Guest guest Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Hi Bill, My daughter, e, started on Enbrel when she was 3yrs old. My husband and I were also very hesitant to put her on it due to the side effects. She has poly JRA and had 6-8 joints involved. She had wonderful results and was actually symptom free for a year. Our rheumy took her off it in hopes she had outgrown the JRA. She did great for about 9 months then it came back. Knowing what we knew about the Enbrel, our doctor put her right back on it and she is once again symptom free. She is not doing the MTX combo because her stomach couldn't handle the MTX. She is doing great with just the Enbrel. We have to consider what our children might be like without the medication. It's very hard sometimes to put them on such strong medicine, but when you can see great results, like e jumping on her bed (she's the only one in the family allowed to do that because then I know she's feeling good .. . lol) it all seems worth it. I hope Darren has just as good results . . Keep us posted. Blessings to you and your family! Barb and e (5 JRA) Info on Enbrel that may help > Hi all, > My name is Bill From Australia. > I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number of peolpe > who have the same challenge as we do. > My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 weeks > in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer to what was > wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like any parent we dont > want to see our children in pain and suffering. To have a child who could > stike me out playing in backyard baseball ( for I am a baseball player) > and throw as hard as a 10 year old at at age 5, then in 1 week be in > hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since that horrible day is just heart > breaking. Darren is now started Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 > weeks. I really didnt want to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical > information I read and the serious side effects, however with the pressure > from the doctors, the school and children support groups I had to start > him on it for Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly > I have not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child > suffering from still's disease to speak to ab! > out issues. God bless doctors, however some of the specialist just dont > seem to understand what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 > where technolgy in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body > transplants that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet > the only medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be > used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally developed for > cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so potent and is only > the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so long however this is the > first time in 4 years that I have had the chance to talk to someone who > understands what it is like to have a child with this disease. > I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on Enbrel and > what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. > I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular > communication for it seems that with every medical website, journals, text > books that I have studied on still's disease and auto immunes that the > key problem is a communication breakdown in the immune system where it > attacks its own self and good cells due to a miss understanding. That if > you can get the cells talking again and reconising each other, you can > then stop the over active immune system which would bring it back to its > normal level and remove the problem. Yets just pray that God will create > something that will do this and help people through out the world. > I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. > I look forward to hearing from someone soon. > God Bless > Bill > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Hello Bill! My son isn't on Enbrel but he's heading for stronger more potent drugs as the days go by. He's on the Prednisone and MTX now and they don't seem to be doing much of anything and more and more joints keep getting added to the pain side. Good luck with this new treatment. Please keep us updated on you and your son. -- Lorilee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ken 47 {PolyRA} 6 {Systemic JRA, Eczema}, Kayla 15 {Healthy Thank God} 18 {Asthma} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -------------- Original message -------------- From: " Bill Illicic " <bmi1@...> Hi all, My name is Bill From Australia. I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number of peolpe who have the same challenge as we do. My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 weeks in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer to what was wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like any parent we dont want to see our children in pain and suffering. To have a child who could stike me out playing in backyard baseball ( for I am a baseball player) and throw as hard as a 10 year old at at age 5, then in 1 week be in hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since that horrible day is just heart breaking. Darren is now started Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 weeks. I really didnt want to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical information I read and the serious side effects, however with the pressure from the doctors, the school and children support groups I had to start him on it for Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly I have not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child suffering from still's disease to speak to about issues. God bless doctors, however some of the specialist just dont seem to understand what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 where technolgy in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body transplants that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet the only medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally developed for cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so potent and is only the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so