WARNING for Enbrel Users

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I just want to pass along the following warning for anyone on Enbrel therapy.

Please be sure to go to your Dr. IMMEDIATELY (Internist or Rheumy) if you

feel you 'might be getting sick'.

I've been on Enbrel for the past 18 months and have been thrilled with the

results. Last Thursday, I started to feel a little sick with a sore throat

and fever. By Friday I was so sick that I had trouble walking into the Dr.'s

office, even my skin hurt! A rapid strep test showed multiple strep bacteria

(strep throat). When my Dr. drew my blood he saw that my white count was

19,000! Because I was on Enbrel therapy, I was already septic at that point

and he admitted me immediately into the hospital because I needed

intravenous Penicillin, which would be at a much higher dose that I would be

able to get from oral Penicillin therapy.

I stayed on IV Penicillin for the next four days (I was also terribly

dehydrated). When my white count lowered down to 8,000 they released me from

the hospital and I'm still taking 500 mg of Penicillin 4 times a day (for ten

days total). The strep is pretty much gone and I feel better than I have

felt in a long time.

The most important thing to know is that I AM NOT ALLOWED TO BE ON ENBREL

DURING THE TIME I'M ON ANTIBIOTICS. The Dr. says that the Enbrel will

interfere with the antibiotics ability to kill the strep bacteria. He read

the Enbrel insert which clearly states that there have been fatalaties among

Enbrel users who had sepsis. That is why he was so worried about me.

My Dr. would like to see me off the Enbrel for good but I'm too nervous that

my pain and swelling etc. will return.

Meanwhile, it has been about 10 days since my last shot of Enbrel and so far

I'm still ok, but then again, I'm still taking 2,000 mg of penicillin every

day and there is something to be said about antibiotic therapy relieving PA

symptoms.

I'll decide what to do after my last dose of penicillin (on Friday). I'm

even thinking about the possibility of continuing on antibiotic therapy

instead of reverting to the Enbrel (since I feel so good on the Penicillin).

I'm sorry this post is so drawn out but I hope my message got across to the

other Enbrel users about the dangers of procrastinating a visit to the Dr.

when you don't feel 'right'.

Good health to all!

Rivky :-)

[Guest guest]

Wow, Rivky, how scary! I actually had an experience years ago with

becoming septic with strep like you described and it isn't fun!! I'm so

glad you got to your doctor in time and are doing better.

Thanks for the warning. I think those of us dealing with a chronic

illness are more in tune with our bodies but also might worry about

being dubbed a hypochondriac so it's good to be reminded to trust our

intuition about our bodies.

Again, glad your on the mend!!

Judy

(in Ohio)

F4s2many@... wrote:

> Hi all,

> I just want to pass along the following warning for anyone on Enbrel

> therapy.

> Please be sure to go to your Dr. IMMEDIATELY (Internist or Rheumy) if

> you

> feel you 'might be getting sick'.