Guest guest Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size they use. I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and 2) I'm that desperate! But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is much better than the other, nor more dangerous. Just a thought and my 2 cents. (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 In a message dated 3/9/2005 8:30:49 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Sharon writes: But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is much better than the other, nor more dangerous. Sharon: Welcome to the group! I like your post. Well said. Everyone has to find their OWN UNIQUE path to healing. That's the bottom line. As a person who is still sorting through RA information and treatment options, I am still looking for a path that is healing FOR ME. And just when I find it, I am pretty confident that these RA rules and latest medical info will become obsolete, with new advances on the horizon! At which point, I'll re-adjust and find my new path. Becoming well is certainly a work in progress! I'm grateful when we can support one another! That, in of itself, is healing! Love and Prayers, Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 None of us can judge the safety of a particular medication. That is why they have clinical trials with thousands of people that are monitored over various lengths of time. It is these studies that treatments are based on, and what our doctors use to devise treatment plans for us. Unfortunately some doctors don't keep up with current research. Many get information from drug reps that are representing their particular product. I'm sure in the years to come, many new meds will be approved, hopefully each better than the last. I never stop praying for cures for all of us. a On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 08:59:49 EST, GoAwayRA@... <GoAwayRA@...> wrote: > > > In a message dated 3/9/2005 8:30:49 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Sharon > writes: > > > But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is > much better than the other, nor more dangerous. > > Sharon: > > Welcome to the group! I like your post. Well said. > > Everyone has to find their OWN UNIQUE path to healing. That's the bottom > line. > > As a person who is still sorting through RA information and treatment > options, I am still looking for a path that is healing FOR ME. And just > when I > find it, I am pretty confident that these RA rules and latest medical info > will > become obsolete, with new advances on the horizon! At which point, I'll > re-adjust and find my new path. Becoming well is certainly a work in > progress! > > I'm grateful when we can support one another! That, in of itself, is > healing! > > > > > Love and Prayers, > Beth > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Sharon, I'm glad you had no ill effects and were able to get off of it. Unfortunately everyone isn't so lucky, which is why physicians need to monitor patients closely. I have 2 family members that were unlucky enough to have serious issues with the side effects of steroids. We're all so different. Research tells us which meds are safer to take and why. There is a mountain of evidence against taking steroids except when absolutely necessary. Our archives are full of the research articles. When you look at the safety profile of drugs, any one of them can cause death, even aspirin! With Enbrel, I had to do a lot of soul searching to make the decision to take it. I started it shortly after it was approved in 1998, so the risks were even greater than they are today. Several times in the last 6 years on Enbrel, I've stopped taking it because of the fear of potential side effects. Each time I found out that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. When we read the side effects of any drug available, it is enough to scare us from taking it. We have to remember that just because it's a listed side effect, it doesn't mean we're going to get it. I hope no one here would flame you. We're a nice group of people, and as in every group, we don't always agree. Welcome to the group. I hope you like it here. a On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 05:26:07 -0000, sharonmacd <omoshiroi@...> wrote: > > > I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for > me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it > did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. > > Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its > own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the > most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what > the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size > they use. > > I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and > 2) I'm that desperate! > > But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is > much better than the other, nor more dangerous. > > Just a thought and my 2 cents. > > (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) > > Sharon > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Sharon, I'm glad you had no ill effects and were able to get off of it. Unfortunately everyone isn't so lucky, which is why physicians need to monitor patients closely. I have 2 family members that were unlucky enough to have serious issues with the side effects of steroids. We're all so different. Research tells us which meds are safer to take and why. There is a mountain of evidence against taking steroids except when absolutely necessary. Our archives are full of the research articles. When you look at the safety profile of drugs, any one of them can cause death, even aspirin! With Enbrel, I had to do a lot of soul searching to make the decision to take it. I started it shortly after it was approved in 1998, so the risks were even greater than they are today. Several times in the last 6 years on Enbrel, I've stopped taking it because of the fear of potential side effects. Each time I found out that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. When we read the side effects of any drug available, it is enough to scare us from taking it. We have to remember that just because it's a listed side effect, it doesn't mean we're going to get it. I hope no one here would flame you. We're a nice group of people, and as in every group, we don't always agree. Welcome to the group. I hope you like it here. a On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 05:26:07 -0000, sharonmacd <omoshiroi@...> wrote: > > > I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for > me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it > did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. > > Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its > own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the > most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what > the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size > they use. > > I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and > 2) I'm that desperate! > > But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is > much better than the other, nor more dangerous. > > Just a thought and my 2 cents. > > (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) > > Sharon > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Welcome to the group, Sharon! Thanks for your thoughts. Don't worry about getting flamed. We are usually able to talk about these things rationally without making personal attacks against each other. The short answer on this is: To date, Enbrel's benefit/risk ratio is much more favorable than that of prednisone. Enbrel is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and prednisone is not. It's true that Enbrel has not been in use for as many years as prednisone, but Enbrel was approved in November of 1998 - nearly six years on the market. Enbrel is far more expensive, but it can do things to control the disease process that prednisone cannot. It is not recommended that prednisone be used as the sole treatment of RA, but Enbrel may be used alone. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Prednisone and Enbrel > > > > I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for > me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it > did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. > > Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its > own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the > most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what > the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size > they use. > > I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and > 2) I'm that desperate! > > But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is > much better than the other, nor more dangerous. > > Just a thought and my 2 cents. > > (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) > > Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Welcome to the group, Sharon! Thanks for your thoughts. Don't worry about getting flamed. We are usually able to talk about these things rationally without making personal attacks against each other. The short answer on this is: To date, Enbrel's benefit/risk ratio is much more favorable than that of prednisone. Enbrel is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and prednisone is not. It's true that Enbrel has not been in use for as many years as prednisone, but Enbrel was approved in November of 1998 - nearly six years on the market. Enbrel is far more expensive, but it can do things to control the disease process that prednisone cannot. It is not recommended that prednisone be used as the sole treatment of RA, but Enbrel may be used alone. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Prednisone and Enbrel > > > > I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for > me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it > did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. > > Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its > own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the > most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what > the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size > they use. > > I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and > 2) I'm that desperate! > > But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is > much better than the other, nor more dangerous. > > Just a thought and my 2 cents. > > (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) > > Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 That should be Enbrel has almost been on the market for seven years. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Prednisone and Enbrel > > >> >> >> >> I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for >> me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it >> did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. >> >> Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its >> own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the >> most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what >> the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size >> they use. >> >> I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and >> 2) I'm that desperate! >> >> But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is >> much better than the other, nor more dangerous. >> >> Just a thought and my 2 cents. >> >> (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) >> >> Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 That should be Enbrel has almost been on the market for seven years. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Prednisone and Enbrel > > >> >> >> >> I too took Prednisone for quite a few years, and it worked well for >> me. As far as I know there were no long term ill effects, though it >> did indeed take time to wean myself odd of it. >> >> Not only is Enbrel outrageously expensive, it also, according to its >> own marketing materials, can cause death. My rheumy told me that the >> most dangerous meds are the newer ones, because we have NO IDEA what >> the long term effects will be. It's amazing the tiny study group size >> they use. >> >> I take Enbrel now because 1) I'm lucky enough that I can afford it and >> 2) I'm that desperate! >> >> But I don't know that I could tell people very strongly that one is >> much better than the other, nor more dangerous. >> >> Just a thought and my 2 cents. >> >> (Don't flame me, I'm new :-) ) >> >> Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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