Question about enbrel

[Anitasmith]

So finally got my prescription to enbrel injections. I scare little bit side effects. Share you experience, go this way or not? I have Ra 3 tears, was sulfasalazine and prednisolone. Not too much remission i dont know about enbrel, any advice helpful

[Annie122]

Hi I’m on enbrel and have been for several years it’s good

[Anitasmith in reply to Annie122]

No side effects?

[Annie122 in reply to Anitasmith]

i had headaches at the start but they are ok now

[Anitasmith in reply to Annie122]

I got my first injection friday, had 2 days headache...so probably side effect

[Annie122 in reply to Anitasmith]

my headaches only really stopped when i asked could i take injection every other week

[Anitasmith in reply to Annie122]

And this helps?

[Annie122 in reply to Anitasmith]

yes big time i was getting sinus headaches a lot when on the weekly enbrel injections

[sjhewitt42]

Hi

I didn’t get any side effects from Enbrel but it just didn’t work for me so I got switched to Abatercept.. hope it works for you. xxx

[Paula-C]

I started enbrel in November 2012. At my twelve week follow up appointment I was in remission and still am. I had a very short lived flare June 2015, apart from then I don't need any pain relief. I call enbrel my magic potion....it gave me my life back...more importantly, it gave me back to me!!

My consultant did tell me that if it works it's the best one to be on. I've had no side effects at all.

Hope it works it's magic for you too.xx

[Artroc56]

All good. Joints hugely improved. No side effects.

[Judetheobscure]

Enbrel worked brilliantly for me for about 10 years. No noticeable side effects other than red lump at injection site. Best control ever of RA during 42 years with RA. Like you I was a little scared of the side effects when I started but it gave me 10 very full years with so much more energy than I'd had for ages and so little pain.

Slight flares if I had to come off for operation and initially quite severe when I was also on a high dose of methotrexate (MTX) as I kept getting infections and had to stop the Enbrel. Once MTX discontinued then amazing results.

It is suggested that using some MTX may prevent you becoming allergic to a substance in the Enbrel (which may stop it working) so might be worth having a small amount. Something for discussion with your rheumatologist. (In your case maybe it will be a small amount of sulphasalazine if you can't take MTX but Enbrel can be used on its own.)

If you decide to go ahead with it I hope it proves to be really successful for you. it seems to be one of the most robust of the biologics, however, as with all these drugs for RA it is such an individual response. For me Enbrel worked brilliantly but Humira had no effect at all. For others it is the opposite.

Whenever I'm worried about the side effects of drugs I go back to the fact that uncontrolled RA may do far more damage to you than the drug. Remember you will be carefully monitored.

All the best. Jude

[Anitasmith in reply to Judetheobscure]

Looks like definately to go drug. So i give a shot tomorrow and hopefully everything goes well. Can’t anyway be without medicine and managing the life with painkillers not to do... i been suffered too long, excactly 1,5 years no hope... hopefully this gives me life back. Thanks alk answers

[Hobbits]

Enbrel worked brilliant for me for RA. I tried Humira first and was allergic. Enbrel had no side effects. Only issues I still had were terrible fatigue and peripheral neuropathy. Neither had to do with Enbrel. I developed another autoimmune disease and had to be taken off Enbrel and put on another biologic, that is not working for my RA.

RA is really a very individual disease and because of that the drugs affect people different. So everyone will have a different story. All you can do it try and see how/if it works for you. It’s a leap of faith too, all the drugs can be scary, but at some point you have to risk taking a drug to have any quality of life.

With Enbrel you should have access to a biologic nurse called Your care coordinator. You can call/email her anytime and get your questions or concerns answered by a specialized nurse. The info will be in your care packet if you get one, or the info will be given to you when you are contacted to set up your meds delivery and insurance or they way you are paying for your meds.

[dbestdeb]

I’ve had no bad side effects—-just itchy swollen spot at injection site that goes away in a couple of days. Enbrel has helped quite a lot. Good luck!

[Paula-C]

I take mine out of the fridge for at least two hours before injecting it. I've started to take it out the evening before, but decided not to do it now because it's so hot. Enbrel can be out of refrigeration for four weeks, but it shouldn't go above 25 degrees and once out cannot be put back in the fridge.

I also inject mtx and its best to keep a few days interval between whatever other dmard you are taking, my nurse advised me to do this, said my immune system wouldn't get a double whammy. It can stinge a little when you inject, it's over and done with in a few seconds, but for me it's well worth it for the results I get from injecting it. I do find it's better to inject into my tum.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it. I can honestly say I felt it start to work the next day. xx

[rawillbebeaten]

Hi,

Enbrel was my life saver and miracle. Had to come off it about 4 years ago and it's ben a real roller coaster since then, with many more downs than ups. I won't go into all the details but am I am now on Humira, another anti TNF, ( I have pushed for this, it makes perfect sense to me!)

I now feel like I'm getting my bounce back and the inflammation is being soothed, damped down and blocked again. Hallelujah!

As is clear on here it is a completely individual condition and all you can do is discover what works for you and get your health care team on board

I wish you all the very best and hope that Enbrel works for you

Michele x