so excited today

[sarah1967]

Hi all , i was so excited today i took delivery of my Anti TNF enbrel , sharps bin and a huge huge pack so i have lots of reading to do this weekend. But am smiling from ear to ear.It was a very long journey to get here in fact 3 months. first the funding needed to be a approved , then the chest x ray then the TB skin check and that's where i fell down. I had some reaction with the skin test. so then it was a TB blood test which takes 2 to 4 weeks to get back. By now i was in such a bad way going from one flare up to another of the horrid RA !!! It was both hands, both feet, both shoulders, both knees , ending up having 4 steroid injections , so much pain, that i felt like giving up. But as we all do and do so well i mite add and keep't picking myself up. I have just spent the last 4 weeks signed off sick from work. But tues of this week i saw my rheym consultant she gave me the best news ever that my TB blood test was negative, so she called the home care service who deliver to your door, to say they deliver in my area on fri so there it is i have it in my fridge right now............

Mon the nurse will make her visit and show me how it all works, i feel so lucky as i have the pen form rather than the syringe !!!

it has been a very long hard road at times since xmas but now i feel i have reached the end of it. I only to hope that it works for me.......................

If anyone's got any useful comments ,suggestions , advise am all ears. Have a great weekend everyone enjoy and get some well earned rest.

Sarah

x

[alibonura]

hi Susan

good to read your blog, isnt it strange how we get so excited over injecting ourselves with medicine, i know i felt that way when i 1st got mine

hope it works for you and you get some much needed pain free, feeling nearer to normal time sounds like you much deserve it much love Ali xxx

[Paula-C]

I thought the same as Ali about getting excited about injecting yourself with a new drug. I think we all get to the point when we know we have no option.

I've been on Enbrel since November and it's been a miracle drug for me. I've been told that I am now in remission. I do not need any pain relief at all. I noticed a big difference the next day, was told by my specialist nurse and the nurse who came to my home that some lucky people feel the benefit the next day, well I am very lucky indeed. I now refer to it as my Magic Potion.

Hope that you are one of the Lucky Ones...... fingers crossed xxxxxxxxx

Love Paula x

[Hidden]

Pleased for you I AM STARTING that long Journey xx

[Neverwell]

So pleased for you hope it does well for you x

[Mags126]

Thats great Sarah, I really hope this works for you. I am currently waiting for my second anti-tnf assessment and yesterday in the post I received all the paperwork for the necessary blood tests and X- rays... all seems a bit daunting. I will be really interested if and how it works for you so please keep us updated. Good luck...

Mags X

[petalnumber2]

Hi sarah,

I am with you because I got my good news about being started on enbrel just yesterday

I was like a school kid, I couldn't wait to get home and tell my husband and then I was texting family and friends for hours, plus my blog here too. Then I didn't sleep last night, forgot my painkillers before bed and my feet started screaming at me about 1.am. I didn't seem to mind as much as I usually do !

It is a bit of a journey to get through the criterior, but wonderful when you find out your clear to start. Summer and Sylvie are on that journey now and I wish them well. It will be good to keep in touch with one another as we go along June x

[sarah1967 in reply to petalnumber2]

hi, so glad for you to, i was just so glad i didn't have TB as you have to have 3 months of treatment then start the whole process all over again. that was my worst fear which would have meant 6 months latter. I got my delivery yesterday and am really impressed with the pack you even get a DVD with it haven't watched it yet but am hoping to later, the nurse is coming Mon so its all systems go. I will keep you posted and do let me know how your journey goes pls. I also had to have a lung function test which i'd forgotten to mention. Also my consultant said if this one dosen't work for me there are 3 to 4 others i can try so am feeling quite positive with it all now. have a great weekend and hope your pain eases for you.

Sarah

X

[miss]

Hi Sarah hope all goes well for you and you get the relief you deserve x

[Munchkinella]

That's brilliant Sarah, exciting times indeed! So happy for you. Hope it works for you really quickly. Love & gentle hugs Janet xxxx

[cathie]

Good luck with the meds. My best advice is to keep taking things reasonably easy. When I first started infusions I used to have a siesta afterwards. Thought I should give it chance to work

[allanah]

Brilliant news !! I was SO excited when I got mine. I agree with Cathie I always get tired if intake the injection during the day, so now I have it before bed and I sleep,well that way. Good luck xxx

[sarah1967 in reply to allanah]

Great idea my first one is due to be given to me mon afternoon but then i will do the others before bed to. x

[sarah1967]

Thank you to all of you for your kind words and wishes.

Sarah

X

[Neonkitty]

Sarah, very pleased that you are almost there now! Hopefully so will I be in about three weeks when I have had a root canal and antibiotics. Ugh, but pointless starting Enbrel then coming off it for the dentist. I have my approval already. My Rheumy has been poised to apply for about six months now. Just waiting for me to give her the thumbs up to do it. Had my reluctance as many of us do with a change of meds. She has applied already and had approval for either Enbrel Humira or Simponi. I have been reading up etc for two months nearly and my decision is Enbrel. Had my tests/screening.

Hope it works quickly for you and good luck.

Neon kitty x

[watson3]

Hi Sarah.

I am so pleased for you. I too am on the same journey. I have chosen to go on humira. Passed all the criteria, now waiting on delivery of the drug, hopefully in the next few weeks. It has been a long journey. 15 months of trial and error and hospital admissions.

Good luck for monday.

I normally inject my methoject at bedtime and will do the same with the Humira.

Best wishes

Carole

[sarah1967]

Hi Carole thanks for your message and good luck with it all, i've now had my first injection so far so good am pain free and don't need painkillers now. But it's not all plain sailing ,as i've had headaches, nausea, loss of appeatie, body shakes, flu like symtoms hope there not going to be around for ever and its just that my body has to get use to it.

sarah x