Enbrel - Infections and Ladies Issues (sorry Guys I'll Give you A Warning)

Hi Folks,

So in the never ending quest to kick this disease to the curb I started Enbrel a month ago.  Sunday would have been my 4th injection...IF I hadn't managed to pick up an infection.  So I am off of it until my symptoms for the infection have gone.  Does this happen a lot?  I work in a place that has 800 employees - I cannot live in a vacumn.  I even made sure I took precautions if I knew anything was floating around (obviously not enough).  Anyway with any luck we'll start again next weekend and try again.

OK Guys you can stop reading here...

Ladies did it mess with your cycle?  You could set you watch my my cycle and it's now not on schedule - I'm just wondering if it affected any one else?

Thanks for your input,

bigted

Hi,

I've been on Enbrel for a year or two now, I really can't remember.   Whenever my WBC is low (always) I am warned about infections.

Strangely enough my menstrual cycle from the age of 15 to 38 could be anything from one month to five months apart, never bothered me and didn't seem to concern anyone else.   I met my husband in June 2000 and my menstrual cycle suddenly regulated to 28 days, very very occasionally up to 33 - Bizarre!   I had a baby at the end of 2001 and my menstrual cycle went back to it's regular pattern.

At aged 47 I have been bang on 28 days this last couple of months with a four day bleed.   I thought I may be in the peri-menopause at 47 but I haven't got a clue.

Dozey.

Hey Guys,

I'm part of this new generation that skips periods using a patch, or pills or insert.  Since periods are not important, and I'm not currently trying to get pregnant, I just skip 'em by continuously using my birth control.  Life is so much nicer that way!  And my Dr. does endorse this.  He says he tells all women, even his wife, just to skip the horrible thing.

About every 5 or 6 months, I  will inevitably have one b/c I forget to fill my b.c. on time, and then I remember why I skip them.  Ugh - they are horrible.  And nothing like trying to deal with all that when you are in pain from arthritis, right?

So anyway, just something to think about.

Hi,

That would be a huge concern for me, controlling my periods through unatural methods.   I tend to see my periods as one more natural occurence that gives me some clue as to how my body is functioning.   I think it's bad enough having to take all the drugs for RA than adding anything else to the mix.   At 47 I don't know whether I'll have to take HRT when I hit the menopause so that's one more thing that may have to be added, for now I'd really like to keep everything as natural as possible.

Nature probably didn't intend for us to have so many periods in a lifetime as we are equipped to be producing babies and breast feeding but I'm not sure that synthetic substances is the answer.

Only my own personal opinion.

Dozey.

That's ok Dozey.  To each his own, I think.  For me, there is so much pain and so many mood swings that came every 28 days.  I have enough to deal with with the RA, so I say good riddance.  But I can understand that it may not feel natural to some, so I do not blame anyone for being skeptical!