Tire of this

I was diagnosed a year ago.  Took prednisone and gained another 30 pounds!  Was on sulphasalazine which didn't seem to help.  Used methotrexate but found interstial lung disease.  Cardiologist wanted me off because I was having severe swelling.  Have been on Enbrel almost a year and it is working great!  Although last week I injected sureclick into blood vessel and had bleeding.  Wondering if Enbrel was ejected because this week I am having issues with wrists and fatigue.  This is the only thing I'm taking along with vitamins.  I continue to have swelling in hands.  It's not normally painful.  I use the sureclick and it is quite easy.  It stings quite a bit but it doesn't last very long.  Cost is enormous!  With my insurance I pay $200 for a 90 day supply.  The going rate is over $10,000!

Thankfully got approved for disability and Medicare also approved for help w enbrel from the manufacturer. Biggest worry I have about it is immune system weakening. Talks to one lady she said she caught everything that came along. Also said the injections with sure click were extremely painful

If you go to encourage foundation on the web you can apply for assistance with the cost. The people there are very helpful

Turned 58 recently and went to Enbrel in May of last year. Had been on methotrexate since 2011 or so. I guess I'm in remission because I feel pretty good. I don't sleep all that great, but figure its something else. I'm not pain free but am capable of doing a great deal of what I would have previously paid for with pain and cramping for several days. Kind of like a commercial I noticed on the tv. A door knob was challenging. If I could, I'd hope that someone else would open it. I am very happy with my state right now. My doc insisted on flu and pneumonia shots so I did, but I feel I'm healthy. I eat good and not overweight. Yes, the shots are a nuisance, but I can deal with a few seconds of that. Good luck! Post your status sometime in the future.

M

Enbrel is very effective. It is a biologic which can make a huge difference.some of the other things you are taking are just painkillers and won't hold back the disease .

Your rheumy shoukd be able to help with methotrexate nausea too, either by changing how you take the dose, or when you take the folic acid which counteracts nausea, or failing that have mxt by injection.

hang on in there as many people find beginning a biologic is the beginning of a significant improvement.

For the nausea have you tried taking half dose in morning and other half in evening.

I have tried 3 biologics and none worked for me.

I take amytripyline and that helps me to sleep so no longer waking up all the time in pain.