Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Enbrel - Injection site reaction

Instead of getting smaller, the reaction is growing... it's looks like a bullseye.. really angry in the center (3in") surrounded by a slightly less red area of at least 6".. plus the previous site is now reacting...

I talked to Enliven yesterday.. the nurse explained what I already had learned. i.e, it is common in 37% of patients.. tend to resolve on their own within 3-5 days, is more prevalent in the first month. She took a formal report to send to FDA as required..

Her suggestion: Ice the injection site before and after injecting.. try injecting in abdomen (less nerve endings), although she couldn't give specific treatment instructions, she said that during trials, some patients found that using topical cortizone cream could help or taking Benadryl.. She suggested calling my physician.

Today I feel like total ycch! I feel nauseated, feverish and achy (probably from fever).. A few of my friends at my office were totally shocked when I showed them my leg.. It does looks rather angry and definitely worse than yesterday.

I have taken some Benadryl and will probably go ahead and call my GP or rheumatologist to see what, if anything, I shoudl do further. I am only concerned because of my underlying diabetes..

I feel like crying... I had such high hopes of feeling better by now.. not worse...

Please tell me it gets better...

:(

Denise

Denise, please call your rheumy if you aren't feeling well today, particularly since you are a diabetic. You might feel well soon again, but it's better to call one time too many. Might "just" be a huge injection site reaction, but it's very important to rule out an infection.

Nina

denise
go ahead and cry....you'll feel better.

my first injection site reaction turned yellowy/purple and lasted for a couple weeks...it got better.
scared the living daylights out of me and current rheumy...it got better.

enbrel can also leave you prone to "colds"...so that mucky feeling could just be that.

please talk to your doctor for advise...be strong.
hang in there.
best
aloha Ben

it gets better

Hey Denise ..Ive been on the juice for about 4 months now and thank the stars no reactions yet...But occasionally Ill get a stinging or burning around the injection site but it usually calms down within a hour.I guess ive been lucky so far ..Keep us posted hopefully it will go away soon and not come back..Steve

You havent lived until you ride a wave .The best medication of all SURFING.

bump
aloha Denise...how's it going?
aB

Denise,

I second Ben's response....how is it going? I forgot to mention in my first post that the guys at Enliven said that sometimes not letting the alcohol dry before you inject sometimes does this.

How is the nausea? I sometimes experience this myself. Usually when I have overextended myself.

Take care and let us know how you are!!
Holly

I have been using Enbrel since 1999 .I get those red spots also .a little hand lotion works for me.
Kev

Denise,

Hope the reaction has subsided. I've been on enbrel for two years now and at first I had 4" raised red itchy welts after each injection. As time has gone by the reactions have been less frequent. Now it's unusual when it happens. The enbrel has been worth the inconvenience!

Take care,

Kirst

Thanks for all the replies..

I was away from my computer the whole week of Thanksgiving and since then I have been covered up with work... But I'm back!

I called the doctor and they told me to discontinue the injections until I could see them. Well, the office is 2 hours away... and I had 30 people coming to our house for Thanksgiving...so I just took some Benadryl and waited it out. The reaction was much better after a few days. I waited until last Monday and injected again. As a precaution, I took some Benadryl before going to bed. This time the reaction was much less intense. Then on Friday with the next injection (the 6th) the site was a little itchy and red, but not nearly as bad as with the 4th injection.

The nausea has not returned. It lasted through Thanksgiving Day and then disappeared.

So.. I think I am over the worst of it, at least I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Now, I am waiting for the Enbrel to do it's stuff...

Love, Peace and jOy
Denise

Denise
Since I read your post and have had as of last night a similar injection site reaction. I wanted to see how you were doing, and to see if you can offer any advise. Are you taking the shots again?

When I went to work Tuesday graves I noticed the break out with just like yours has now gotten worse and my other leg injection site is copying the same thing just not as bad.

I don't want to lose this opportunity to take this medicine with eveything I have read on this site this medicine if given a chance can do wonders. I have only completed my second week and hate that I am already having problems.

It seems like things like this are always happening to me! When the allergy doctor tried to skin test me everthing came up positive, and I ended up with a lot of bad welts on my back. This made her decide I must be allerigic to preservitives. I am always having reactions to foods and things that show up on my skin.

I guess I can only hope things will improve as my body adjusts to the shots.