Pills for RA are not working for me so rheumatologist is suggesting self-injected Humira or Enbrel. I read the side effects and they are scary. Especially it can cause heart failure even if you don't have a bad heart. I'd like to hear from any of you who are on these drugs and your experience with them.
View 2 RepliesAfter 8 months only on pain killers and a visit to yet another rheumy (who happens to be a head of the department and a boss of the last two that I saw... Sorry, semi vegan diet. Ha. Not funny... plus, he lost my medical records from the past visits...) I am switching to Enbrel as soon as it's approved. What side effects should I monitor except for the obvious ones? Does anyone apply ice before the injection as with Humira? (does it help?...)
View 22 RepliesI am on my second week of Enbrel injections and my second week of taking Celebrex, I have been on MTX for the past 3 months. So now that I am taking 3 different medications I seem to be having some new side effects. Mostly night sweats and I mean drenching night sweats and a moderate sore throat. Feels like half my throat is swollen and it just stays on the edge of moderately sore. Both of these symptoms started about 3 days after my first injection of Enbrel and my first dose of Celebrex.
My question is does anyone have any experience with these side effects and how long until they subsided on these medications?
I am about to start Enbrel. I know it's been about for a while, but could anyone tell me what to look out for. What side effects have people had with it? Does it affect your hair? Do you need to watch what you eat and drink? I have had Psoriatic Arthritis for 7 years now and tried everything! Recently had bad flares with skin and joints, so consultant has suggested I try the biologics. Starting Enbrel next week.
View 3 RepliesI have recently been diagnosed with AS. At my last hospital visit the consultant gave me a self assessment form about my level of pain and mobility. I have to complete it again in 2 months when I go back to see if there has been any change - the consultant did say it was very unlikely there would be, but there is a process to follow. Anyway, she said when I return I could choose between Enbrel and Humira, and gave me some literature on them both. I understand that everyone is different, but wondered if anyone else could comment on the highs and lows of both drugs. I am 44 years old, and the main problem is in my neck. I can look left and right, with limitations, but cannot tilt my head to the side or look up. The anti-inflammatory drug that has so far worked best for me is Naproxen. Also do you have to continue with painkillers or are the injection a replacement for the anti-inflammatory drugs only.
View 4 RepliesI am a vocal coach, and around about 30 students a week. I have developed Spondylitis in my hips and my Dr prescribed Enbrel after a 2 month period of taking large amounts of Aleve and cortisone shots in hips and sacroiliac joint. I am terrified of the side effects. I teach voice all day and that is my income. I am afraid of getting sick and losing work but the pain from the arthritis can on some days be very depressing. Feel between a rock and a hard place.
I have been to the hospital today. I have been treated for psoriatic arthritis for about 5 years. My consultant says that as I have tried everything else, without success I now have to decide whether to have Enbrel. I am a bit concerned about the side effects especially increased chance of infection. While I was on methotrexate I had quite a few infections including shingles.Also not keen on giving myself injections
Not taking anything is now causing deformity in my joints and tissue inflammation so an important decision.
despite using strong painkillers, oxycodone-both long lasting plus short acting plus amitriptyline for sleep plus topical ointment, I cannot get on top of the pain or swelling. I started Stelara in December after DMARDs, Enbrel & Humira failing. I'm also on 7.5mg Prednisone daily. I can't cope much longer, this flare started in November. I suppose I should be grateful that my skin is clear but the pain in my joints is horrendous. My knees, hands and wrists are so swollen. Mobility is crap, I'm virtually crawling to get upstairs, getting dressed is so difficult and painful. I'm seeing OT in 2 weeks plus my rheumatologist on 8th March, also I'm seeing another rheumatologist in may for 2nd opinion because I'm not convinced my current one is expert in PsA. I've been going to hydrotherapy for a few weeks and am going to continue as a paying client because it's been good for me mentally and I don't want to sit around waiting to become completely immobilised. My knees are like melons today, should I rest, elevate or what? Sorry for negativity but I've just about had enough
View 38 RepliesI need to take the next shot today but i have a sore throat for a few days. The drs advice (in general) not to take the shot when sick (even when no fever) but this is my "permanent" condition since i started humira (3 shots thus far). Did anyone try to take it when "a bit" sick? Or do you actually wait for 2-3 "good" days before taking the shot? Last time I waited a week more than recommended and the body kind of "collapsed"...
View 2 Replieshow are you finding it? I am a little concerned about some of the possible side effects, in particular the one with abdominal problems and having to take antacids, as I take lansoprazole twice a day.
View 19 RepliesIs an enlarged heart classed as heart failure?
View 9 RepliesI have a question about possible side effects of allergy shots. I got 4 shots so far (shot per week). On the first 3 there were no side effects besides feeling a bit tired on the evening of the shot probably due to the antihistamines medication that i am taking before receiving the shot, but in the morning after getting my 4th shot I woke up with very strong pain in the heart area (this is roughly 16 hours after the receiving the shot), the pain slowly went away in the course of several hours. I went to a doctor and did echocardiogram on the same day which was OK. I am not in a stressed period or did anything special during the week.
