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Enbrel. How long does it take to work?

Posted , 10 users are following.

lauraine33392
lauraine33392

I'm on the higher dose of Mrs and have now been put on enbrel after trying several other dmards with no success. I've only been on enbrel two weeks but I'm sure I can feel an improvement. Has anyone else had this happen or can anyone share their experiences with enbrel? Thanks.

0 likes, 30 replies

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  • elspeth97587
    elspeth97587 lauraine33392

    Posted

    Emberel inj. weekly alongside 25mg Metho helped me for about 3 years but became ineffective earlier this year. Now having ?Roacterma inj weekly and the disease is nearly inactive. Just waiting for 2nd hip replacement. I hope you get relief soon. Stick with it until the Rheum finds a treatment that works for you. Best wishes, Elspeth
    • lauraine33392
      lauraine33392 elspeth97587

      Posted

      Thank you. I hope all goes well with your 2nd hip replacement. Week 6 for enbrel and swelling on my hands going down and more use in them. I feel like I'm witnessing a miracle!! I'm thanking him upstairs but I probably should be thanking my rheumy team ha ha. Anyway thanks for reply. Good wishes to you.

    • elspeth97587
      elspeth97587 lauraine33392

      Posted

      I am so glad you are getting a result. Sounds like you have got a good Rheum team. When I came back to Reading to live I was so happy to get my Rheum team. So much more up to date than the previous hospital. I hope you keep improving. Best wishes, Elspeth
  • EmFox
    EmFox lauraine33392

    Posted

    Sorry if this is a really old post but it just popped up in my notices....

    Enbrel was my first med after 5 yrs on Mtx. Improvement was almost immediate, about two weeks. I worried it was in my head but my activity the previous week would have had me paying for it with cramped, painful hands and wrists. And I've been helped by it the last year and half.

    I remember it well and feel so fortunate that I am responsive to it still.

    I'm thankful everyday that it works and that I can afford it with my insurance even though it's going up.

    Good luck to you!

    Em

    • lauraine33392
      lauraine33392 EmFox

      Posted

      Hello and thanks for your response . That's exactly how I felt. I just thought no this is in my head. Surely I'm not going to see any improvement this quickly but I did. And reading yours and other responses maybe it is a quicker acting dmard than all the others.

      I'm continuing to feel the benefits so happy days. And of course being in the UK we have the NHS so I get it on prescription .

      Thanks again for your reply and I wish you well.

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname EmFox

      Posted

      When Enbrel first came out about 1995-6. I was overwhelmed watching the Enbrel piece during the news I waited until 1999 so that it had had sometime to prove itself to me ...nine years Enbrel was able to push my JRA into some semblance of "not too bad"

      I am also grateful for each Enbrel second I had...

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname lauraine33392

    Posted

    I think we may be long lost twins...

    I have had JRA for 54 years.

    I too have fibromyalgia.

    I lost my entire thyroid to cancer.

    Parothyroid is not the same as thyroid. If you have no thyroid you should be under the care of an endocrinologist. You must have the missing thyroid hormone replaced either by taking Synthroid and Cytomel or by taking Armour's Thyroid. Your levels including antibodies should be monitored on a very regular basis. Yes, your symptoms may be caused by thyroid hormone insufficiency. Thyroid hormone insufficiency causes an increase of TSH.

    Treatment of you lack of a thyroid and treatment of your rheumatoid are not related to one another.

    Fibromyalgia can result in nerve pain. I take 75 mg of Lyrica three times per day.

    Great physicians welcome questions from their patients.

    Are you taking medication to compensate for your thyroid loss.

    We have another great group discussion you may be interested in...thyroid

    • lauraine33392
      lauraine33392 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Hi . No. I was on thyroxine 125mg but a gp took me off it about 10 years ago and all my thyroid was removed as I had a goitre. I've always thought I should be in it still but I'm not. I think my body could be functioning so much better if I was.

      I've been told all the symptoms are there so I'm going to bring it up with the gp on Monday morning as I'm fed up of feeling so sick.

      I spoke to my rheumatology nurse yesterday. She's told me not to take etanercept for 2 weeks and see how I am. I'm devastated as I've not had so much use in my hands and wrists and less swelling for a couple of years.

      Thank you for your reply and advice.

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname lauraine33392

    Posted

    you need an endocrinologist

    you also need a rheumatologist

    and the burning question is, why withhold the Enbrel? I injected every week, 52 weeks a year, times 9 years!

    Hug...

    Did any of your blood work bottom out, exposed to TB, ???

    One reason Enbrel grabbed so quickly is because the Humira got the ball rolling so Enbrel did not have to.

    Go to a oharmacy or medical supply, Amazon ..and purchase compression gloves. Hold your hand up in the air for 60 seconds to get the fluids rolling towards the heart, kerping your hand in the air, slide the compression glove on. In less than an hour, you will be amazed to see skinny, petite, dainty hands again.

    You can sleep in them. They will keep your hands warm...Rheumatoid loves to be warm, hates drafts, damp, snow, rain.

    Doing dishes (not scrubbing) in really warm water is quite therapeutic.

    Have you joined out rheumatoid discussion?

    • lauraine33392
      lauraine33392 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Hi. I do have a rheumatologist but only get to see him twice a year at best. The rheumatologist nurse has advised not to take it for 2 weeks to see if these side effects to. Especially the shirtnes of breath. I don't have an endocrinologist but I am going to bring this up with the gp in the morning because surely if I have no thyroid I won't be getting vital hormones and my body will be short of zinc and magnesium amongst other stuff.

      My bloods were clear for TB and then I was started on enbrel.

      I think I'm in the rheumatoid discussion but I'm not very good with computers so I couldn't find how to get into the thyroid discussion. I am hoping this is thyroid. All the symptoms are there. At least I'll be able to stay on enbrel. Is be pretty devastated to have to come off it after the improvement I have had. I think I'll try those compression gloves. I hate my swollen painful hands.

      Thanks again for your advice.

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname lauraine33392

      Posted

      Ask your questions and I will answer you.

      go down this page towards the bottom abd click on Discussion Forums...then choose which ever you want.

      hugs

  • theodore_1914
    theodore_1914 lauraine33392

    Posted

    Works very fast yes inject it on lower front muscle , direct no side ways , you may find B12 injection also work well in building the Red Cells or the haemoglobin, I use it to calm

    The beast , as I call the immune system the beast within , who no recognised the good parts of our body , is like wild beast , no need to put the beast complete down , he needs a tap in the shoulder as we speak to , etanacept works faster tha HUMIRA who is moniclone antibodies, just after using the ENBREL do some blood tests of CRP CRS LFT ect to see how the inflammation is working , I have use Enbrel since 2002 for AS 

  • theodore_1914
    theodore_1914 lauraine33392

    Posted

    It does really does work fast but requires monitor as is no safe it suppress the immune regular monitor your blood counts and leave and good life plus good  diet all th best for you I use that to for AS
  • teressalynn
    teressalynn lauraine33392

    Posted

    My husband is on enbry shots once a week and 6 of the methotrexate and is still having trouble any suggestions
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