Anyone on Enbrel?

[MYellowRose]

Last week the rheumatologist decided to change me from Humira to Enbrel for my RA. He also doubled the dose of my sulfasalazine.
If anyone here is taking Enbrel please let me know what you think of it and whether or not you've had any side-effects. I'm reading up on lymphoma because it's one of those that scares me the most.
Comments please.

[Pitdog]

I was on Enbrel for about 8 months for Psoriasis, which turned out to be Eczema of a very hard to treat variety, and had no side effects, other than injection sight irritations now and again. It didn't do anything for me at all, and since I quit it, I feel better about it. I have beaten the eczema AND psorisis back with other measures that have brought me MUCH needed relief as well as better satisfaction with life!
Keep an eye on yourself, and report anything out of the ordinary to your DR. One Derm was going to put me on Raptiva and I didnt want it because it was not reported very safe and she told me it was voer rated. months later it was pulled off the market ofr fatal side effects!

[sinzitu]

Last week the rheumatologist decided to change me from Humira to Enbrel for my RA. He also doubled the dose of my sulfasalazine.
If anyone here is taking Enbrel please let me know what you think of it and whether or not you've had any side-effects. I'm reading up on lymphoma because it's one of those that scares me the most.
Comments please.

MYR.
Has this been working for you? I hope so. I'm about to start this treatment too.

[Pitdog]

I took it for my skin ailments for about a year. Didn't make one Iota of difference, so I quit it.
1500 dollars a month for self injections that didn't work? NOT!
I know it does help some people a great deal, especially with RA, but for me it was a worthless pursuit. Good luck, and go for the thigh if you are skinny, the belly hurts.

[Pitdog]

I took it for my skin ailments for about a year. Didn't make one Iota of difference, so I quit it.
1500 dollars a month for self injections that didn't work? NOT!
I know it does help some people a great deal, especially with RA, but for me it was a worthless pursuit. Good luck, and go for the thigh if you are skinny, the belly hurts.

[Pitdog]

WTF?!

Something isn't right. Sorry.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Just curious-- Why can't he just give you NSAIDs like Meloxicam, Ibuprofen, Tramadol with an occasional round of steroids if needed? Safer in the long run.

[Pitdog]

Tramadol? Wow. Opiate!
None of those prevent deterioration of the joints that cause the pain, whereas Enbrel and other Biologics attempt to halt or slow the progression of joint loss. Pain killers treat MINOR inflammation and pain. Apples and Oranges.

Same as me, I can take all the steroids in the world, after a while they quit working and do absolutely nothing, despite the dosage. Plus the ill effects are worse than the treated problem, in terms of seriousness. The however do not treat the problem, only the symptoms.

[sinzitu]

Just curious-- Why can't he just give you NSAIDs like Meloxicam, Ibuprofen, Tramadol with an occasional round of steroids if needed? Safer in the long run.

Pitdog pretty much summed it up. The NSAIDS only treat symptoms and do not slow or halt the disease. The Biologics block your immune system from causing more joint damage. Though technically there is no cure it, hopefully will stop any further damage. Also like any med there are risks.

Believe me if I could only take a couple of pills that would be great. I've been dealing with this disease since I was 10yrs old. I've been thru numerous treatments over the years. Methotrexate was very successful for me for the last 25years. Though now it's stopped working. In the past few months my arthritis has spread to new (previously uninvolved) joints and has made every day tasks incredibly painful and in some instances impossible.

I've already adapted to the joints that have been destroyed for decades. It's just harder to adapt when you're running out of healthy joints.

[NotSoFast]

Last week the rheumatologist decided to change me from Humira to Enbrel for my RA. He also doubled the dose of my sulfasalazine.
If anyone here is taking Enbrel please let me know what you think of it and whether or not you've had any side-effects. I'm reading up on lymphoma because it's one of those that scares me the most.
Comments please.
My Rheumatologist did the same thing to me, switching me from Humera to Enbrel. But she didn't increase anything else. Since that time, about 18 months ago, I've been able to get off the sulfasalazine, off the prednizone for most of the time, and I just cut my Plaquenil dosage in half in the past month.

I'm not having any noticeable side effects from the Enbrel and only a little inflammation from cutting back on the Plaquenil. I get my blood work done every three months and it always comes back good as far as my liver and other tests, and only a little high on the counts related to inflammation.

Take regular notes of your symptoms and take that notebook with you to the doctor so you can discuss them. And make sure you write down all your concerns. If you have a good doctor, he will talk freely with you about them. If he won't, find another doctor immediately. My first one lied to me. I found out after 5 years and within two months I was going to another doctor.

[NotSoFast]

One thing that helped me with a dry, itchy spot on my skin was taking 400 mg of magnesium. As long as i take it I don't have dry skin. But when I stop it comes back in just a couple days.