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

Cindy,
Are you doing the injections in the same place each time? My ex is diabetic and he has to change the injection site each time, alternating places, or he gets little red and hard areas.

It is so good to hear how much better you are doing. Hope the improvements keep coming 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

I had only one site injection reaction, The area was a large knot. No redness. Now strange thing......I had a rash on the other thigh in the exact place that I had given myself the injection on the other leg. Strange.....don't know if it was related.

Ever since I have been doing the injections on the tummy (a lot more fat ...er skin and less muscle), I have not had any brusing or reactions.

Glad to hear that you are doing better. From time to time, the toes or fingers will hurt. It passes quickly and has not been a problem. The eye swelling also disappeared within a day. It could have been realted allergies. The depression, etc also disappeared. Again, do not know if this was related to work, hormones or the drug.

Overall, I feel that I have adjusted to the meds. and that things have stabelized.



Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

I rotate the injection sites. I only do the injections on my arms the week I go to Altoona. Because we travel so far, it's a bit easier to get to an arm!!

Hugs,

Cindy

Funny you ask!.... I have been injecting myself for two week now with Kineret. Yesterday I injected a shot in my stomack and I got a silver dollar bruise. I have been injecting in my stomack before but never had it swell like that. It didnt hurt when I injected the shot. But a few minute later the area started to hurt and bruise. I didnt leave the syrige outside like I usually do. I took it out of the frig and injected it. I dont know if it was because it was cold. I wish I knew what went wrong. I alternate between my buttocks, inner thighs and stomack. I have to inject one shot each day. I have to admit I am feeling alot better. The fatigue is gone. I can sleep a lot better too.

Dan

Betty,
Sometimes when I inject, I heard the "bubble" sound myself. I guess that's normal.
I didnt get the Enbrel, because they are so far behind in orders, so my doctor put me in Kineret shot. They are 1110 dollars for a 30 days prescription. I only pay a 9 dollar co-payment thru my insurance. These shots are like Enbrel man made protein with whatever else they have. I think I will keep taking them if they continue to make me feel this way. One more thing, I had an Uveitis flareup the day before I started on the shots. But it seem that my Uveitis is gone. Beside the normal drops and nite oitment I didnt use anything else. I dont know if the shot helped. My flareups of Uveitis stay with me for about three months. I just hope this Kineret helps with the Uveitis too!...See ya.

Dan

HI Cindy and Everyone.

Several things...

Went to the eye doc today for a checkup. Vision has not changed in 2 years and no pain. :-)
However, he notice a white patch on my retina. He referred me to a Retina specialist.
Anybody ever hear of this.

Also, seems that my blood pressure has gone up. Not sure when this started. I need to do some research. It is either job related, medicaiton related or hormones, Anyone on Enbrel experience this.??

Thanks

Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Betty,

Sorry to hear about eye problems. Hopefully it is just something temporary. Eye specialists are sometimes very smart people. Now about the BP.... Mine used to be high (140/120) and I was taking meds for it, before I realized that the BP was only a reaction to NSAID's. I quit all NSAID's; and the fluid retention, high BP, and all-over body itch went away. I discontinued the BP meds, cause I didn't need them anymore. But on my last clinic visit, my BP was 180/88. I attributed it to the increase in pain, because that's how I react to pain. This will be interesting to find out more about.

Hugs,

Cindy

HI cindy...

BP use to be 110/70. Not sure when it started going up. I'm currently doing research to see when it did. Yesterday it was 139/96...today readings were as high as 154/102. Yikes....

I called the study doc/nurse and reported the numbers twice.!!! They were going to check on things and call me back. They never did.! Guess they are not too concerned or else they needed to check with the Enbrel folks. I HOPE that they do not take me off of the meds. I'm feeling sooooooo good. I hope they just let me manage it or give me something for it.

:-( ...I have a feeling they will take me off. Keep your fingers crossed that the numbers go down.

One reason that I'm overly concerned is that I work with head injury folks that have had strokes. I take it seriously. I bet if I never went to the eye doc. that I would not have been aware of what was happening. I would have thought that I just felt strange.

.......and than again....this may be a sign of the stress on the job and in my life. Let's hope.




Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Hi Betty "Energizer Bunny",

I was dx with high blood pressure last summer and have been taking hydrochlorothyzide since. I am ok to take HCTZ while on the Enbrel study, so there are things they can do for you while on the study drug.

The accident that triggered my first major flare was one year and one day ago. So is it really fair to say that I have high blood pressure? Or could it be that having chronic pain for 366 days in a row has something to do with my elevated blood pressure?

So far I have had three injections of the "study" drug. Feeling much better, not normal yet, but lots better than a month ago. I saw my rheumy on Thursday, and he remarked how much better I looked than when I saw him one month ago.

I give myself injection #4 tomorrow. And I go see the study doc on Wednesday for 2 week check. Hopefully I will continue to feel better.

Angela

Talked with study coordinator today as well as doc. They said that if I remained concerned that I should see a PCP or heart doc but that it may not be related to the AS and the study.

Doing much better today.....may have been stress..... I'm on the normal Vioxx and Enbrel and BP is 122/94. High....but nothing the AS people can do.


Betty (The Energizer Bunny)