long however this is the first time in 4 years that I have had the chance to talk to someone who understands what it is like to have a child with this disease. I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on Enbrel and what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular communication for it seems that with every medical website, journals, text books that I have studied on still's disease and auto immunes that the key problem is a communication breakdown in the immune system where it attacks its own self and good cells due to a miss understanding. That if you can get the cells talking again and reconising each other, you can then stop the over active immune system which would bring it back to its normal level and remove the problem. Yets just pray that God will create something that will do this and help people through out the world. I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. I look forward to hearing from someone soon. God Bless Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Bill, My son was diagnosed with Stills in June 2001. He was maxed out on MTX,Ibuprofen,Plaquenil and still couldn't get below 7mg pred without all heck breaking loose. He started Enbrel Sept 2003 and within 9 days everything went away.He has been in a medicated remission the entire time with the exception of when they tried to take him off his MTX.Within weeks of restarting it all the arthritis went away again. The drugs are scarey but has never had a problem with side effects.He is having a hard winter this yr with infections but so far nothing serious.He even tested positive for the flu last Friday but was only realy sick for 1 day. Hugs Becki and 7 systemic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Hi, Bill. Sorry to hear about your son. Unfortunately I can't help with any info on Stills or Enbrel; my son has spondylitis and is on methotrexate, but I did want to let you know about Jo, who lives " Down Under " . She posts often and may be able to offer some info on things jra-wise in Australia. I know that others on this list have kids on Enbrel and I hope they can help you. Take a look at old posts and you can see some of things Jo has posted about. Her son's name is Bayley. Post often and let us know how your son is doing, Michele ( 18, spondy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Welcome fellow Australian! Did you get my email about the local support? If you're in NSW there is a Family Picnic we're having in Arthritis Awareness Week (April 2-9) at Lane Cove National Park in northern Sydney. Did Darren's doctor call it Still's Disease? As I thought all the Aussie docs called it Systemic? I know a few little children with it here, and could put you in touch with the families. Anyway, cheers, Jo Bayly, 3, extended oligo > > Hi all, > My name is Bill From Australia. > I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number of peolpe who have the same challenge as we do. > My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 weeks in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer to what was wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like any parent we dont want to see our children in pain and suffering. To have a child who could stike me out playing in backyard baseball ( for I am a baseball player) and throw as hard as a 10 year old at at age 5, then in 1 week be in hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since that horrible day is just heart breaking. Darren is now started Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 weeks. I really didnt want to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical information I read and the serious side effects, however with the pressure from the doctors, the school and children support groups I had to start him on it for Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly I have not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child suffering from still's disease to speak to about issues. God bless doctors, however some of the specialist just dont seem to understand what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 where technolgy in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body transplants that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet the only medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally developed for cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so potent and is only the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so long however this is the first time in 4 years that I have had the chance to talk to someone who understands what it is like to have a child with this disease. > I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on Enbrel and what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. > I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular communication for it seems that with every medical website, journals, text books that I have studied on still's disease and auto immunes that the key problem is a communication breakdown in the immune system where it attacks its own self and good cells due to a miss understanding. That if you can get the cells talking again and reconising each other, you can then stop the over active immune system which would bring it back to its normal level and remove the problem. Yets just pray that God will create something that will do this and help people through out the world. > I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. > I look forward to hearing from someone soon. > God Bless > Bill > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Hey there Bill, have you been in touch with AF Qld? 1800 011 041. They can give you resources, and also put Darren's name down for Camp Footloose each year, help around September. If you like, I'll get Nadine at AF NSW to give you an " e " as she's the one who runs it. She als has RA from a young age so she knows what's going on! And there are people in Qld that we know who are exploring other alteratives, such as food, for their JIA children. Let's work on this together 'cause no, you are not alone! Jo Bayly, 3, extended oligo > > > > Hi all, > > My name is Bill From Australia. > > I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number > of peolpe who have the same challenge as we do. > > My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 > weeks in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer > to what was wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like > any parent we dont want to see our children in pain and suffering. > To have a child who could stike me out playing in backyard baseball > ( for I am a baseball player) and throw as hard as a 10 year old at > at age 5, then in 1 week be in hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since > that horrible day is just heart breaking. Darren is now started > Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 weeks. I really didnt want > to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical information I read and the > serious side effects, however with the pressure from the doctors, > the school and children support groups I had to start him on it for > Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly I have > not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child > suffering from still's disease to speak to about issues. God bless > doctors, however some of the specialist just dont seem to understand > what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 where technolgy > in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body transplants > that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet the only > medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be > used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally > developed for cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so > potent and is only the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so > long however this is the first time in 4 years that I have had the > chance to talk to someone who understands what it is like to have a > child with this disease. > > I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on > Enbrel and what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. > > I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular > communication for it seems that with every medical website, > journals, text books that I have studied on still's disease and auto > immunes that the key problem is a communication breakdown in the > immune system where it attacks its own self and good cells due to a > miss understanding. That if you can get the cells talking again and > reconising each other, you can then stop the over active immune > system which would bring it back to its normal level and remove the > problem. Yets just pray that God will create something that will do > this and help people through out the world. > > I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. > > I look forward to hearing from someone soon. > > God Bless > > Bill > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Hi Jo & Grant. Thank you so much for your email the other day. It is a real blessing to get emails from people who care and understand what it is like to go through this everyday. I live on the Gold Coast in Queensland in the Gaven area. Yes the doctors said it was still's disease and use the word systemic in between their conversation when talking to me. I would be blessed if you can refer anyone who is also suffering with this challenge and what they have done to make things better. I believe there has to be an answer than just simply taking highly toxic drugs for the rest of your life. I really hate it when doctors say now this will suppress the problem however it wont fix it, and your child may have to be on this for a long period. I say yets fix it and fix it now! God Bless. Bill & Darren( 10 Still's Disease) Re: Info on Enbrel that may help Welcome fellow Australian! Did you get my email about the local support? If you're in NSW there is a Family Picnic we're having in Arthritis Awareness Week (April 2-9) at Lane Cove National Park in northern Sydney. Did Darren's doctor call it Still's Disease? As I thought all the Aussie docs called it Systemic? I know a few little children with it here, and could put you in touch with the families. Anyway, cheers, Jo Bayly, 3, extended oligo > > Hi all, > My name is Bill From Australia. > I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number of peolpe who have the same challenge as we do. > My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 weeks in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer to what was wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like any parent we dont want to see our children in pain and suffering. To have a child who could stike me out playing in backyard baseball ( for I am a baseball player) and throw as hard as a 10 year old at at age 5, then in 1 week be in hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since that horrible day is just heart breaking. Darren is now started Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 weeks. I really didnt want to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical information I read and the serious side effects, however with the pressure from the doctors, the school and children support groups I had to start him on it for Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly I have not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child suffering from still's disease to speak to about issues. God bless doctors, however some of the specialist just dont seem to understand what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 where technolgy in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body transplants that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet the only medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally developed for cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so potent and is only the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so long however this is the first time in 4 years that I have had the chance to talk to someone who understands what it is like to have a child with this disease. > I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on Enbrel and what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. > I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular communication for it seems that with every medical website, journals, text books that I have studied on still's disease and auto immunes that the key problem is a communication breakdown in the immune system where it attacks its own