Tapering Off Enbrel
Posted , 4 users are following.
Diagnosed with RA in 2011, I was on mtx for a couple years, then Enbrel ever since.
I seem to be in remission and have been for several years and feeling pretty good. I do almost everything I want. It was suggested that I start tapering off. Every ten days rather than weekly injections.
I'm happy to try going off it, considering the beating our immune system takes being on these drugs but I'm also worried about going back to pain and the possibility of losing the effect if I try to go back to Enbrel. I've heard it might not work again.
I had a bout with shingles, athletes feet, bug bites seem to give me rashes. Early with Enbrel, I began having odd sinus congestion and have had more sinus infections than usual. But maybe it's being 60? Or could it be the effect from TNF drugs and the like?
I'm sero positive if you're curious. RA factor and CCP way high. Sed rate about normal.
I trust my rheumy doc. She's a smart doctor. But she's even a little cautious about it.
So, has anyone been here before and how did you do? I searched the forums and didn't see a discussion on this... Thanks for reading.
m
0 likes, 4 replies
timothy11402 EmFox
Posted
My rheumatologist once suggested I go on one of those biologics like Enbrel. I declined after weighing the pros and cons. To me, it really means weighing the benefits and risks just as you seem to do. A friend of mine was taken off a biologic by his primary doctor who explained to me that it was doing him more harm than good at that stage of his life.
Good luck to you.
Tim
EmFox timothy11402
Posted
Thank Timothy- I think that's the issue; drugs with side affects that could ultimately be worse for you. I'm just not sure so I might go every 10 days and see if that changes anything. I've skipped a week here and there due to things like getting the shingles and the flu without feeling anything abnormal with my arthritis. Thanks again,
M
janis06023 EmFox
Posted
I also have RA and have had good luck with HUMIRA, my rheumatologist will not let me quit using it. That being said, I have a friend who was on Enbrel, she was in remission and stopped taking it, her RA came back with a vengeance and when she started taking it again it did not work, it took a while to find something that did work and she has never been as well as she was before. My advice would be to keep doing what you are doing, good luck!
EmFox janis06023
Posted
Thank you Janis... I'm going to take this very slow and see. I'm quite active so I'd expect to get some feedback with one kind of pain or another. I certainly don't want to experience what your friend went through and my doctor is aware of the possibilities. I appreciate your input! Thanks!
M