Guest guest Posted March 13, 2000 Report Share Posted March 13, 2000 , I just use Enbrel. Prior to Enbrel I was on MTX for a year and very sick. I was in bed most of the time, with side effects from the MTX, and the other time in bed I would be hurting from RA. Now I have my life back. I am not bedridden, I can move around, I have an RA flare maybe once or twice a month at the most, and they are short lived. Fight for Enbrel! Judy At 07:58 PM 3/12/2000 PST, you wrote: >From: Michele Craddock <mcraddockrph@...> > >Hi, sorry I haven't been on lately. Between work and family I've been going >pretty hard. I go back to my rheumy next month and it's time to add on >another med. I am alot better, but there is still tremendous swelling in >various joints. I know alot of you have had great sucess on Enbrel as a >secondary drug. The doctor is hesitant to prescribe this, so I am going to >have to fight for it. What things can I tell him from the " successes " to use >to convince him? All thoughts and comments will be welcome. He is really >pushing for Methotrexate and I just don't feel comfortable with it when the >Enbrel sounds so much more promising. > >Got to touch a live tiger today! There is a large cat reserve for tigers, >lions, etc for when people suddenly realize maybe getting this cat for a pet >wasn't such a good idea. To raise money to keep all the cats, you could get >your picture taken with a baby tiger for $10. It was about 4-5 months old and >was taller than me when it stretched out! Some baby! We got to feed it a >bottle during the picture. My 3 year old said - that tiger doesn't look or >smell like a baby. We all had a great time. lol Michele > >____________________________________________________________________ >Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% >Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! >1/936/3/_/478567/_/952919920/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >URL to change your membership options and read archived messages: >/group/ >RA-support website: http://www.rasupport.webprovider.com/ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 13, 2000 Report Share Posted March 13, 2000 Michele, Many doctors are reluctant to prescribe Enbrel because the long term affects are not known. Then there are the insurance companies that only pay for Enbrel AFTER you have tried everything else. Since the best thing going right now is the combination of MTX/Enbrel, if you don't get Enbrel now, maybe he will add it after MTX. I KNOW the current rheumy I have would not have given me Enbrel before MTX. I came to him already on it. What reasons does he give for not wanting to try Enbrel? Do you have problems with infection? Any lung problems would make MTX not very desirable. MTX must be closely monitored. The main reason I gave my doctor for not wanting to take it, is the possible liver side effects and the lung side effects. His answer was that Enbrel's long term effects are not known and could be worse. He is right. At least with MTX, it has been used for many years, and they know what to monitor, and stopping the MTX usually will reverse the side effects. If I get just one more elevated sed rate over 60, I have made up my mind to take the MTX, even though I am also scared of it. I am more scared of the joint erosion that I have so much of. The x-rays really smacked me in the face. Good luck with whatever you decide. Remember it is YOUR decision, not the doctors. He cannot make you take anything you don't want to take. He can advise and prescribe. a ----- Original Message ----- From: Michele Craddock <mcraddockrph@...> < onelist> Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2000 10:58 PM Subject: [ ] Enbrel > From: Michele Craddock <mcraddockrph@...> > > Hi, sorry I haven't been on lately. Between work and family I've been going > pretty hard. I go back to my rheumy next month and it's time to add on > another med. I am alot better, but there is still tremendous swelling in > various joints. I know alot of you have had great sucess on Enbrel as a > secondary drug. The doctor is hesitant to prescribe this, so I am going to > have to fight for it. What things can I tell him from the " successes " to use > to convince him? All thoughts and comments will be welcome. He is really > pushing for Methotrexate and I just don't feel comfortable with it when the > Enbrel sounds so much more promising. > > Got to touch a live tiger today! There is a large cat reserve for tigers, > lions, etc for when people suddenly realize maybe getting this cat for a pet > wasn't such a good idea. To raise money to keep all the cats, you could get > your picture taken with a baby tiger for $10. It was about 4-5 months old and > was taller than me when it stretched out! Some baby! We got to feed it a > bottle during the picture. My 3 year old said - that tiger doesn't look or > smell like a baby. We all had a great time. lol Michele > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 2.9% > Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! > 1/936/3/_/478567/_/952919920/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > URL to change your membership options and read archived messages: > /group/ > RA-support website: http://www.rasupport.webprovider.com/ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2000 Report Share Posted April 28, 2000 Judy, I'm still on it but just added mtx this week. Enbrel alone is doing nothing for me. Actually I was taking Arava with it and that wasn't doing anything. I am waiting on approval for Remicade, but my RD isn't very hopeful that it is going to work either since it is the same type of med as Enbrel just stronger (so he says). Tery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2000 Report Share Posted April 29, 2000 I am so sorry that Enbrel is not working for you, Tery. What a big bummer! Let's hope for good things to happen with Remicade! Judy At 10:26 AM 4/28/2000 EDT, you wrote: >Judy, >I'm still on it but just added mtx this week. Enbrel alone is doing nothing >for me. Actually I was taking Arava with it and that wasn't doing anything. >I am waiting on approval for Remicade, but my RD isn't very hopeful that it >is going to work either since it is the same type of med as Enbrel just >stronger (so he says). Tery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Being people are speaking of biologics..Humera is the 1 I haven't tried. I am on Enbrel and so far so good.I haven't had any reaction at the injection site.As a matter of fact,I do not even feel the needle or meds.The needle is so small.I take it 2x a wek and also inj mtx once a week. The only thing that worries me is the TNF.But I try not to get obsessed over it. With the Enbrel in just a couple of weeks you can start to see/feel the difference.It gave me more energy..which is a valuable commodity with our diseases.....G'day to all..Skye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Someone should be on disability. When all else fails its the only thing to do. Medicare Part D will kick in soon and perhaps that might ease some of the pinch. How that passed is beyond me. There has to be a catch somewhere. If you are still working but find you are in more pain and unable to function, consider applying for disability benefits or SSDI. Living in pain really isnt an option. Maybe Humira would be a drug that is more accessible for you. Maybe the company that makes humira would help you. If you lost your job due to disability, then approval from most drug companies should be mandatory and free to you. I am so sorry you are in pain. I really am. Arava does seem to be helping me, so perhaps you could supplement that with your current regimine. I have been there so I know. Keep fighting. You have all our support and understanding behind you. Hugs, Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Hi everyone, I take Remicade. I can't speak for Enbrel, but Remicade's Patient Assistance program was wonderful. They approved me in 48 hours once I showed proof of no insurance & an Rx from my rheumy. Under my current insurance, I don't pay ANYTHING and a home health care nurse comes to my house. I just got my infusion yesterday (ahhhh). I currently have MAMSI Optimum Choice. Under Virginia Blue Cross/Blue Shield I paid $100 per treatment since I went to the outpatient center of the local hospital. Paying nothing is better! I'm sorry you are having such difficulties getting your meds. Steph in VA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>Well, I finally talked to someone at Enbrel. Obviously this is not>something I'm going to be able to try through Medicare.>>At benefit level I, the deductible is $3600 per year. You pay that first,>then it's $250 per prescription plus 25% of the actual cost of the drug.>They said they couldn't tell me until July 1 when my approval goes into>effect how much that would be. I told him I had heard that it's $6000 per>month and he said it isn't quite that much.>>I don't know why they come up with drugs that no one can afford!>>Nina>>>>>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 ----- Original Message ----- From: <dbargad@...> > Someone should be on disability. When all else fails its the only thing to do. Medicare Part D will kick in soon and perhaps that might ease some of the pinch. I am on disability. That's how I have Medicare. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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