Etanercept now Imraldi

[Akaka]

Hi

I was told on 2 separate occasions I was going to start on Etanercept and on my 3rd call to a nurse it’s now Imraldi? I had to get a pneumonia vaccination before the paper work could go off and the prescription done which I’m hoping it has this week . I spoke to the nurse about Imraldi but she wouldn’t say about side effects and to just think positively- fair enough but a bit worrying? . While I’ve been waiting my symptoms have got so much worse and I found it difficult walking today the pain is awful. I had a steroid injection at the end of March which is no doubt wearing off, do you think it would be asking for another before I get the Imraldi? It’s just over 7 weeks now when I had the 80ml inter muscular injections and could have had 120ml apparently. Not knowing how long the next bit is going to take or how long the Imraldi will take to work is stressing me a bit as I seem to be nose diving with my symptoms not just in my feet..

[Neonkittie17]

Imraldi is the biosimilar of Etanercept (also known by brand name Enbrel). I had Enbrel in 2013 and it worked instantly but we’re all different, but the anti-TNF’s can work quite fast for many. I’m not sure you’d get another general steroid shot so soon after but you could ask. I think they’d say they’d want to know if it was Enbrel working rather than the Kenalog/Depomedrone shot working. The shots can mask if it’s the actual RA med doing its work.

NB : My intention was to type Benepali and not Imraldi on the first line above! My error, sorry, and thank you to Marion for pointing that out. See below in separate post!

[Akaka in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks, I did think I was been a bit hopeful! One part of me doesn’t want anymore steroid injections and then the pain gets worse (I’ve been living with it since last May) and my body craves relief although the injections are getting less effective. Suppose I’ll have to be patient and keep my fingers crossed it will work, I’ve failed on all the other Dmards… watch this space!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Akaka]

is this your first try at a biologic? They behave very differently and there are many biologics to try for the future. I hope Imraldi works quickly for you. You could ask when you are scheduled to start Imraldi and if it seems too long to wait with your pain ask what they can do to help. Have you been given some painkillers/anti inflammatory meds?

[Marionfromhappydays in reply to Neonkittie17]

Imraldi is the biosimilar of Adalimumab i think and not etanercept (benepali). Not that I'm being picky Neo 🤣 Don't come get me.

Still both anti- tnf treatments.

Hope you get on ok with it, always a bit anxious when starting a new treatment.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

Yes, correctamundo! 😝 Thank you and apols. Sorry, I meant to put Benepali is the Enbrel/Etanercept biosimilar! I don’t know of all Humira/Adalimumab biosimilars, only Imraldi and Amgevita. I took the originals Enbrel and Humira some years back long before biosimilars were available. (Blame this damn toothache, I’m away with the fairies!😳) If Akaka has been told this by the nurse that it’s now Imraldi then they may have given her the wrong drug name or maybe something changed? Whichever one I hope they get something swiftly to Akaka. 🙏🏻

[Marionfromhappydays in reply to Neonkittie17]

Hope your toothache goes ASAP x

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

Thank you 💗 it’s still there but now intermittent so that’s an improvement I’ll take. It’s been rather challenging, let’s say! 😑 Hope things are steady for you. x

[Akaka in reply to Neonkittie17]

Yes, this is my first try at a biologic, the lady I spoke to last Friday called to make sure I’d had the pneumonia vaccine and then said she would complete the ‘paperwork’ and I should get a call from Sciensus in the next 2 weeks to arrange a visit/delivery? If I did not hear in 2 weeks to call rheumatology. After reading about Sciensus it seems a bit of a postcode lottery, I’m in Devon. How long from that call to get the Imraldi I have no idea. I’ve been living on pain killers for the last year including anti inflammatories from the doctors none of which are doing much now. I’ve started taking amitriptyline so I can get some sleep. The pain has now moved to my knees as well, my left knee is swollen this morning, my hands won’t straighten and I just feel ill with the pain, this is the worst I’ve felt since been diagnosed it’s frightening me as I live alone. Rheumatology just say there is nothing more they can do and see my gp for pain relief . If I take anymore I’ll rattle.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Akaka]

It is an awful time at first and sounds very familiar to me and to a lot of us. I hope you can hang in there. Do you have a date for the nurse visit for your first injection?

