just started enbrel

loobie

Hi everyone, loobie here.
I was asked to let you know how i got on (iris) when i started my enbrel. Well, i had the first jab yest. and boy, was i glad i'd asked for the specialist nurse to be with me the first time i gave it to myself. I wondered why she was putting her hand round mine when i fired the pen but i soon realised it was to stop me from throwing £200 pounds worth of enbrel on the floor. OH MY! It nipped and burned and nipped so here's hoping that it works because the thought of injecting that into myself everyweek if it does not, does not bear thinking about.
Now feeling very washed out but o.k. otherwise so if that is all the side effects i will cope with that. I know it is early days yet and i am trying hard not to get my hopes up but wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to use one's hands again and to be able to walk without holding on to anything. Trying to keep my fingers crossed (not easy when they are deformed) but i am determined to think postively about this drug and hopefully be able to reduce the methotrexate as well.
thanks for listening folks, i feel i am not alone in this when i can come on to the forum and be a part of this big family.
Loobie xxx

barbara01

Hi Loobie

I am not on Enbrel so cant offer any advice but it is one of the anti TNF's that my Rheumy is talking about so will be really interested in how you are geting along and wether it works for you...so please keep posting or send me a pm to let me know how your doing.

Good luck.....I agree wouldn't it be wonderful to have a pain free life!!

Barbara

loobie

barbara01 wrote:

Hi Loobie

I am not on Enbrel so cant offer any advice but it is one of the anti TNF's that my Rheumy is talking about so will be really interested in how you are geting along and wether it works for you...so please keep posting or send me a pm to let me know how your doing.

Good luck.....I agree wouldn't it be wonderful to have a pain free life!!

Barbara

Thanks barbara, i will let you know how i get on and hopefuly you will get the chance too if your rheumy is already talking the anti - tnf's for you
Loobie

loobie

Hello Lynn, I not so sure it was bravery that let me do it, the nurse "conveniently forgot" to tell me how painfull it was as she didn;t want to put me off but thanks anyway. we will see if i am so brave next week when i have to do it myself. Loobie x

collywobble wrote:

Hiya Loobie

Well I think you're really brave!!!! Think they'd have to strap me to a chair for my first go.

I'm sure it will get much, much easier as the weeks go by, and if it helps give you your life back, then it will be worth it.

Good luck with it, I hope it will bring you much relief.

Love from Lynn xxxx

Wonkylegs

HI Loobie

I am full of admiration for you ..... you have been so brave and well I can't even manage to inject myself with my MTX now, so you are doing really well ....... fantastic stuff!!!!

I'll be really interested in how you get on with Enbrel .... and also I'm curious because I have been told that my next option is to add in one of the anti-tnfs, and I would have to choose. did you get to choose which one to start on?


I'll keep watching to see how you get on and will be keeping my fingers crossed for you too.

hugs
Wonkyxxxxx

gickygawky

Hi there Loobie,

I am on Enbrel and Mtx too however I use the syringe like Delboy.
It hurts a bit but I think it is the better option for me out of the two. At least when I inject I feel as though I am in control of it and if it hurts I can slow it down a bit etc.

I have found Enbrel to be an amazing drug. Believe it or not two weeks ago I even went skiing! And this is coming from someone who could barely move or feed myself etc less than 15 months ago

Stick with it!!

Arna x

c4thyg

Hi Loobie,
I'm going back on enbrel after trying humira. I love enbrel and find that it works over night for me. Humira takes a few injections to get going in my experience. I use the syringe as I'm comfortable injecting anyway. A little tip to reduce the sting when you put the needle in, get a good pinch of flesh, I use my tummy as I have plenty of flesh there , if you pinch harder then you probably won't feel the needle go in. There's a little sting when I inject the drug but I find that if the drug has been allowed to warm to room temp it isn't much. Humira on the other hand felt like injecting battery acid to me!! But at least that's once in 2 weeks!
Good luck.

tkachev

I love Humira but if it eventually fails(been on18 months and no probs)I will have Enbrel to fall back on.

Hi Cathy,Hope you are okay and all is well for you and Meg?

Elizabeth xx

marion1952

Hi Loobie

I am also very interested to hear how you get on with Enbrel, as I might be trying an anti-tnf at the end of the summer. Please keep posting.. I inject methotrex and find injecting OK - but I have plenty of fat on my stomach to inject into!!

Best wishes

Marion

dolittle

Hi Loobie,
Well there you are, then ... the answer is to put some fat on round your tum!

Seriously - know how you feel. Ive been on Humira for a few months now and felt like that to start with, but having put up with all the pain over the years, it's like a bee sting to me. I agree with the point that letting the stuff warm up a bit before injecting helps. I did it when it was quite cold a few weeks ago and it made my eyes water. Being my hands are so deformed I doubt I could manage a normal needle, so I use a pen thingy. I can then pretend that it's not an injection and I've just pinched myself. If I thought about it too much I'd probably faint!

Hope it has some dramatic results for you - people have been telling me how much better I look recently - hope it'll be the same for you.

Keep us up to date with how things are going.
Do

skezier

Hi Loobie,

Just wanted to wish you luck and really hope it will work well for you. Hey I also think your doing well to inject your self. Keep us posted on how it goes for you and keeping my fingers crossed for you. Cris x

dorcas

Hi Loobie.

Well done you. :!:

I'm so pleased you managed the injection....



but sorry it nipped and burned. :roll: I will keep my fingers crossed for you that the next time won't be so painful!
did you inject into the thigh or tummy?? I find injecting into the tummy is definitely easier......but probably because I've plenty to grip there (and then some to spare). :oops:

It will be sooo worth it if Enbrel suits and you get relief from arther Loobie.....I have fingers and toes and everything else crossed for you.

Iris x

fester

Thanks for the info all, i'm starting humira in the next week or so now i've seen the rheumy nurse for my second assessment (what a waste of 3 month waiting thanks to NICE i'm sure you'll agree as if our condition is going to miraculously improve!) and now all she's got to do is show my consultant and check with pharmacy to make sure its in stock. Really hope it works, though from reading here it sounds promising