Re: Recent posts: Kirk, , Rob, et al

[Guest guest]

Hi Joe,

I have been on Enbrel since Feb of 2004. I was also on MTX and Arava. My doc

took me off Arava in early October, and I don't know if it was coincidence, but

I had a very hard time with a bad flare. I have returned to using Arava now with

the Enbrel and MTX 2 weeks ago and I am happy to post, I have felt better and

believe it or not have been almost pain free for 4 days now! Not sure if it is

the Arava helping, or a coincidence. I am going to assume the Arava for now. I

am seeing my Doc next Tuesday and now I am not sure if I want to switch to

Remicade or not. (I didn't think the Enbrel was working, but I think it just

needs help from something else) I don't want another bad episode like I just

went through. Arava by the way is a part of the Dmard group of drugs, and I am

sorry to say it is expensive. Good luck with the Enbrel!

Joe wrote:

Hey all!

Kirk: I too went through the MS scare. Went into the hospital in

mid-March of this year to do a 3 day IV steroid drip for Optic Neuritis.

ON is one of the first symptoms of MS. I was finally told that I don't

have MS, but I'll have to be watched closely over the next several

years because I have over a 50% chance of getting it.

/Rob: Since my hosp stay way back in March (see above) I have not

been able to go below 40 mg of pred daily. Each time I try, something

flares big time! I have just begun Enbrel therapy, so hopefully that

will begin to work soon. My problem is that I can't take Plaquenil

because of the Optic Neuritis and can't MTX because I have a liver disease

called Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (damages the bile ducts). So my

question to the both of you is that I know that Enbrel works best in

combination with other drugs like Plaquenil and MTX, but have y'all heard of

any other drugs that I can used in combination with the Enbrel besides

the pred? Any info is greatly appreciated. I am scared to death of

going off the pred. I hate taking it every day because of the long term

effects on my body, but love taking it every day because it allows me to

live!! I live on the edge of a flare every day and can't imagine life

without it!

Rocks and hard places...story of my life nowdays!

Take care,

Joe

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[Guest guest]

I'm very sorry to hear of your hospital stay. I know sometimes the

side effects of the medications are brutal and just as hard to live with as

this disease. Please take care and get better soon. Thinking of you

wishing you the best, Melt

----- Original Message -----

I unfortunately had to visit the ER.

Wednesday morning around 12:00 AM I started to vomit and have the old no 2

at the same time (which is not fun). This went on for three hours until I

passed out from the dehydration.