[Akaka in reply to Neonkittie17]

No date as yet, I’m awaiting a call from Sciensus. I’ve booked a call with the nurses on Monday to make sure things have been sent and it is going ahead, this whole procedure has been very vague since March, if I hadn’t kept phoning to find out what was happening I think I’d have been forgotten.

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Neonkittie17]

May I ask if Enbrel worked for you without MTX? My daughter had Enbrel for 8 years without anything else, but now takes MTX weekly with Enbrel. thanks

[Neonkittie17 in reply to MJSlide1958]

It didn’t work for more than 5 weeks for me sadly, even though it initially worked like a miracle, within 2 hours. Yes I was on Mtx too. Don’t let my Enbrel experience put you off as we’re all different and I didn’t respond at all to the next one, Humira. Seems anti TNFs weren’t for me.

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Yes, everyone is different. What does per week are you taking of MTX?

[Neonkittie17 in reply to MJSlide1958]

10mgs

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Do you feel it works well with 10mg?

[Neonkittie17 in reply to MJSlide1958]

I was on Enbrel for only 5 weeks back in 2013 as it worked immediately and then stopped working after 5 weeks, so hard to give you an answer.

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Neonkittie17]

I see, so that could be why the Methotrexate kick started it again?

[Neonkittie17 in reply to MJSlide1958]

No, Mtx didn’t kick start anything again re Enbrel , sorry if if that wasn’t clear. I stopped Enbrel after 5 weeks on rheumy advice. It suddenly stopped working and caused a major site reaction after week 3. 🤷‍♀️ Don’t worry as we are all different and Enbrel works fine for many and it can work fast too. Mtx is said to be an anchor med and helps many biologics to work more effectively.

[MJSlide1958 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks Neonkittie17, I understand what you are saying. Good luck

[Neonkittie17 in reply to MJSlide1958]

Thank you and you too. I hope your daughter is steady.

[Bails67]

I was on Humira then put on to Imraldi ( cost cutting measures)I was on it for 2 years I had no side effects, a slight sting when injecting( which didn’t bother me ). I went back onto Humira. Both has worked for me and I am in remission.I was given 2 steroid injection until the biologics were approved and put into place. Hopefully you will start to feel better once it’s all sorted for you.

[Akaka in reply to Bails67]

I so hope it will work, I’m desperate to try anything now!

[oldtimer2]

I was started on Imraldi about eighteen months ago. It's basically the same as adalumimab if you want to look it up.

It has revolutionised my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I can do things like open jars that I have not been able to do for years.

Unfortunately since then I fell (dancing, I know, everyone laughs!) and have injured my spine and have several disc protusions, so have swopped one pain for another, but I have been absolutely thrilled by my response to Imraldi.

I hope that it's same for you, but I'm afraid everyone varies so much in their response, and I'm only too aware that it may not last....

[Akaka in reply to oldtimer2]

Hi Oldtimer

At least you were dancing which is great to hear, sorry about the fall and hope your back feels better soon. My feet are so painful at the moment along with the hands, wrists, knees, shoulders etc just attempting living is difficult.

It’s good to hear a positive outcome from using Imraldi, I need a bit of cheering up right now, I’m telling myself it is going to work when I eventually get it.

My landline has been out of action for a couple of weeks now, I’m just hoping that the hospital have used my mobile number for Sciensus! In fact it was the hospital that alerted me by telling me my landline was constantly engaged! Open reach spent half a day trying to locate the fault, said they were coming back this morning- at the moment the have there invisible suits on!!!

[oldtimer]

I'll wish you all the good fortune I can both for dealing with Openreach and with Scientus. I'm so glad we have a different system here in Wales. I ring the consultants secretary she sends me a prescription which I take to my helpful pharmacy. They have set up an account with the suppliers and get it within a week. I toddal to them with my insulated bag and keep 6 injections in the fridge. When I'm down to 2, I reorder.Marvellous system!

[Akaka in reply to oldtimer]

What a wonderful system, lucky you!

[medway-lady]

Etanercept came to me as Benepali. So I think it’s trade names.

[Angels54]

yes I would ask for another v, I had 3 within 6 wks as I was so bad .