I am 36 years old, healthy, exercise regularly and have no heart troubles.
My question is if this heart pain can be related to the allergy shots or it is just a coincidence ?
Once again I Seem to be experiencing more side effects. Last few days heart beats really fast feel faint the whole time. How long will these side effects go on for does anyone know.
View 1 RepliesI'm hoping to start a clinical trial for Enbrel beginning in May (they need me on MTX for 3 months before I can start the trial) and am wondering if anyone that has used it or is on it currently can tell me how they're doing on it?
I woke up this morning with that heavy duty exhausted, malaise feeling that I felt for so many months before being diagnosed last summer. I had to work a mandatory training 40 hours last week, played catch up over the weekend and worked another 8 hours yesterday. I woke up to that heaviness in the chest; not a sick like heavy as in bronchitis or chest cold, but literally like someone was draining my insides out. I am emotional today and that's what happens when I get these episodes.
I started Enbrel 4 weeks ago. For the first two weeks I had no rash at all. After the 3rd injection, I got a rash of size of say 2cm over 5cm with swelling that disappears after 24h. The rash itself disappeared after 6 days. After the 4th injection (this Saturday) the rash appeared and is now about 3.5cm over 6 cm and is lasting 2 days with swelling. Itches, hot and bothering. I wonder if it is going to get worse or if the size of the rash and this semi allergy reaches a critical point and that's it... Saw some scary pictures on the net. Wonder if it really gets to the face and back, etc.
View 4 RepliesI started the Enbrel injections yesterday and the only way to describe me today is a zombie - hardly keeping my eyes open. Sugar and coffee intake improved nothing. Taking ibuprofen yesterday eve (I thought that it might be a flu) made it worse. After a quick browsing, I found that some people experience such effects but I did not find if this is a temporary thing or is this a permanent side effect.
View 6 RepliesI've been taking the Enbrel injection for the past 4 weeks and this last week I have a red raised itchy rash where I inject myself. My nurse has told me that this is normal and usually around the size of a 50 pence piece but mine is a lot bigger than that! So I'm looking to see if anyone else has suffered from this and which creams can help? My nurse said an antihistamine cream will help but I want to make sure I get one that will work because it's so itchy!
View 1 RepliesIs anyone else out there taking Enbrel 75mg per week?
For years, my doctor has had me on three 25mg injections per week. I know that the recommended dose is 50 mg per week, and I know that studies by Amgen showed most people got no added benefit from the larger dose. But I also know that for a very small group of us, the larger dose is what's needed (out of all my doctor's patients, he said only 4 responded to the higher dose, and responded well).
After years of paying, my insurance company now has a problem with this. Which puts me in a situation where I risk the stability of my RA or pay an enormous bill.
So, I'm just wondering how many others are like me, responders to the higher dose? And if anyone has found a cheaper source of Enbrel (besides the Enbrel Assistance program which is like a catch-22 -- they only help on insured Enbrel, not Enbrel outside what insurance covers.
My Dr gave me a sample of Enbrel to try while waiting for my insurance to approve treatment (they didn't but that's another story).
The Rheumy nurse attempted to show me how to use the pen and pulled the pen out too quick and squirted most of the medication on the floor. My Rheumatologist gave me another pen and told me just to do it at home since I was comfortable doing it myself. That was two weeks ago. Today I have these huge red spots a small one where the nurse tried to inject and a huge one where I injected.
It's very sore and is getting more bruised looking as the day goes on.
I had been on a prednisone taper and have been off prednisone for 2 days now. Has anyone had a delayed reaction like this? Or maybe the prednisone was keeping this at bay? Your thoughts please?
I'm 56. Several years ago I was dx with chronic diastolic dysfunction failure. With help from diuretics I lost 100 pounds in fluid. I was stunned when diagnosed. I still am and have trouble believing it. Lately I've had nagging coughs. I'm here to find out if anyone else has experienced this coughing and also had trouble with acceptance.
View 1 RepliesMy mom is 91. She has CHF and with watching salt, has been controlled quite well. She will get some edema in the both lower legs and ankle and feet but that has in the past gone down. She has developed this ankle / foot fluid edema in the left foot for 2 weeks. Can't get it to go down. Went to her heart doc. Said to begin Lasix 20 mg for 3 days. Its not gone yet...on third day. Urinating a lot. She's watching salt now close. Is it rare for edema and fluid to be in ONE ANKLE/FOOT? She has one kidney. Actually she can get quite dehydrated often.
Kidney is usually ok. She was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease but that hasn't been an issue for quite a while. Can I please get comments on what kind of treatment long term is she looking at. She's only 5 ft tall and not overweight. Should she get the stockings if she also has perph artery disease?
After you start Lasix, will it take a few days to do down?