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Intense burning with Enbrel

Posted , 11 users are following.

ellen31757
ellen31757

Hello !  I am new to the group and wondered if anyone is on ENBREL.  I have started the injections a few weeks ago  but unable to continue injections in my thighs or abdomen. Has anyone had the intense pain of injecting the medication in the thigh?  My friend does the injections in my arms, which causes very little pain. Would anyone know if just injecting the arms ONLY (switching each arm weekly) is O.K. ? I've asked the Enbrel "nurse" if was o.k. to just inject my arms only and the response was " You can inject your arms, thighs, and abdomen as shown in the instructions"   I've called the Enbrel "hotline" explaining the pain but got the same response. Has anyone just injected Enbrel only in the arms? 

THANKS!!!biggrin

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • carol303055
    carol303055 ellen31757

    Posted

    Hi Ellen,  I have injected Benepali for about 18 months with no real ‘injection’ problems.  (I have had infections due to the depressed immune system) I’ve avoided my legs as they are much ‘denser’ tissue than  my tummy, my case anyway! I wonder if it could be your technique and especially if you don’t get the problem when your friend does it. Maybe your nurse could see you again?  

    Good luck, Carol x

    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 carol303055

      Posted

      Thanks for your input !  I'm trying to get my nurse to help again. I could be doing it all wrong.

  • gaz1234
    gaz1234 ellen31757

    Posted

    Hi dont mean to sound clever or anything but are you sure your doing injection properly.

    I was told to nip a bit of your skin together so its raised up then inject. Ive been doing it that way for yrs on thighs and each side of stomach. Anyways good luck to you, hope you get sorted.

    Regards Gaz

    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 gaz1234

      Posted

      When my nurse showed me back in April, she said not squeeze the skin because of the "new" auto inject needle. Maybe I'm one of those who need to squeeze regardless !!  I'll double check. Thanks!

  • EmFox
    EmFox ellen31757

    Posted

    Hi Ellen

    I’m a few years on Enbrel. I switched to my abdomen as my legs are a bit twiggy and it does sting terribly, but just for a moment then wanes. Hope it isn’t a reaction if it otherwise can help you. 

    Good health!

    Em

  • Buckeyes
    Buckeyes ellen31757

    Posted

    I was on  Enbrel for about 2 years and it quit working.  I read that it could be unrefrigerated for about 14 days.  I left it out for 1 1/2 hours before injecting into my thigh.  It really made a difference!  Also let the alcohol dry first without blowing on it. Give this a try and see if it helps!

    Good luck!

  • EmFox
    EmFox ellen31757

    Posted

    Didn’t think to say earlier that I always slip it into a pocket or PJs up against me for a while to warm it up. That seems to help. Cold definitely hurts more. 
  • Guest
    Guest ellen31757

    Posted

    I injected Enbrel and it hurt so bad my husband had to do it. He did it real slow. I left it out for hours, pinched my skin and all that and it still hurt. If you pushed it to fast it hurt clear down to my toes. I hated it. I am on a different med now that it stopped working. If it works good in your arms go for it. 
  • Gloria814
    Gloria814 ellen31757

    Posted

      Hi

        I had pain with Humira injection and the doctor told me to ice the area for about 10 minutes before I gave the med.

    It really did help but you might want to check with your nurse to make sure it is OK.  Good luck--no fun when it hurts 

    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 Gloria814

      Posted

      Mater of fact, I did ice my thigh tonight. I made sure it felt "numb" .  I couldn't feel the needle but when the medication was entering my thigh, it felt like someone pouring hot water on my leg. I do have one of those new "auto inject" needles with 3 speeds. Even on the fast speed( maybe 12 seconds) , it was terrible pain. And I do mean pain to which I was crying tears and screaming on top of my lungs. I've had less pain at the dentist!  LOL!  I've left messages with my nurse. Maybe the medication is too strong.  Thanks! 

  • carole78111
    carole78111 ellen31757

    Posted

    HI Ellen has anyone told you to leave your injection out of fridge for about 20 mins before injecting The colder it is the more painful it is  to inject. Was on it for 10 years. Changed my life !!!

    on it for 10 years and I

    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 carole78111

      Posted

      Thanks Carole for the input!  I think I tried everything. ....  I left the injection out for over 2 hours, used ice to numb my thighs ...and tried to inject in different spots according to the instructions. I guess I'm perplexed because I was on Humira and injected my thighs with little pain, but it wasn't as bad as Enbrel. Unfortunately, I had a reaction to the Humira and had to stop. So far Enbrel has helped a lot since starting several weeks ago.  Right now, I have my friend injecting me in my arms only. Hopefully when I do see my Rheumatologist again, he might have another solution. I'm glad to hear you had good results for many years! Geez!  That's a lot of injections! 

    • carole78111
      carole78111 ellen31757

      Posted

      Unfortunately taken off embrel, was taking it with methotrexate, and the meth caused pneumonitis and lung damage so now on abatacept. Embrel worked so fast for me am gutted I cannot go back on it 
    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 carole78111

      Posted

      So sorry to hear about your lung damage! Oh my goodness! I was on methotrexate when I was first diagnosed with RA but after a few weeks, it was making me sick to my stomach.

      How long have you been on abatacept?

  • Furball
    Furball ellen31757

    Posted

    Hello, I have been on Enbrel for a few years now and found with the pen style that the faster the injection rate the more it stings/burns I mentioned this to my special pharmacy staff and they changed the springs inside the pen to cause a slower injection rate. Why I say this is because it use to take a 15 1thousandth count after I depressed the button on top and the click. Its been about a year since I complained about the stinging and now I am back to a 4 to 5 1thousandth count to total injection time. I usually count to 3 and press the button, and start the counting it helps remind me that I can endure the pain till I get the injection done. But yeah I was counting when they changed the formulation and found the faster inject timing stings worse than the longer counting times. If you ask the specialty pharmacy about it theirs no guarantee that they will oblige your request its just something I have noticed.
    • ellen31757
      ellen31757 Furball

      Posted

      Thanks for the info !  After talking with my Rheumatologist, he thinks the skin on my thighs may be too "thin" or too "tough" .He wasn't sure why the injection would be that painful. I did finally get enough courage to inject myself in the abdomen and it wasn't bad at all. Although I prefer for someone else to do the injections ! HaHa   I do have the Enbrel auto injector, not the pen so maybe I'll try putting it on the "slow" setting and see. I've had it on "fast". Not sure how many seconds it is but I'll have my friend try to help. 

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