Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications ENBREL side effects???

Who is on Enbrel, and what are your side effects? My rheumy is considering using it....any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Ellyn

Hi Ellyn,

I am not on Enbrel but an thinking of asking my rhuemy about it my next visit on July 31. So I will be very interested in the answers you get. Thanks for asking the question.
What I worry about is that it is a newer drug and they do not know the long term side affects yet? Otherwise I would jump on it.

Deborah

Hi there-

I just stared Enbrel two weeks ago- It's amazing how much better I feel in so little time. I have to say that my common sense is telling me that I just can't buy into the panic over possible side effects. The notion that a drug that is protein based just doesn't gel with the possibility that it could cause cancer or trigger MS or whatever. It's not a chemical, it's a protein. As good as I feel, if something arises, I'll hang it up and hope for something better. But until such time, I gotta say full speed ahead. I'd rather have 10 good years than 20 bad ones!

Stay well,
MAX

Max,

I agree. Give me 10 years rather than 20 bad. I've been on Enbrel for 18 months. My quality of life is sooooooo much better.
I had forgotten what it meant to be pain free, to jump up and down, to water ski, to hug a child, to ride in a bumper car at the park........yep, I had forgotten how to forget about pain......UNTIL I started on Enbrel.

Once you feel great again, it is hard to imagine going back to pain. If you have a chance to try any of the new treatments.....I say go for it. You can always stop at any time.

Why live with pain????? give it a try.

Betty

Betty

Thanks, Deb, Max, and Betty! SOunds good! I read the literature last night, and my pharmacy will have it for me on Thursday, so I am MOST hopeful! Being pain free is unimaginable! Is it hard to give yourself the shot? Where do you inject??

Many thanks!

Ellyn

The shot is sooo easy - not an issue. It's a little freaky the first couple of times. I actually look forward to it, as strange as that sounds. The relief that Enbrel gives me exponentially outweighs the administration of an injection. It does not hurt. The downside is purely psychological. The idea of sticking a sharp object into your leg conflicts with your brain's inherent defenses. You'll see. I hope that it works for you! Good luck!

Michael

THanks, Max! I am so looking forward to Thursday when I get the first stab :-). I'll let you know!

Ellyn

Very little to no pain. The shot looks worse than it is.
Besides if you can handle AS pain, you can handle the injection.

I give the injection in my tummy. It is the area with the most fat.
I have really nice, big thigh muscles so stomach works better.

Pinch some fat, and "dart" the needle. Works great.
TIPAfter drawing up the sterile water, than injecting the water into the bottle with medication the needle gets dull. The secret.....before injecting put a new needle on the syringe........works great.

Betty

Thanks Betty!
So I "pinch an inch" on my tummy (my thighs won't work either) and dart the needle at a 45 degree angle and slide it just under the skin?? I didn't know about the sterile water. I hape to get the Enbrel today, but it might be tomorrow. I will say goodbye to my pain tonight :-). Did you feel any releif after the first shot??

Thanks for your support, Betty :-)

Regards!

Ellyn

I have to say, me too!! I've been on Enbrel since January 30, 2001. It was like being reborn. I was almost bedfast. I had to be helped in and out of bed, rolled over, dressed, everything. I was ready to give up on life. The next morning I was able to get out of bed. I continued to improve over the next two weeks, and have mostly stayed at that level since. My iritis also came under control, except for one small flare. I'm not pain-free, I still have to use a wheel chair sometimes, I'm still disabled, but the bottom line is this: Enbrel is great and I'm a real mommy again! I read all the propaganda about side effects, and took the chance. Maybe I'll come down with MS, TB, or cancer. And I could be in a car accident, or have an airplane drop on my home. All I know is I wasn't living much of a life before Enbrel. I don't know if I'll be able to get it past November (clinical trials end), but I will try. I know I don't want to live like I did.

I assume that most of my current problems are caused by years and years of mechanical damage. Unfortunately, I was not diagnosed until I was unable to walk. Enbrel won't "undo" the disease, but it will stop it in its tracks. I'm still in pain, but not like before. Now I take an occasional Vicodin. Before Enbrel, I never had any pain relief, ever, not even with Percocet.

I hope you get it. It's worth the try. There have been cases where Enbrel has not helped; I think that percentage is around 10%. The only other bad thing I could say is it is expensive. Good luck.

Hugs,

Cindy

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.