Just gave myself my 6th injection of Enbrel. Damn if that didn't hurt going in!

I take the syringe out of the frig to let it come to room temp and place an ice pack on the injection site. The needle doesn't hurt going in because skin is damn near frozen! But injecting it...wow that hurt! :eek:

Anyway, thanks for listening to my mini-rant!

Take care, Joe

Have you had problems with any of the first 5? I've never really had a problem with mine hurting.

Have you had problems with any of the first 5? I've never really had a problem with mine hurting.

I've been using enbrel twice a week for three years and have never had a problem with it, it doesn't hurt, and I would hate to give it up for any reason. Keep trying, ask your Dr. maybe, you are doing something wrong. Good luck.

been doing it since3/00--- pinch skin at the site --also let alcohol dry--- after pulling needle out rub site hard =less bruising good luck-------- spray

Thanks for the responses.

I use the pre-filled 50mg of Enbrel and was playing around with the syringe prior to injection. I noticed a small bubble in the fluid and when I would turn the syringe over, the bubble moved as if it was in jello!! Very slow to move to the top.

for those of you who use the 25mg 2x week, I know you have to mix your medicine, right? Well, I wonder if that is the difference between the two?

Any way, just a thought.

Take care,
Joe

Glad to hear I am not the only one, I just took my 5th injection too. I find that it really stings going in, I just take my time, and do it slowly. I guess it is helping some, I felt pretty good this morning, so I cleaned my living room from top to bottom, I mean the whole thing, ceiling, lights, pictures, mopboards, and this afternoon, I am paying for it, I am so sore, I think I will take a nap.
Soldtw

I use the syringe that comes with it to mix it and then I use a smaller needle to inject. This minimizes the pain. Also, I inject slowly, only 2cc's at a time. The worst part is right before I put the needle in. I've been off of it due to insurance reasons, but in February I will be able to get back on it. I'm wondering about the premixed stuff. I don't want to use that huge needle to inject it. I guess I could squirt it into the smaller gauge needle. Anyone do this already?

Nicole

I did my first 50 mg shot of enbrel this morning. I had NO problem doing it and with no pain. I did it in my stomach, I made sure I let the alchol dry good. I held the shot in my hand for a few minutes to warm it up further than just room temp. I than injected it slowly! I noticed if I started to go to fast I would start feeling a sting. I was scared because of so many posts I had read on it hurting so bad, I did not have a problem at all and am greatly relieved.

did any of you have side effects from the embrel, i took remacade 2 times a nd had a severe rash

My RA dr is really pushing me towards Enbrel. I'm currently doint MTX with some but not 100% good results. Would you recommend the change? Are you symptom free as he promises? What is the cost w/insurance? Thanks!

I have not noticed any side effects but than I have not noticed any improvement either, I have now been on the 50 mg shot a week for 3 weeks. How long did it take anyone on the embrel to see any improvement?
Thanks

My husband started methotrexate on Sundays as well as
50mg enbrel every sunday and he said he noticed a big
difference this 2nd week about mid week--he has been very
swollen and stiff with lots of redness and hot around joints.
He has had RA since 28 (now 50) and has some damage
now. So his rheum wanted to try this combo and it is the
only time in the last few years his swelling and redness has
gone for a whole week. He says when I give him the
injection that it burns going in but is worth it!! I did notice
that the meds are a bit thick.

We are very fortunate on the cost as we have a mail in prescription
service and are able to get 3 month supply for $15.00. When
we tried to just fill 1 month at pharmacy cost was $1,560.00 and
we would have had to pay 20 percent of that so we of course took
the mail in option!!

Wish all you success with this combo as it seems to work for alot
of people in our area--but does work better if you use both.

