeria. I could use any info that anyone has, or leads as to whereto gather information...Also, does anyone know where I can find outthe specifics on the RA blood test...He gave me ranges and names ofstuff he tested me for, but I would like to learn more about it...thanks for any help you can offer,DeeDee7 years with RA (from what rheumy says, severely aggressive RA)