Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications Question for Enbrel users!

Hi Annabel,

Sorry but first Antone,don't know if I sould feel sorry for you or be mad at you.
Your profile dosn't give much away so I will have to guess.You sound like a very angry know it all. If you take any med and check the info that comes with it and read it as fact then you would never take any meds. Yes some people do have side effects but for the most it is OK,as for eastern meds then in my opinion its a load of mumbo jumbo,I do accept that some people get some benifit from this but I also believe that their condition was mild to begin with. It is also posible that eastern med is a from of plecibo effect, the mind believes the body follows.Just a theory but it's mine.I have tried many things in the last 23 years,I have just today started on enbrel after 18 months on a cox 2,I do beieve that I may be suffering some of the negitive effects but for the time I have been on it has helped me get this far.So OK maybe the enbrel will work for now but some people have lives to lead and families to support.It comes down to individual choices based on circumstances and levels of pain.
I remeber being in hospital about 7 years ago while going through a major flare,there were mostly cancer patients in my ward,while having a coffee one morning I was talking to this 77 year old man who was having a smoke,I asked what was he in for and he told me he had lung cancer.I asked why he was still smoking and he told me his brother had died of lung cancer and had given up the weed 12 months before he died but these were a miserable 12 months which was worse because they were his last.He was determined not to go the same way,if his time was short then it was going to be as happy as he could make it.
I know this is extreme but it comes down to the same thing,it is not very helpful for you to question peoples abilities on making a decission. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
Annabel trust your dad to make the right decission and understand the motives for taking risks.

Hope all goes well.

Bert

Hi Annabel,
Enbrel has been a miracle for me so far. I had tried pretty much everything else, and was using naturopathic and diet modifications as well. Adding Enbrel to what I was already using has let me have my life back again. No serious side effects here - just one bladder infection that was quickly resolved with 3 days of antibiotics, and I was off and running again (quite literally).
There are some serious side effects that should be considered before starting this drug, but like previous messages here stated, just use your head, weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and don't let anyone else try to talk you (or your dad) in or out of it. It's an individual decision.
Good luck!
Megan

Hi Annabel,
I have been on Enbrel for 1 year 8 months. All is well. I have my first cold in all that time right now. I am still taking enbrel. I travel a lot as your Dad does. I bring wet wipes with me, and constantly wash my hands, and have trained myself and my family to wash the hands upon returning to the home. If someone is sick and you can avoid them...do!!!
And another point of advice, look to those (like Betty) that have been on Enbrel for a long time and take in their advice, they have lived through this!
The only side effect I really get is headaches. But...as long as I stay hydrated, then I am ok.
Let us know if you have any more questions...we are all here!

Cheers!

Ellyn in Boston

Hi Ellyn,

Thanks for the advice re: staying hydrated. I recently started Enbrel and haven`t had any trouble with headaches until my shot today. It was good coming here and reading what you had to say about this...

Cat

Hi Cat,
I only get the headaches when I am dehydrated and take a shot. It is so important to stay hydrated. Hope that this helps for you!
Take care!

Ellyn

Hi Annabel,

You're going to get a lot of advice here, with many different opinions. My apologies for Antone. We don't usually attack or get attacked around here. Sometimes there are those who feel like "The Man" (doctors) are keeping some great secret from them, or are just feeling very bitter. Again, my apologies.

I know you're here because you're concerned about your dad. He's got a great daughter. There is no one perfect cure that's right for everyone. My personal experience is this:

I am an assistant in a pediatrics office. In ten years time I have never brought home a single germ. Anything I've ever caught, I've caught it from my kids. That's because I'm closer to them on a daily basis. I personally haven't ever caught anything while on Enbrel. Again, it's a matter of diligent handwashing, not sharing lollipops, that sort of thing.

Whatever your dad does, understand that he'll eventually have to trust in something, if he's going to spend any pain-free days with his lovely daughter. Vitamin A, in sufficient quantities, can stop a heart. Everything has it's risks. Even breathing. All you can do is be there for him, and have a little Faith.

hello' i have been on enbrel for six month's now and wow it has turned my life around i was not able to play ,walk,runaround with my son jordan who is six that has all changed now.i got my life back and it is GREAT!! we are a family again and it is all thank's to enbrel. just stay hydrated. i also stay very wary of everything now too far as staying away from sick people and stuff like that .i have been sick once but everthing went fine.i did not miss any shot's over this. i hope enbrel will change other live's like it did mine. good luck.

Dallas

Hi Dallas

Why do you say "just stay hydrated" ? Did you have some bad experience when you forgot to drink enough water ?

The staff from the Enbrel help line told me it took 6 months for Enbrel to have its full effect. When did you feel the effect of Enbrel plateau on you ?

Olivia

Hi Annabel,

I was on Enbrel for 3.5 months - but unfortunately it was ineffective for me.

The only things that happened to me were injection site reactions (the area where I injected myself got itchy and red and warm). It stopped happening after the 5th injection for me though. When I took my second injection, the previous injection site reacted as well, but these reactions normally only happen for the first month or so.

I did have a respiratory infection and a sinus infection as well. I did not take antibiotics because I did not think that it was severe enough to constitute me taking them. The other thing that I felt was that I was more fatigued. However, not everyone has this reaction either. I feel that people need to listen to their body really closely - if you are fatigued, lay down and rest for a bit, and then continue on with what you were doing.

I think that if your dad eats and sleeps well, I don't think that he should have any problems! It is good take take vitamins and eat plenty of fruit and veggies to keep the immune system up and fighting against invaders (like the cold virus), but I also think that everyone should do that!! Also, he needs to make sure he gets enough sleep... if your body cannot rest adequately then this will compromise the immune system as well.

That's about all that I can think of right now. Hope that helps!

Take care,

Trina
p.s. injecting yourself isn't all that bad. Just make sure that he lets the needle warm up to room temp. before injecting!! I didn't and it was a bit stingy when the stuff went in!! oops!

I had a fairly serious reaction, within 3 months of starting Enbrel my liver enzymes went from 70 to 700, my liver was in trouble! The only symptoms I had (discovered the rise in enzymes through routine blood work) were loss of appetite, no jaundice, etc., but it was a serious situation. Enzymes started dropping immediately when I stopped Enbrel and my liver waws back to normal in about 3 months. So just be aware that it can affect the liver adversely and that regular blood work is a must! It was scary to have my liver end up so bad in such a short period of time, the DX was drug induced hepatitis. No lasting effects, though, thank heavens.

Cheryl