I have just done my 4th Enbrel pen and each one was really painful, just wondered if anyone else finds the pens are more painful, I do Metoject and that does not hurt at all.
Any advice would be welcome, ( I already pinch the site and do it in my belly, plenty of fat there !! )
Wendy xx
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nellysgran
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Yes I find them stiff and painful but keep thinking it won't last long and I might start feeling better soon. How are you doing, have you noticed any improvement?
Hi Cathie, yes thank goodness I saw a vast improvement even after the first dose, I have had 4 now and feel a lot more like my old self, walking and moving better and I cant remember when I had a pain killer last, I just wish the pens didn't hurt so much, but as you say it doesn't last long.
I have just a syringe and needle preloaded, do the injection slowly counting to 10 - and maybe feel minor discomfort between 7 to 10. Have strictly gone round sites right side of tummy each leg then left side of tummy. Certainly reading comments the pens seem to be associated with more pain. Was worried about having to manage the syringe with needle but had no problems, and don't really feel the needle at all. It all fades in to nothingness compared with joint pain. If really having problems maybe speak to the rheumatology nurse who may be able to guide you as to whether you could use a prefilled syringe?
I don't have much fat so have few comfortable places to inject. I use the abdominal layer of fat. I notice it is painful when I inject into muscle on the top of my legs but I don't feel a thing on my tummy.
Hello Wendy, I use the Enbrel syringe rather than pen but find if I take the syringe out of the fridge for 15-30 minutes before injecting it is less painful as the drug has had time to warm up a bit. This was on the advice of my rheumy nurse. Fran x
Well the first time I injected in hospital it felt like I shot myself. Since doing it on my own I get my husband to do it. It doesnt hurt when the needle goes in but it does hurt when the liquid goes in, then it takes a couple of minutes when I rest for the feeling to subside.
Just to make matters worse I have just been told that metoject is changing to a pen in July and there is no choice. I have seen an example of it and it looks bulky and cumbersome and quite hard to use.
I was using the pen to inject Adalimumab but then asked to change to the syringe and that does not hurt. Try asking if you can get it in syringe form. Wendy
Thank you everyone for your answers, Margot2011 I cant ask for a syringe because all the syringe medications are changing to pens!!!!, I do inject MTX at the moment but that will be changing to a pen soon, all to do with new regulations !! so I will just have to grin and bare it I think, xx
I inject Enbrel with a syringe, sometimes it stings a little, sometimes I feel nothing at all. My specialist nurse advised me to use the syringe method rather than the pen because you have more control of the drug going in, with the pen it just goes in in one swoop and she told me that it could be painful. I was already injecting MTX with a syringe so I was use to doing it this way.
I had heard that Methoject was changing to a pen and I was concerned that Enbrel would be the same. I spoke to the NRAS helpline and they kindly contacted Pfizer the manufacturer of Enbrel and told them that there is no plans at the moment to change to pens, so if I was you I would ask about changing to the syringe.
Not sure what you meaning by 'pen' as Enbrel is already of the pen variety, I use this each week. Unless you are referring to the 'pen' which my father uses for his Diabetes which looks and feels like a normal pen.
I was offered Enbrel either the pen method or a syringe. I choose the syringe method with me use to injecting MTX. It's just like a normal injection, You have more control of how quickly the drug goes in with the pre filled syringes.
Having used Enbrel since 2012, the only times it hurts as such is after the first click when the actual liquid is going in and then it's more of a sting, I get this more on the right side rather than left. Is this what you are referring to? When this happens I also tend to bleed quite a lot at the time. I mentioned it to my nurse who said all was normal.
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