Hi I am new to this site...I am about to move to injections. Can anyone share their experience

[sarah1968]

i have been asked if i want to take etanercept as a weekly jab, adalimumab as a fortnightly jab and golimumab as a monthly jab. mxt is doing nothing for me and my steroid injection lasted 8 weeks max. I have 2 permanently swollen fingers and another nodule growing on another finger. Can any any one offer any insight.

[allanah]

Apparently they all work the same so I chose weekly as psychologically I felt I was " doing " something lol . But other hate needles do would maybe choose monthly? I found enteracept easy to use and not too stingy x

[Rhiannon23]

Hi Sarah, I was diagnosed with RA in all of my joints when I was 16. I have been on methotrexate injections every week for 6 years and Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) every two weeks for the past 6 months. I was recently moved back to the methotrexate tablets as I was sick twice a week with the injections. Obviously, I haven't taken the injections you've mentioned and different medications react differently and will vary for each person too. I will not deny that these injections have given me a better quality of life. My condition is controlled; I work 40 hours a week in a bar job and have recently completed my 3year drama degree. I feel all of this would be much more difficult had I not had the correct medication to take. However, I will also say that injecting yourself regularly is hard. I don't mind injections themselves but I do get depressed from doing them. I frequently get upset because (obviously) I don't want to have to do them at all. The Cimzia is good and the only side effect I get is feeling slightly run down for a day or so, but it is 200mg. It hurts a little (still) when I inject and it can leave bruises which is an awful reminder that I have to inject. Overall, it would help you (I would probably say immensely) to begin injections but there are psychological side effects also. Hope that helps! x

[julie_warwick in reply to Rhiannon23]

Hi Rhiannon , going off topic slightly but can I ask how long the cimzia too k for you to feel any improvement , started on it myself 5 weeks ago and nothing happening ! I know we all respond differently but interested to know of others experience of it , x

[Rhiannon23 in reply to julie_warwick]

Hi Julie, it wasn't very long before I took to the Cimzia. Maybe a month or so? I've only been on it for 6 months and I think they say that, on average, it's at about the 3month mark where it starts to take effect. Hope you're not suffering! x

[farm123]

I have previously had etanacept for around 8 years followed by humira for 9 months before they could not control my inflammation. I understand they can be either a pen type or syringe type injection. I have personally only used syringes with no issues. Hopefully your rheumatology nurse will have a dummy syringe and pen which you can handle to decide which would be easier for you or a family member to use. If you can get your condition under control the very small discomfort while injecting is worth it and it is not enough to let frequency influence your choice. Either the hospital or delivery company arranges for a nurse to help inject for at least the first time. I'm afraid everyone is different and there is no easy way to decide which drug will work the best for you.

[sarah1968]

thanks for your replies. i will read up on side effects and decide from there