enbrel info help needed!

salamander

I discovered this evening my drug fridge had been switched off for more than 24 hours:o and all my Enbrel was warm. So I rang on -call nurse from central home care who told me they were safe for 28 days at room temp and not to put them back in the fridge. I take Enbrel in the powered form I mix myself.

I read somewhere the vial was stable for 7 days. I was also told by my rheumy nurse NOT to keep them out as was suggested by one of the nurses. And I remembered once before I'd left some out overnight and was told to put them back in the fridge!

What do you all know about this? I've left them out (sadly I got a new delivery on Friday )but I'm not happy about leaving them out of the fridge. I had one injection this evening 26 hours after fridge stopped.

joanne66

Hi, you'v had conflicting info and your not sure.....so how about talking to a pharmacist? if the chemist is closed now how about the local hospital?
jo

salamander

Thanks Joanne, literally going out the door at the moment but I could decide on Monday and if the nurse is wrong they can just send me some more

stickywicket

I can't help, Salamander, but I, too, would be a tad concerned about all the conflicting advice. I hope you can get a definite answer quickly.

barbara12

Hi Sally
Sorry I cant offer any advice. apart from when I want to know anything about my meds the first stop is the chemist .
I do hope you get things cleared up very soon, and good luck with the meds x

salamander

Thanks Sticky and Barbara, I'm going to phone my rheumy nurse tomorrow. I've got confidence in her. I feel bad as it's my fault. I don't usually plug anything else in the same socket but because I've got a cataract in my left eye, my depth of field vision is not good so couldn't see I'd switched the wrong thing off.

dreamdaisy

I'm trying to think back when I was taking enbrel: I had the same type as you, I think, the powder and the vial of sterile solution - I remember the mixing and gentle shaking and not to do it if the solution remained flaky - this could be why it has to be kept in the fridge but I don't know.

I don't usually advise turning to jeevesbingaskgoog, but could there be some relelvant information floating around in cyber-space? Please ring your rheumatology department tomorrow, they might be able to give you the answer to this. If you have any red nail varnish to hand then paint a blob of it onto your fridge plug so it stands out. I am sorry, Salamander, what a nuisance these meds cause us from time to time. DD

salamander

Thanks DD. I had a look and the longest time I could find on the net was 7 days out of the fridge. I think she's wrong about not putting it back but have followed her instructions.

The plug itself is RED! Hard to miss I know, but miss it I did! Oh well.

dreamdaisy

Oh lawdy lawdy, I didn't know the plug colour so that wasn't much help, was it? How about painting the red plug with liquid paper? (i.e. white dots) A 'reverse' ladybird plug could help. ((())) DD

salamander

lol! Suspect with the cataract in my eye that would be more confusing than ever. I'm blaming that, of course, got to find something to tell them tomorrow. I can't say 'I just switched it off' :shock:

My sister suggested I tape over the switch. Might try that in future.

dreamdaisy

Hello salamander, has there been a resolution to your problem with the enbrel storage? I hope that someone, somewhere, has been able to put your mind at rest about it. I am thinking of you. DD