Hi all
So excited that i have finally been given the go ahead for Etanercept and have my first jab on 1st July, any advice would be most appreciated, my RA has been so aggressive for the past 6 months and seems to be getting worse by the day I really do not go a day now without pain so am expecting good things with the etanercept. 
I have been using this drug since 2012, what I have discovered is this:
Remove from fridge for one hour before injecting
Swab after the injection not before, plus have another cotton pad yo hand in case it bleeds after, this happens occasionally and only if your a bleeder like me.
One leg may sting more than the other when the 'juice' is entering, count to twenty takes your mind off the sting.
Invest in an ice block, sandwich lunchbox cool bag for travelling, you can take two weeks worth of pens safely in this size.
When travelling abroad contact the delivery people to get a letter so that you can carry it on as hand luggage plus ask for a 'Enbrel travel disposal box' otherwise you will be given the wrong one. Actually make sure you have one of these at all times in case you have to go away at short notice.
Now that's all the housekeeping done, the first couple of injects you may feel hot and your inject site may be red, just keep an eye on it as its normal to have some redness and feel of hot, but if it gets bigger and the hotness increases contact your rheumy team. Also it's normal to have swelling, but as before if it gets too bad contact the team. But all of this will be explained when they come yo advise you on your first injection.
Best of luck, and enjoy your new life of minimal pain. Xx
Thanks for your helpful info Georje I will keep all this in mind, just cannot wait for a painfree day & night, I am going on holiday in September so hoping this will be working by then. x
Etanercept was the only drug in 15 years of this awful disease that got my inflammation markers right down. Before I started Etanercept my CRP was 101, four months later CRP was 3. I went from being in a wheelchair to being able to walk a mile. Best drug ever, I have never got into remission with any other drugs since. It may take a while before it kicks in so don't give up. I hope it turns your life around.
Best of luck xx
Thank you so much Metal-legs I am hoping it will, did you suffer many side effects from it at all, I have tried methotrexate and leflunomide and have had terrible side effects so had to stop.x
No side effects at all, that is what I loved about Etanercept no horrible sicky feeling like you get with methotrexate and lefluomide.
I'm on both of those. Don't feel too sicky with either.
Wishing you all the best on Embrel. xx
Hello...I think Georje has explained it all perfectly. But just wanted to add like you I had very aggressive RA and nothing else had worked, Enbrel was brilliant and controlling the bottom half of me but sadly not the top as my severe flare had caused erosions that now need surgery. I was very nervous apart starting it but it was fine and would inject each week with no problems or side effects apart from a psoriasis like rash would didn't cause problems. I really wished I could have stayed on it but I'm now on RITUXIMAB to get my disease under control. Good luck, hope it works for you and please let us know how you get on 😊 x
Thank you I will let you know how it goes
I do hope it works as well for you as it does for me. I have been on Etanercept for eight years and, from being bed-ridden with the RD for three months, I am back on my feet and walk 2-3 miles every day and up to five miles with the ramblers once a week.
xx
Hi, I started enbrel injections 3 weeks ago. After 7 years of RA. And about 5 different drugs that never worked effectively for me. This worked by the next morning! I woke with this sense of relief. I didn't need to take painkillers before getting up! I don't need to take them now. It feels like a miracle. I started it just before my holiday and found I could get on the floor easier and didn't rely on painkillers at all. I do get red circles around the injection site and was advised to take antihistamines. You also have to be careful in the sun. I reacted to the sun and got a rash only arms which was sore. Good luck with it! Hope it works for you too. X
Yes, good luck with Enbrel. Aside from the red mark/lump at injection site I've had no other side effects. Apparently the amount of preservative in each injection can vary from batch to batch so you may get differing sizes of site reactions. Don't be concerned if there is not an immediate improvement as for some people it's a gradual process. Began using it in 2008 and it's been brilliant for me.
Should you get an increase in infections then the dosage of MTX can be adjusted downwards.
Thanks Judetheobscure,
I am not taking mtx infact all i am on at the moment is Sulfasalazine as i reacted badly with MTX, leflunomide and plaquinel had bad side affects with all, so as you can imagine my RA is very aggressive at the moment as i have now gone over 6 weeks with no meds apart from sulfasalazine, sounds sad but I am so excited to be starting Enbral
Thanks to everyone for there replies and good wishes, Wednesday can't come quick enough for me, I will keep you posted.
I certainly hope that your injection went well. I started Enbrel on April 1st and it worked overnight! I hope you see the same benefit! All the best to you!
I would also like to note that my reaction to it was mainly at the site of injection for the first few weeks. I now take a Benadryl beforehand and have started injecting in my belly flab. All works much better for me this way!
Hi all, well had my first jab on wednesday no problems at all was in pain yesterday but have got up today with no stiffness or pain for the first time in over a year, surely it cannot have worked that quickly not that i'm complaining. Tahnks for all your support and help really hope now this is a new beginning for me.
Hi All, I am feeling fantastic 4 weeks into my jabs they have worked so quickly and I am completely pain free, am suffering with the site reaction which seems to get bigger each time I have taken antihistamine tablets and used cream but still itches quite a bit, any tips from anyone please? Also have found the marks last for ages, am going on holiday in September so would like to them to be less noticible if possible, any tips please
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