Biotherapy - Etanercept

Scucca

Hi, I've just joined this group.

I've had Psoriatic Artthritis for around 30 years. In the 1990s my GP tried 3 different tablets. Unfortunately each had a bad side effect (Liver, Eyes, Clinical Depression) So all were stopped.. I lived with it, but over the last year more fingers and other joints have got much worse.

Recently I've been prescribed Etanercept (Benipali) injections. Unfortunately, they haven't made any improvement to the arthritis, although the psoriasis (which wasn't bad anyway) has improved.

After around 5 months of use I've started having some severe mental episodes - tearfully, angry, suicidal thoughts.

The literature seems to indicate that depression should lessen, although I did find just one article saying it can aggregate depression. I just wondered if anyone else had had similar problems After starting Etanercept.

claudsl

Hi @Scucca and welcome to our online community :)

I have previously been on Etanercept, I found it a good drug for pain and psoriasis however I had to come off it for a while to have surgery and when I restarted it after being off it for a period of time it didn't work as well for me so I changed to a different drug. I suffer from anxiety and depression but I can't remember if it got worse while on this drug as it was so long ago. Hopefully someone who has been on it more recently can give their opinion.

Etanercept| Side-effects, uses, time to work (versusarthritis.org)

Here's a link to the medication if you want to have a read, it may be useful :)

Claudia x

frogmorton

Hi @Scucca

Have you seen these posts? Not all may be relevant but one or two might:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/search?domain=all_content&query=biologics%20and%20depression&scope=site&source=community

Take care I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Just wanted to mention in case you are on them steroids do make some people quite depressed.

Toni x

Scucca

Thanks for the responses. I really appreciate your help. I've done a couple of searches on the site and found one that seems similar to myself except that was a young person and from about 10 years ago.

My GP has been brilliant and writen to the hospital to try and speed up my next appointment which should be early November. Unfortunately there response was a Phone appt for December! So a month later and not face to face!

I've been back to them and now getting a phone call next week but from a nurse not the doctor it should be. Let's see how that goes.

frogmorton

Well done you😊 Horrible having to be so pushy but we have to be our own advocates these days unfortunately.

Do let us know how you get on

Toni x

sambear

Hi I'm on benipali, it's working great but iv found my mental health has dropped this last month. Do u think it's because of the drug or just down to rheumatoid.

Scucca

Hi Sambear, How long have you been on Benipali? I've been on it for 5+ months and am due 6 month appointment very soon.

It seemes to hit me a couple of days after I do the jab then ease off by the end of the week. But for those middle 2-3 days I'm in a really bad way.suicidal and sooo angry at every little thing.

After being told by a consultant "It's not the Benipali, keep taking it. See a psych." Rude or what! Especially as I'm a retired Clinical Psychotherapist!

Anyway, I've now been advised that the correct action is to stop it for 2-3 weeks to see if it makes a difference.

I also found a Greek study clearly showing two way co-morbitity between depression and Rheumatoid Arthritis especially on starting and/or changing bio therapy.

I'd suggest letting you hospital know your worries. It's a tricky one if it's really helping with the arthritis, but they might suggest changing to a different biotherapy option.

Hope this helps.

HMF

I ’ve found that when your joints and body are not feeling well, mental health suffers. So, may not be related to the drug itself just the fact that it’s not working.

Scucca

Hi HMF,

Been off it for two weeks and the 'horrors' have gone. Yes, I know PsA and Depression are co-morbid, but those episodes were from Hell. Pure destructive anger I've never felt before. Definitely caused by Etanercept. Incidentally I also got Blephanitis (dry eye problems) while on it. Seems that Me and Arthritis drugs don't go well.