Terri

i got the ok today for the embrel they are sending it to me fed ex tomorrow, i will go to the drs. office this week to learn to administer it, i hope i can give myself a shot and i pray im not allergic to it like the remacade. ill keep you all posted debbie in pa

:wave: my husband gave me my first shot this tuesday, it did burn but it wasnt that bad. but i am very itchy i have been taking benedryl since yesterday. i will call the dr. tomorrow if it doesnt stop. i was allergic to remicade so i am hoping im not allergic to this too. keeping my fingers crossed deb

Tell me about the needles you have to use with the Enbrel. I was having good success with Remicade but my insurance changed how they are covering it and 50% of it is now mine. That works out to about $4200 an infusion. I teach school and just don't make that kind of money, you know? My rheumatologist is really pushing toward Enbrel, but I struggle to do the MTX injection each week. I really HATE needles.

was up all night scratching again i called the enbrel nurses and they said since i was allergic to remicade, i better call my dr. i called a nd he called me back and said stop them. go to 15 of prednesone and 2 benedryl at a time and call him next week he wants me to try the 25mg i am thinking of just trying alternative medicine discusted in pa deb

I've been using Enbrel 50mg for 3 mos. & I too set mine out to reach room temperature & it does burn! I also give myself Methotrexate shots weekly & they do not burn.

Do any of you Embrel users know of a good web site or source to track Embrel side effects and "news"? I am on Methotrexate and Plaquinil, niether of which seem to be doing much. My doctor suggests (a) adding Enbrel (b) adding Avara or (c) going back on a low dose of prednisone, which I don't want to do and didn't get me to my desired state anyway (like remission??! ha ha) He also says we could add in a NSAID but I didn't have any luck with them thus far and now with the current issues...He thinks the Enbrel could have the best results, but who knows, right, would just have to try it and see. Has anyone who uses Enbrel also had a dramatic change in pain and the ability to exercise/not be so tired? My knee and ankle hurt 24/7 and sometimes lower back--I haven't found a good form of exercise yet. Swimming is uncomfortable, but is supposed to be so kind to the joints vs walking, bike, elliptical etc. Am going to just work through it. Just not sure my expectations are in line...is this the best it's gonna get??

Sorry for venting...thanks for any Enbrel input....

I didnt really have a problem with the Enbrel.. other than the needle pain.. now Humira on the other hand... it is like pure acid being slowly pumped in by needle. I hope the Enbrel works better... Humira worked wonders, but the pain with the shot... I was happy & sad when it came time to take it!

i had no success what-so-ever with enbrel. nothing happened, and for me, i found the shots to burn more. i aslo hated the frequent injections. kinaret didn't help either and i had a funny experience with it once too. I had given myself an injection in the stomach, and a little bit of the medicine came back out at the injection site while the needle was still in there. the medicine and the needle formed a bond and i couldn't pull the needle out. i mean it was literally stuck! :eek: finally i added water to the area and i was able to slip the needle out. had me frieked out a little.

anyway, humara shots are oly twice a month. it is awesome. i just hope it keeps working.

I am sorry to hear you are having so much pain with your injections, but I know exactly what you are talking about. I had started out with Humira. one injection every two weeks and that was like injecting myself with acid, WOW, did they ever hurt. I believe it is the preservative they add to the the mix. I then switched to Embrel, 25mg, twice a week, that I had to pre-mix. No PAIN, no problems. I was then switched to 50mg once a week, already mixed. I had noticed right away that the needle dripped and dripped and dripped as I was preparing to inject. Man oh man, these shots hurt. One day, I decided to do something different. I have a box of syringes I use for my methotrexate and decided to put the medication into one of those. The needle stayed dry and there was very little pain. You might try that. I can tell you right now, that if was not for Embrel, I would be flat on my back with no quality of life at all.
Good luck ... Gosgirl

The Enbrel 50 mg. is a horrible experiment. I was on the 25 mg., twice per week and my RA had been in remission for two years. Then my doctor coaxed me into the "brand shiny new" 50 mg. and the shots hurt like hell and left huge welts, like someone hit me with a baseball bat. All week I'd have a lump the size of a goose egg under the injection site. To make matters worse, within one month my RA came raging back, making up for lost time. I felt like I was being eaten alive in my bed at night.

I demanded to go back on my pre-mix 25 mg. shots, which were no effort at all to mix and never hurt. However, it is still flaring and in two short months I suffered permanent damage in 6 joints that had previously escaped harm.

To say I'm mad is an understatement! I wish Enteracept would cut out all the mass marketing and glossy calendars and their stupid 50 mg. program and just make the 25 mg. affordable for more people who need it. Garrrumph! :nono: