Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications Enbrel or Methotrexate + Other medicines

Hello! Sorry I have been missing in action. I've been so busy with work lately!

Enbrel+Methotrexate is working pretty well, but my throat always feels so itchy (sometimes I'm not sure if it's a cold or some kind of sore throat side effect). Sometimes it hurts so bad that I'd rather go without the enbrel. (Maybe).

I also see other doctors from time to time, because of my eye. Sometimes they prescribe me medicine, and I tell them that I'm on other medications... but I'm not so sure if they are so clear with what I'm saying. I'm overseas in Asia so it's always confusing. Many prescription medicines don't have labels.

I took some kind of antibiotic the other day, and it looks like I have a higher site reaction with the enbrel. So I guess my question is, is there any antibiotics/medicines that you shouldn't take with either enbrel or methotrexate?

Is there some website that lists these things?

A million thanks!

I don't have the answers for you, but the Enbrel site has patient support online and contact info. The website is www.enbrel.com


Just in to make the link clickable - mig

Oh boy. Sounds like you really need to talk to a pharmacist, or a doctor who knows what exactly you're taking and if it's contraindicated with whatever antibiotics you were prescribed. Sounds like a very sketchy situation with no labels on meds!
As far as I know, there are no contraindicated meds with enbrel, but as for methotrexate, I'm not too sure, so I won't even hazard a guess.
If you can, please, please talk to a pharmacist, even if just a phonecall - they are a wealth of information!
I had a sore throat for at least a few months when I started enbrel. I kept thinking I was coming down with something, but throat swabs showed nothing, and it just lasted forever and a day, so I chalked it up to an enbrel side effect. It wasn't severe though...have you had yours checked out to make sure it's not an infection? Just to be sure. On the bright side, my sore throat did eventually go away.
I also get nasty injection site reactions - but I take an antihistamine when I do my weekly shot, so that I'm not scratching myself like a madwoman.
So what kind of work is keeping you so busy, if you don't mind my asking? Hope everything is going well for you, otherwise!

I'm sorry!
There is a label on the outer packaging (I didn't notice it earlier). However that is not always the situation (As much as I can remember, my arthritis medication is ALWAYS WITHOUT a label.. only Enbrel has a label because it is imported and packaged in England).

They way medicine is labeled in Korea is quite interesting. They come in individual packets with every medicine you are supposed to take together. They are also divided 1 packet for morning 1 packet for night. That part is pretty cool.

Unfortunately the label on for my antibiotics are in Korean. Even if I try to romanize it, it wouldn't come close to anything I could recognize. I will see the doctor again tomorrow, so I guess I can ask him again.

I work as an academy English teacher. Because it is winter break, we have extra classes from morning until night (luckily I have a good break in between). Any place with kids is a zoo of germs. I keep my Dettol, antibacterial hand gel, and antibacterial soap handy. The kids think I'm nuts!

And yes, through my flares, I have not missed a day of school since I started working (almost 10 months now)!! It just took a MUCH LONGER time to get there.

Thanks for your concern!

Kathair- I have called the Enbrel center before, and they usually direct me to call England (There is someone there who deals with international calls!).

To check out my throat do I go to a physician or the rheumy?