Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Anti TNF and other biological medications Enbrel Study "new thread"

:-( Cindy...sounds like you have got some good and bad stuff working. Hope it all gets better for you soon.

Yikes...I think that I wil stay in Texas. I don't like it to be that cold in April only for short time in the winter.

All my measurement test were normal today. When I started the study, I had space between my head and the wall when they had me do the test where you stand against the wall. Today....no space.!!! Complete range of motion with touching the floor with my palms, and also chest expansion. Enbrel is great. I ask the doc about the depression stuff....he said that can happen and to keep an eye on it. I still think it is my work not the Enbrel.



Betty

Angela,

That is great. I hope it is the real thing. In the Dallas study, it took several weeks after the screening to get the first injection. Something about they had to run the labs to see if you were the person that they were wanting.

Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Betty,
Just wanted to tell ya...... I wuv da bunny

Hoppy Easter

Pam

"Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides. Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise." Maya Angelou

Love that Betty Bunny!! I'm not quite that frisky. But I am playing the piano for 20 minutes a day now. Something I have not been able to do. Hopefully my wrists will start feeling better.

I flunked all my measurements. I couldn't even stand up all the way for my height. My chest expansion is only 2 cm, so I'm assuming, since I'm no longer stiff, than my chest is pretty much fused. It doesn't hardly even bother me like it used to, just a twinge now and then.

Forget standing against the wall, they didn't measure that one, but my head is about 10 inches from the wall at the moment. The Schober test, (not sure I spelled that right!) was decreased this time. The one where you bend over to touch your toes. I thought I did okay, but I guess my back wasn't cooperating. My left elbow, which has been inflamation free for 5 weeks, was flared up again. My right ankle was swollen, which is a new one for me. That all sounds terrible, but all in all, I'm still encouraged. I still feel better than I did before. And I think it is still worth it. I wish I could have gotten Enbrel a couple of years ago.

As far as being depressed, well sometimes I feel blue, but most of the time, I feel wonderful, inside and out. I have things I worry about, like kids and bills, but that's just life. I'm feeling positive that I'm going to get the house together this year, so I'll be ready when everything falls apart. I bought 2 more gallons of paint yesterday!!

Hugs,

Cindy

Keep up the progress!!

I woke up this AM with my eye socket and lid swollen.
They hurt to touch. I will check with an eye doc today. Have you guys had this?

Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Betty,

Sounds like conjunctivitis to me. Other than iritis in both eyes when I first started, I've not had any eye problems. I already had the iritis, so I can't blame it on the Enbrel. I'm completely off the eye drops, and have had no more flare-ups. That's a first for me, so maybe the Enbrel helps that, too.

Let us know how it goes.

Hugs,

Cindy

the bunny lives on!!

Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

HI Cindy,

Eye is doing better. It is not swollen but the socket is still sore. Study doc did not seem too concerned....made a note in my file. The joints in my toes are now tender.

.....guess this is just one of the side effects. Tender areas. As long as they are not serious.....I can handle the tenderness. It is better than the AS pain plus it does not mess up the posture. lol

Anyhow, it would be interesting to know more about how this drug affected RA people that already had problems with small joints.

My next appointment is not until April 25. I'm on the one month intervals now.



Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Cindy,
I was so glad to read your post I am really happy to hear you are feeling better... on the inside as well as the outside. I bet your family is happy that you are able to play the piano again too. I remember when I was younger how special it was to me to sit and listen to my mother play. It is cool that you are doing things that you haven't been able to do for a long time. Hope things keep going well for you.

Take care

Pam

"Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides. Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise." Maya Angelou

Betty,

Did you ever have an injection site reaction?? I'm a little slow on these things. Ended up with a spot: red, tender, hard, swollen. It did act like it was trying to "bubble" during the injection, so maybe that's what caused it.

Still feeling pretty good. Some joint pain/tenderness, still a bit of fatigue, but I'm moving. I wish I could walk without limping, but my hip pain just won't let me. My worst is my wrists and elbows, but it's nothing like it was before. My fingers are crossed that I'll keep improving. I'm planning on spending the day sewing, then I'll have a right to complain.


Hugs,

Cindy