Enbrel mono

[Wildschonau]

I am about to start enbrel without methotrexate does anyone else take it by itself? How long did take to work and ease the stiffness, any advise gratefully received. Alison

[aligator]

Hi, I take enbrel each week for the last 6 months & I am now feeling a lot easier. I do take leflunomide daily too. I have been able to cut my pain killers as well. I hope you feel more confortable very soon, Love Alison x

[allanah]

I couldntusemetho so I had Enbrel with another Dmards Arava

[Jane06]

I started on enbrel about a year ago with no other therapy apart from steroids. It took about 6 weeks to show some improvement but it was not the wonder drug I exoected. It was only when I recommenced methotrexate 6 months ago that I really felt better. I had been on this oreviously but had to stop because of liver probs.

[bigmommy]

I have been on embrel and sulpasalazine for ten months now the first eight months were great but the last couple of months backto square one i think body got used to it and every one is different xx

[Alderess]

I was on just Embrel for about a year. It worked instantly although the effects increased over about 6 weeks. Unfortunately my body adjusted to it and I had to reintroduce methotrexate. That combination was great until I became allergic to the suspension the Embrel is in and I couldn't make myself inject anymore because of the site reactions. I failed more than Embrel. I am now on Cimzia with met and hydroxy. Seems to work and has for 4 years now. Hope Embrel works for you!

[wiliby]

hi, it worked within 6 weeks for me, kept improving upto 4 months, thankfully was a miracle for me

before I started I was on MXT, sulpha and hydrox all at once with no improvement; I did stay on MXT low dose for a year and when I did stop taking it there was no change thankfully. Has been a year almost on mono Enbrel.

I would say i'm 90% better 80% of the time!

I know I started with MXT but in my opinion it wouldn't have mattered if I wasn't on it.

Hope you get some great results!

[fossil321]

I have been on Enbrel since Jan 2008, I do not take any other rheumatoid drug with it but I do take Naprosyn anti-inflammatory every now and then.. It took about six weeks to work and I don't have many problems with it.

[petalnumber2]

Hi Alison,

I've been on Enbrel for 6 months with 22.5 mgs of Methotrexate. The stiffness disappeared almost as soon as I started using Enbrel, but I continue to have swollen painful fingers and particularly my toes. All other joints like wrists knees and shoulders are mildly painful. Recently, I have heard reports about the damage Methotrexate can do the body and I would dearly love to stop taking it so I intend to talk about coming off it with my Consultant at my next app in November. However, I do accept that RA is a difficult disease to control and all the usual medications available have their side effects and so it's a matter of acceptance or face the inevitable damage that will occur over time. June xx

[Jeanabelle60]

I was on Enbrel last year. I can't take MTX as it attacks my already 'sensative' liver. I went on Enbrel because I had a bad reaction to Humira. It was.....alright.....it didn't give me any great pain relief and then I broke out in a complete body rash so I was taken off Enbrel too. I then went on Tocilimab, it didn't work for me either and now I'm on Abatacept which certainly helps and has increased my energy levels. Everyone is different and for me to tell you about how it was with me really won't tell you much....you just have to try it and see for yourself how it works for you. With all if theses drugs, except Humira, I still have to take 200mg of tramadol and 4gms of paracetamol a day. Hope you get on well with the Enbrel.....according to some on here it was great.....hopefully you'll be another. All the best.

[Wildschonau]

Many thanks for all your comments I am having the nurse to show we how to use the pen on Tuesday so fingers crossed it works. Did any of you have site reactions or bad head aches with enbrel.

[Judetheobscure]

Enbrel has worked really well for me over the last 4 and a half years. Initially it was with MTX but my overall immunity dipped so low that I kept getting infections and ulcers etc. I asked if I could try Enbrel on its own and have been delighted with the results. In a previous response I give more information but I am not sure if these can be accessed now. Prior to using Enbrel I had tried Humira which had no effect whatsoever on my RA. I have not suffered from any headaches or other adverse reactions. Yes there is sometimes redness and a lump at injection site where the medication drips on to the skin. This can be a little itchy but it is negligible when set against the symptoms of RA and it doesn't bother me. Usually it is only the first and second day that I notice this. I hope this drug works as well for you. Very best wishes.

[Case]

Hi , I had reaction sites so severe that I was taken off enbrel. I too was allergic. However I was introduced to cimzia, no reaction thankfully as I have had an improvement in my condition. Hope u find right one for u.

[caroline21]

Hi,I have been taking Enbrel for a few years now almost 1o, I was one of the first to go on it cos nothing else was working .I have a brilliant team at St. Helens hospital and I take it without mix as I became really badly allergic to it .it didn't take long to notice a difference and I'm still impressed by what it does to my body every time I inject ,good luck CAroline xx

[caroline21]

Without methotrexate that's meant to sy

[getridofmypains]

im using embrel and MTX along with many other drugs and so far nothing has worked if anything my condition has got worse than ever been doing some reading up about certain foods that can make the pain worse so considering in trying that out not sure if it will help but will try anything right about now