Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group ENBREL Side Effects???

Ellyn,

The last couple of days, I have had pain too, but not really in the morning and not so bad that a little movement didn't work it out. It is almost time for my friend and it seems that everything goes haywire at this time.

Hey, when you finish your addition...will you come to my house?

I take shot 6 today. I did five and no bruisning!!! Yippee. I still haven't quite got the angle right but I am getting it. I did however get the horrible heartburn Wed and Thurs nites. I hardly EVER have heartburn, except when I am pregnant. (Nope, not it..I have been spayed) I didn't eat anything to cause it either. It is weird but still better than walking like the Tin Man!!!

I hope your shot six goes ok!

Talk to ya soon!
Holly

Did you try the tums for the heartburn?? Works great! I like the wintergreen!

I am hopeful that the Enbrel will kick in, I promised you two months, so I am still here! Yesterday was AWFUL!!

Are you still on your NSAID??

Take care!

Ellyn

I'm very sorry to hear you're not having any success. I'm sorry to sound like a broken record, but hang in there. It takes some people 3 months to see any kind of improvement. My rheumatologist told me when I was starting Enbrel that if it did not work to my satisfaction, we could switch to Remicade. It might just be a matter of making that change for you. Enbrel is not the same thing as Remicade and it might just make a difference.

When I started the Enbrel, I was on Vioxx. The rule with the study.....if you are on a med at the beginning, you have to stay on it. I was on Vioxx when I started the study. I stayed on the Enbrel until 6 months ago when they approved the discharge of it.

With Vioxx alone, I had break through pain. With the Enbrel and Vioxx....no break through pain; thus, I knew that Enbrel worked.
I'm now off of the Vioxx and just taking Enbrel. I feel great.

Betty

I agree. The biggest change Enbrel has given me is the ability to sleep deeply. Before Enbrel I was so uncomfortable that I never slept well. Mornings were terrible. I have permanent damage so I don't expect perfection. It's just nice to lay down and not be miserable.

Kirst

Thanks Max, Betty and Kirst...appreciate the insight. I am on prednisone now, and the Enbrel, and the pain has gone down from 9 to 2, so my pain is at bay real good! Hoping that the Enbrel will kick in in another few weeks.

Thanks!

Ellyn

Holly...bruising....I don't bruise at all. Are you pinching a good amount, and then holding the subcutaneous fold in one hand and "darting" at a 45 degree angle with the other? Then let go of the fold and rest the heel of the hand with the enbrel right on the adjacent skin. Use the other hand to SLOWLY inject the enbrel, inject over 20-30 seconds. Then I take the alcohol pad, place it over the end of the needle and the injection site. Pull the needle out at the same angle that it went in. Try not to giggle the needle around at all when in your skin. Then I clean the injection site with alcohol again.
I hope that this helps some.

Keep me posted!

Best Regards!

Ellyn

I have yet to not bruise. I only just stopped getting those great big red blotches at the shot site. I always had to make sure the shot wouldn't show, because it looked like I got bit by something BIG! I bruise easily, even with the shots I've had given by a nurse. I have a picture I took of my arm on my other hard drive. I may have to post it so y'all will start feeling better.

Hugs,

Cindy

I am only one; but still I am one.
I cannot do everything.
But still I can do something;
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
Helen Keller

Hi Ellyn,

Just wanted to tell you that even though I had dramatic results already the morning after the first injection, my first month on Enbrel was very rocky, so don't give up. The second injection didn't bring me relief, a few injections later I got better again and so on. Although Enbrel has been a miracle to me, I'm still not stable on it after 7 months.

Another thing; are you on MTX and/or Sulfasalazine as well? MTX doesn't help me much on its own, but it does seems to boost the effects of Enbrel. We can't get my MTX under 20 mg/weekly without things getting ugly.

Anyway, I hope you'll get better results soon,

Nina

Ouch, Cindy! I guess I have tough skin :-) How do you post those fun smiley faces in a post??

Ellyn