self and good cells due to a miss understanding. That if you can get the cells talking again and reconising each other, you can then stop the over active immune system which would bring it back to its normal level and remove the problem. Yets just pray that God will create something that will do this and help people through out the world. > I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. > I look forward to hearing from someone soon. > God Bless > Bill > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Hi Barb & e, Thank you so much for your email the other day. I am so happy to see that e is doing well since taking Enbrel. Would you be able to tell me when you actually started to see improvement in the joints and movement. Like how many weeks was e taking Enbrel when you noticed that she could move certain joints better and do things she was not able to do at all. Also did she get back her full movement in the swollen areas as any normal healthy child. Darrens wrists have been so swollen that he can only move than so slighty. Hope to hear from you soon. Bill & Darren ( 10 Still's Disease) Re: Info on Enbrel that may help Hi Bill, My daughter, e, started on Enbrel when she was 3yrs old. My husband and I were also very hesitant to put her on it due to the side effects. She has poly JRA and had 6-8 joints involved. She had wonderful results and was actually symptom free for a year. Our rheumy took her off it in hopes she had outgrown the JRA. She did great for about 9 months then it came back. Knowing what we knew about the Enbrel, our doctor put her right back on it and she is once again symptom free. She is not doing the MTX combo because her stomach couldn't handle the MTX. She is doing great with just the Enbrel. We have to consider what our children might be like without the medication. It's very hard sometimes to put them on such strong medicine, but when you can see great results, like e jumping on her bed (she's the only one in the family allowed to do that because then I know she's feeling good .. . lol) it all seems worth it. I hope Darren has just as good results . . Keep us posted. Blessings to you and your family! Barb and e (5 JRA) a.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Hi Jo, Thanks so much for your email you sent the otherday. I would really would like Nadine to send me an email if she could. Also if there is anyone else in Queensland who is going through the same challeges as we are it would be great to hear from them as well. Darren has now be on the Enbrel for 4 weeks and it is hard to see him cry each time when that needle goes into his stomach. Sometimes I wish I could take the pain for him. Kids do not need to go through this. My email address is bmi1@... Hope to hear from you soon. Bill & Darren 10 still's Fw: Re: Info on Enbrel that may help Hey there Bill, have you been in touch with AF Qld? 1800 011 041. They can give you resources, and also put Darren's name down for Camp Footloose each year, help around September. If you like, I'll get Nadine at AF NSW to give you an " e " as she's the one who runs it. She als has RA from a young age so she knows what's going on! And there are people in Qld that we know who are exploring other alteratives, such as food, for their JIA children. Let's work on this together 'cause no, you are not alone! Jo Bayly, 3, extended oligo > > > > Hi all, > > My name is Bill From Australia. > > I only recently became a member and I am so amazed by the number > of peolpe who have the same challenge as we do. > > My son Darren was hit with still's disease in May 2002. We spent 6 > weeks in hospital until the doctors finally came up with the answer > to what was wrong with him. It has been a rollacoster ride and like > any parent we dont want to see our children in pain and suffering. > To have a child who could stike me out playing in backyard baseball > ( for I am a baseball player) and throw as hard as a 10 year old at > at age 5, then in 1 week be in hosptial and hasnt throw a ball since > that horrible day is just heart breaking. Darren is now started > Enbrel and has been on the drug for now 3 weeks. I really didnt want > to put Darren on Enbrel due to medical information I read and the > serious side effects, however with the pressure from the doctors, > the school and children support groups I had to start him on it for > Darren missed half a year of school in 2005. Unfortunantly I have > not meet anyone or know of anyone here in Australia who has a child > suffering from still's disease to speak to about issues. God bless > doctors, however some of the specialist just dont seem to understand > what we go through. I mean we are in the year 2006 where technolgy > in changing this earth faster as never seen before, body transplants > that they said were impossible to do only a decade ago, yet the only > medication they could give us was Prednisolone which seems the be > used for everything, and Methotrexate which was originally > developed for cancer back in the sixties and now Enbrel which is so > potent and is only the last resource. I am sorry that my email is so > long however this is the first time in 4 years that I have had the > chance to talk to someone who understands what it is like to have a > child with this disease. > > I would appreciate if anyone could email me back if they are on > Enbrel and what sort of results they are acheiving or not acheiving. > > I have been doing some major research in the area of cellular > communication for it seems that with every medical website, > journals, text books that I have studied on still's disease and auto > immunes that the key problem is a communication breakdown in the > immune system where it attacks its own self and good cells due to a > miss understanding. That if you can get the cells talking again and > reconising each other, you can then stop the over active immune > system which would bring it back to its normal level and remove the > problem. Yets just pray that God will create something that will do > this and help people through out the world. > > I ve got to go now for Darren needs my help to get up. > > I look forward to hearing from someone soon. > > God Bless > > Bill > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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