new in town

Hi!

I'm new to lots of things including RA, this message board and all the jazz that comes along with RA.  My question is about enbrel, but first maybe it is helpful to give a little background.  I'm in my early 30s was diagnosed in January of this year.  Since my mom has RA (hi mom) I was famliar with symptoms and since a friend has it I was able to find an awesome doctor, so I think we're catching it pretty early and getting good care.  It is mostly in my hands, wrists, feet and ankles and I've only had pain and itchy feet(?), but no swelling.  Anybody have itchy feet before?  Like you need to peel the skin back and scratch the insides of your foot?  I was super tired for a few weeks about a month ago, but who knows if that was the methotrexate, ra or the blues...it is much better now.  I started on methotrexate in January (4/week for the first month now 6/week) and today I had my first enbrel injection.  I've never been so excited about getting a shot before...let alone giving one to myself   Shot went okay, hurts a little now, but I hadn't noticed it until my cat stepped on the injection site and then decided it was a good place to curl up for a nap. 

I was wondering how long it takes for the enbrel to kick in?  I realize these things work differently for everybody, but I figured I could get a rough estimate by asking.  

 

Thanks!

Hi Jeannette, welcome to the Creaky boards! It's great that you got a dianosis early! (See? Moms are good for a lot of things! [wink]) Sometimes it takes time.   The maddening thing about RA is there's no one size fits all when it comes to symtoms or treatment. Some people respond within days or weeks of starting a new med; for others it may take 3 months or more, if at all. I'm also on mtx and enbrel. I started mtx orally about 17 years ago and switched to injectible last year and love it. No more stomach or fatigue issues! At least not nearly as bad. Mtx injections are nearly painless but as you know, enbrel is another story! Check some past threads for tips and tricks for making enbrel sticks less painful.

I wasn't doing badly on mtx alone, but my rheumie and I decided I could be doing better, mainly preventing my twice yearly flare-ups. I made it through last fall without a flare, and if I make it through this spring and all stays quiet, we'll know it's working.

Glad to have you here!

Carolan

hey Jeanette (you can probably tell this is me!),

welcome to creakyjoints- I'm glad you came! Carolan is right, there are some pointers on here about tricks for the injectinos and things- probably under traditional meds and side effects, its worth a look because enbrel and humira injections are kind of stingy! I started on Enbrel maybe 7 years ago, so I don't totally remember, but I know that the fatigue went away first, but then it took a while for my joints to calm back down- maybe even a month or so. also like Carolan said (by the way, as far as I'm concerned Carolan actually knows EVERYTHING , its definitely different for everyone, so don't give up if it doesn't work right away, it just might take you a little longer. if that was your first dose it might take a couple more for it to really kick in.

good luck!!!

[[Carolan actually knows EVERYTHING ]]

Well, no, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

I started on Humira in November.  I know it's a little different, but it took me about 6 weeks or so to really notice a difference.  Of course, I was coming off a major flare-up too, so maybe it will work a little quicker for you.

 

Glad it seems to be working for you!  6 weeks plus the graphs from the clinical trials in the enbrel info sheet (more like wallpaper) are helpful in knowing what to expect.  After waiting so long to feel anything from the mtx, I'm a little less patient. 

 

I had a brief window of wonderful over the weekend, which I attribute to enbrel and getting to see a good friend that I haven't seen in over 2 years.  For two whole days my feet and ankles felt like pre-RA feet and ankles!!  After parading around my apartment in bare feet and standing on tip toes I actually went on a couple of short hikes...and then all the pain came back the day of my second enbrel injection.  I'm not too discouraged because I figure that's not too bad and hopefully after a few more weeks the medicine will be working more consistently. 

 

The hikes were totally worth it because we ended up seeing Owen Wilson hanging out with his dog on the beach!!  He's one of my favorite actors  

 

Mmmmm, Owen Wilson! I think he's adorable.

 

Jeanette,

Welcome to Creaky!  I haven't been on for awhile so getting caught up with all the newbies and postings.

Kate is right Carolan knows A LOT of information about RA and lots that go with it.  When you have had RA for as long as she and I have, you wind up knowing it because of the HISTORY. 

I am also on the MTX injections and Enbrel.. Enbrel was working fine for me until I had to stop for a month for surgery.  Though it did take approx 3 months before I noticed a signaficant amount of help.  The Rheumy is now giving me until June to see if it will work again.  Keep in mind sometimes when you stop your meds for some reason when you start them again they do not necessarily work the same way and have to switch.  (do not mean to scare you just being factual and honest after 33 years we need to share with the newly diagnosed the experiences). 

Here are two of the links for the tips and tricks on less painful injections: 

http://www.creakyjoints.org/community/creakyboard/traditional-meds-and-side-effects/416654027

http://www.creakyjoints.org/community/creakyboard/traditional-meds-and-side-effects/464769164

Good luck on finding it less painful. Welcome again!!

Tess

 

Jeanette,

I have had the itchy feet sensation that you described - when I was first trying to get an accurate diagnosis the doctors kept giving me anti-inflammatory drugs - the itching reactions got worse and worse with each drug.  Finally found out that almost all of these are Sulfa drugs to which I had an allergy.  If you are on anything classified as an anti-inflammatory - check with your doctor and see if you are possibly alergic - good luck! Nothing worked for the itching but to get off the Sulfa drugs - hope this helps!

Thanks to you and everybody else who has posted advice!  This is really interesting...now I can't remember if I was on anti-inflammatory drugs before or after the itchy feet.  I only took them for a month or so and now I take them only sometimes.  The itchiness went away for a while and came back last week when everything decided it wanted to hurt again BUT I had also taken the anti-inflammatory for a couple of days.  I'll pay better attention next time I take it.  I don't think it really helps anyways, but when things hurt I take it just in case it can help a little bit.

 

While I'm here I had another question.  My arthritis started in my hands, wrists, ankles and feet, but last week when I was feeling cruddy because I totally overdid it and my shoulders hurt too.  Does it travel that fast?  The shoulder pain has gotten a lot better this week, as has the rest of the pain, but it still hurts a little if I try to bend my arm to do something like wash my back.  Meanwhile it was fun to watch my boyfriend carry my purse with pink flowers on it  

He's a good man.

 

Jeanette,

Unfortunetly Yes it can affect other joints that quickly. Remember there can be days you will have a flare and iit will affect every joint in  your body, but the next flare might only be your hands or your feet.  Remember it can also affect your Cervical spine but not your Thorasic, can't remember if it can affect Lumbar too early in the morning.

your right he is a good man carrying a bag with pink flowers...Mine would never.

The way RA is, it attacks your body because you autoimmune system believes there is an active infection, so it depends on you system on how quickly it will effect which joint, how often, intensity and how many at one time.  THere is no one clear pattern or science to this everyone is different.

I started with the JRA in my knees and cervical spine when I was 13. It didn't start to affect my feet and ankles until 3 years ago and my hands, wrists in the last 2 or so. My elbows I never felt the flares until after i could no longer move the elbow and I had severe pain in the tendon's.  I have now been informed 6 years ago when I tore both rotator cuf's it is due to the RA also, so remember it can also affect your joints and  you not know it because after 30+ years pain sometimes is white noise. 

SO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY do not discount any type of pain or swelling. 

Hope you get it under control quickly to slow odwn the progression.

 

Previously Jeanette wrote:

Hi!

I'm new to lots of things including RA, this message board and all the jazz that comes along with RA.  My question is about enbrel, but first maybe it is helpful to give a little background.  I'm in my early 30s was diagnosed in January of this year.  Since my mom has RA (hi mom) I was famliar with symptoms and since a friend has it I was able to find an awesome doctor, so I think we're catching it pretty early and getting good care.  It is mostly in my hands, wrists, feet and ankles and I've only had pain and itchy feet(?), but no swelling.  Anybody have itchy feet before?  Like you need to peel the skin back and scratch the insides of your foot?  I was super tired for a few weeks about a month ago, but who knows if that was the methotrexate, ra or the blues...it is much better now.  I started on methotrexate in January (4/week for the first month now 6/week) and today I had my first enbrel injection.  I've never been so excited about getting a shot before...let alone giving one to myself   Shot went okay, hurts a little now, but I hadn't noticed it until my cat stepped on the injection site and then decided it was a good place to curl up for a nap. 

I was wondering how long it takes for the enbrel to kick in?  I realize these things work differently for everybody, but I figured I could get a rough estimate by asking.  

 

Thanks!

 

Hi!

I've had RA since the age of 8. I'm now 30. New to this board as well. I've been on Enbrel before and it took about 3-4 months before I noticed a difference in my condition. Don't let that discourage you because I have a pretty aggressive case of RA and have had it for a looong time so I have quite a bit of nastiness going on with my joints. I was on Remicade a couple of years before that and that drug changed my life! I didn't care about any side effects I was just free of pain for the first time since I was a  little girl and so so happy about it. I didn't have as much success with Enbrel, but my rheumatologist at the time didn't want to risk the side effects from Remicade again. She said that Enbrel was much more "elegant" in the way that it treated the disease. So good luck to you. I hope Enbrel is the TNFa inhinitor for you.

 

Deidra,

Welcome to Creaky glad to have youas part of the long timer's group.  Not that it is one of the better groups to be a part of but until I found this site last June I thought I was the only one out there. Then I met Carolyn Ivey and felt not so much all alone.

This is one of the best sites I have found in years.  Lately I have been overworking myself to the point i was at my work machine for close to 16 hours yesterday and I woke up this morning with my fingers/hands almost unable to move it took me a good hour or more to get them to no longer be stiff, and held onto ice packs to make the swelling go down.

Oh well  i did it to myself... i should know better. 

Hope to see a lot of postings from you.... 

Previously TessaD wrote:

Deidra,

Welcome to Creaky glad to have youas part of the long timer's group.  Not that it is one of the better groups to be a part of but until I found this site last June I thought I was the only one out there. Then I met Carolyn Ivey and felt not so much all alone.

This is one of the best sites I have found in years.  Lately I have been overworking myself to the point i was at my work machine for close to 16 hours yesterday and I woke up this morning with my fingers/hands almost unable to move it took me a good hour or more to get them to no longer be stiff, and held onto ice packs to make the swelling go down.

Oh well  i did it to myself... i should know better. 

Hope to see a lot of postings from you.... 

 

Thanks for the welcome, Tessa! I definitely understand what its like to feel alone in this. A 16-hour work-day sounds like a truly horrible day. Not long before my daughter was born, I was working 2 part time retail jobs and was on my feet for sometimes 12-15 hours a day. I understand how the demands of work can drive you to feel as if there is no other choice but to work now and pay for it later.  I hope to be a very active contributor to the site. Its great to have the support of those who understand my physical and emottional pain.