What's the experience on here of enbrel injection site reaction? Got a small rash 5 days after second injection on both sites

[cathie]

The literature suggests that you should use steroid cream on it. Could this be connected to reduction of steroids? I'm down from 10 daily to 7. Advice would be welcome as I'm just beginning to detect benefits

[net2012]

Cathie I was told to take an anti histamine the day before, the day of and day after injection. I personally found alvera gel and if it was hot calamine lotion really helpful. Check with rheumy or HAH? x

[cathie]

Thanks, that sounds a good idea

[Neonkitty59]

I think the nurse or consultant will decide if they are mild enought to be manageable Cathie. If they are not driving you mad and can be alleviated with either a steroid cream or as someone else has suggested .. that the Rheumy gives advice on a anti-histamine ... then this can be hopefully something manageable. Enbrel gave me site rashes after injection 5 and mine became too long lasting, fiery, sore and troublesome. As I mentioned before, Enbrel worked superbly for me and worked well after the second day of taking it but sadly only for a short time of five weeks. With the rashes and waning effects I was put on Humira (which did even less!!) Now on Rituximab. We are all different and no reason to think you won't do great on Enbrel, and it was such a shame that it went downhill quickly for me as it showed such great promise. Take a photo of the site rash in case it fades and show your nurse/doc. As often as the rashes start to come after a couple of injections, they can as easily disappear after a few shots .. I have heard of experiences of both ways so good luck and I know from my experience Enbrel is a fast worker for some.

[Hidden]

No suggestions as I don't take Enbrel but lots of sympathy. I do hope that this is just a temporary blip for you and doesn't worsen. Warm wishes, Twitchy

[Metal-legs]

hi cathie

enbrel was a miracle drug for me, got me out of a wheelchair, very sad I had to come off it last year. I had site reactions to start with and on cimzia too but cured it with aloe vera gel. It depends how big the rash is, you need to ask your rheumy nurse about it. If aloe vera doesn't work, as everyone has said it's steroid cream and anti-histamine. Hopefully you will find a way round it. Best of luck.

[hatshepsut]

I had severe reaction at injection site after restarting enbrel after knee op.. Massive raised sores. So good news is that it has started working, bad news I have to stop it.

Going on to humira, fingers crossed it will also work. Hope this, is just a blip for you M x

[cathie]

Thanks for answers this morning. Hatshepsut, how long did they take to move you to humira? I dread more unsupported days as I'm finally tapering off pred too.

[hatshepsut]

Came off enbrel 2 weeks ago. Not clear when I will start humira. Will keep you posted! M x

[cathie in reply to hatshepsut]

Oh I'm sorry. There was this article I found about someone who managed to persist with enbrel after initial reaction.

rheumatology.oxfordjournals...

[Wildschonau]

I am on enbrel and also had site reactions a few days after 2nd injection. I now get them the day after my injection. I was told to cool the area with a bag of peas beforehand and carefully remove any drops left on the injection site. I take Loratine for 3 days and use a steroid cream and they are getting smaller. Enbrel works great for me - hope it does for you

[cathie in reply to Wildschonau]

Thankyou!

[Neonkitty59]

Cathie, I had three weeks of the red sore site rashes after my initial good five weeks, so they decided to stop it after two months but asked me to wait a couple of weeks before starting Humira to wash it out. (I know someone who only waited one week with the med wash out) Then straight onto Humira as no other tests needed and same delivery company etc. I took my first Humira to my consultant appointment and the top rheumy did it although it was quite funny as the pen was a bit different from the Enbrel one and we just read through the leaflet and she watched me do it .. as the biologics nurse was not in that day but my rheumy wanted me to start Humira asap. My rheumy then did my consultation which lasted a while as I did an Abbott (med manufacturer) research programme for them with questionnaires for the six months I was on Humira. So by the time I had done all that an hour had passed and my rheumy checked my injection site was OK and my BP and off I went. So if you did have to change because of a troublesome rash it would be quick I am sure. Just don't think that way now .. see how it goes with the things to alleviate as mentioned in earlier pots. You could be one of the people who suddenly stop having the rashes ... I was one who suddenly started them! Good luck.

[LucyLocket42]

Hi Cathie Although I wasn't glad to find out someone else was also suffering with this kind of skin reaction, I was kind of glad to hear of someone else with experiences like mine with Enbrel because I was feeling like a bit of freak! I have quite large rashes following every Enbrel injection. I have had 8 injections so far. Sometimes I get reactions at previous injections sites when I do a new injection. The rashes are like large very swollen red welts, very hot and itchy. They take several days to fade and then often there is a bruise where the rash was. I phoned my clinic helpline after the first rashes appeared (a few days after Enbrel injection 2) and was told to keep injecting if I could cope with the rashes but to take antihistamine and use ice on the area. I can't take antihistamine orally but do use a cream and I use witch hazel gel as well to cool it. I find ice does nothing really. I have a meds review at the beginning of June and am worried that they might stop the Enbrel because of these reactions. I think it is helping me generally as I have more energy and feel less like I am walking around with a full suit of heavy metal armour or a heavy wet blanket on! I still have some pain and stiffness and am limited in what I can do but I feel more able to cope with it all since I've been on the Enbrel so I don't really want to stop using it.

I hope your reactions disappear soon.

[cathie]

Thanks! These experiences are really helpful and reassuring. After a day of loratadine and some steroid cream my rashes have calmed down a little, but spread. I'm going to continue with antihistamine for a while.

As for enbrel, it's changing me slowly, but agree with you about losing that heavy body armour. Have you seen those little videos about medics being shown what it's like to be elderly/ constructed. Keep well

[Susiej38]

Hey Cathie, I seem to be doing similar meds as you. I have had first Enbrel injection and am also tapering off Pred. I am also on MTX. I did not seem to have any reaction with Enbrel injection, but it was just first time. Do you mind sharing where you are injecting Enbrel? Nurse did my injection in stomach, but I am thinking I will try my thigh due to the fact I'm injecting MTX in tummy. I'm also curious to how fast you are tapering the Pred. I am concerned my Rheumy is going too fast! I will be interested in your progress. Thanks and good luck!

[cathie in reply to Susiej38]

I inject for diabetes in my tum, so I'm doing my legs. I think the rash has calmed down today, but I'm sticking to antihistamine and steroid cream probably for a few days. On the pred, I'm going down in 1s as I feel, now on 6 a day. I think it's ok

[francherry]

I'm late to this as I've been away. I don't have Enbrel site reactions but had rashes at the beginning on my chest before I started taking anti-histamine (on rheumy nurse's suggestion) the day before, on the day, and the day of the Enbrel injection. As I inject twice weekly and also take anti-histamine as 'cover' for osteoporosis medication, I'm actually taking it every day. Agree with others to check with rheumy/rheumy nurse. Good to hear the rash has calmed down & hope the tapering is going ok.

[cathie in reply to francherry]

Yes so far so good.