CHOICE BETWEEN ENEBREL OR HUMIRA !!!! HELP PLEASE

tamnwill

I have been given the choice between these two anti TNF drugs to take and wondered if anyone here has any tips or advice please? Your thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.
x :idea:

kazpaz

tamnwill wrote:

I have been given the choice between these two anti TNF dugs to take and wondered if anyone here has any tips or advice please? I am 40 years old with a young child, and currently take prednisolone (2 years) if that makes any difference? your thoughts would be appreciated.
xxxx

Hi tamnwill

I was faced with the same dilemma in Dec 2008. After reading about the two drugs and what other people thought, I chose enbrel. It had to be stopped after 4 weeks as it induced a lupus type syndrome. My rheumy had fully supported my choice though and felt that it was probably the one he would have chosen for me.

I then switched to humira and haven't really looked back, even though it doesn't last the full 2 weeks between injections, but the team are going back to the PCT to get funding for weekly treatment.

I don't think you can tell which one will suit, you just have to go for one and hope for the best. If it isn't the right one, you hope you can switch. I was able to go straight from one to the other as I had suffered adverse effects and although I endured 4 miserable weeks on one drug, all's well in the end.

Good luck with your choice and I hope your first choice is the right one!

Kaz

c4thyg

I've just chosen Enbrel for 2 reasons. The main one is that there is evidence that it should treat all 3 of my conditions and the other is simply because it has been around for longer and more is known about it. That said, it doesn't mean that Humira is a bad choice either. The mode of action is the same and I think it comes down to side effects which you won't know until you try one of them. Good luck. I'll be interested to hear your experiences when you start it. I'm waiting for my first delivery so fingers crossed.

mrsdalloway

Hi I have been on humira for about 5 months now and it is good stuff although like has been said it doesn't last the full two weeks. I think that it is a case of just try it and see, however, after 13 years of treatment this is the best I have tried so far so fingers crossed, well at least I can now! lol Good luck! x

tkachev

I chose Humira because i preffered to have an injection every 2 weeks rather than every week.The results for me have been amazing losing all pain in every joint except right hip and left ankle.The hip was replaced on 15th July.
My injections last beyond the two weeks sometimes 4 weeks between injections has been fine.I suppose I am lucky.

It is different for everyone but you can try one to see what happens and then change if advised.

Good luck
Tkachev

janie68

Hi

I am in exactly the same position as you, I have a choice of three, I think I may go for enbrel, I know its a weekly injection but I do that with methotrexate. Humira seems that some people find that a 2 weekly dose does not last and I dont want that.

I go tomorrow to see the nurse to sort it so let you know how I get on.

Janie

tamnwill

janie68 wrote:

Hi

I am in exactly the same position as you, I have a choice of three, I think I may go for enbrel, I know its a weekly injection but I do that with methotrexate. Humira seems that some people find that a 2 weekly dose does not last and I dont want that.

I go tomorrow to see the nurse to sort it so let you know how I get on.

Janie

Hi Janie, just interested in your choice of drug and how you got on? I chose the Humira, it's been fab, and the longer I've been on it the more it seems to last in my system, now it's up to the next jab day, if you understand. Tam

tkachev

I chose Humira the fortnightly injection.My reasons were I would prefer to self inject once every 2 weeks rather than every week.
I am pleased to say that Humira has been fantastic for me but doesnt work for everyone.

I know some prefer an injection once a week( so chose enbrel) so they dont have to wait too long if the effects of the injection wear off...
Hope that helps
Elizabeth

tkachev

Sorry only read the top post.Glad Humira is working for you.Mine always lasts the fortnight and beyond(I am n ot very good at taking my injections on time)!

Elizabeth

Wonkylegs

I have been given the choice of 3 anti-tnf treatments to consider should the current combo of Leflunomide 10mg & MTC 17.5mg not prove to be sufficient for me.

I tried to find out how to make the choice, and it seems to come down to delivery method - either weekly or fortnightly injections that either me or my GP nurse can do, or a trip to hospital for an infusion every few weeks.

When I asked the helplines people they said that it was usually left to us to choose as it is impossible to say which will work for an individual, so delivery was the usual criteria which helped people make a decision.

sorry not to help more & good luck with whatever you decide
Wonky xxx

luckybug

Its a hard one as they all work differently with different people, I tried Humira liked the fornightly injections, but had sever fungus infections, changed to enbrel once the pen became available, and was fine my ESR went really low so the RA was not as active, 5 injections in and bang fungal infection after fungal infection.... I feel like a walking fungus..... lol Good luck on your choice and I hope it works well for you xxx

dorcas

tamnwill wrote:

I have been given the choice between these two anti TNF drugs to take and wondered if anyone here has any tips or advice please? Your thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.
x :idea:

Hi tamnwill,

you've had lots of advice and information from the other peeps here but I'll add mine to the mix anyway

I started with Enbrel (consultant decision) and found it worked really quickly in reducing effects of arther. The injection is easy to administer doesn't sting and at that time I injected twice a week. Unfortunately I had a reaction to it and had to stop (rash and low WBC)
I then moved on to Humira, fortnightly injections, and was on it for nearly five years without any problems...except that the injection stings and I'm a big baby :oops: I am also on Mtx Injections which are ok to administer as you'll know already. I found Humira took longer to feel the positive effects but that's an individual thing to.

Unfortunately Humira stopped working(I started to produce antibodies that destroyed it's efectiveness) and I'm now waiting to start the third anti tnf, Infliximab.

There is no right or wrong decision to make about chosing Enbrel or Humira as you cannot know at this stage whether either of them is better than the other..................we are all so different as you can see from the answers to your post!

good luck with the decision! Iris x