Re: Question about Embrel

[Guest guest]

*Oops. I meant Enbrel. My hands aren't working very well today. Sorry.*

*, Oregon*

>

> *Hi,*

> *After reading Lauri's post about Embrel, I have a question or actually a

> few questions about this medication. I am hoping that some of you might be

> able to answer a few of them for me.*

> *I have read in some of your posts that Embrel is actually helping so you

> could stop taking Prednisone. In what way? Is it allowing you to function

> and actually be able to get out of bed in the mornings without a 2 to 3 hour

> " trying " to get out of bed? *

> *I also read in your posts that it has allowed your bodies to fall victim

> to infections and viruses. Do any of you have chronic sinusitis before

> starting Embrel? And if any of you have, what has happened with the

> sinusitis? *

> *I am researching these meds. we take in the hope to find one that I can

> replace the Prednisone with. My last visit with the Rheumy wasn't very

> encouraging. He put me back on Prednisone after I weaned almost off of it. I

> was not doing well at all. *

> *Thanks for any information you can provide.*

> **

> *, Oregon*

>

>

> --

> SPEEDY :-)

> Meds:

> MTX 15 mg; Prednisone 5mg; Leucovorin 5 mg; Armour Thyroid 60 mg

> Supporters:

> MSM; DHEA 25 mg; Omega3 fish oil 8 daily; Vit. C; Vit. D; B-Complex; Vit

> B-12;

> Lithium Ortate; Osteo Comlex; Glucosamine & Chondroitin; and Essential

> Minerals, AND cALCIUM 1500 mg

>

> " Love endures all things. "

>

--

SPEEDY :-)

Meds:

MTX 15 mg; Prednisone 5mg; Leucovorin 5 mg; Armour Thyroid 60 mg

Supporters:

MSM; DHEA 25 mg; Omega3 fish oil 8 daily; Vit. C; Vit. D; B-Complex; Vit

B-12;

Lithium Ortate; Osteo Comlex; Glucosamine & Chondroitin; and Essential

Minerals, AND cALCIUM 1500 mg

" Love endures all things. "

[Guest guest]

In response to your questions, I did not have chronic sinusitis before

Enbrel. (one of the possible side effects is increased sinus congestion,

and I indeed have experienced this).

When I said I was able to replace prednisone with Enbrel, in my case when I

tapered too far, I would get a massive onset of fever, 105 plus, that only

came down with huge amounts of IV steroids (120 mg per day), which led to

very slowly tapering down again (the tricky part was the dose that triggered

the fever was as low as 2 and as high as 13 mg of prednisone). I developed

a serious side effect on the prednisone that forced me to get off it as

quickly as possible, so we tried Enbrel. I have been on Enbrel for two

years now with no Still's related fevers. I still have a baseline of

substantial fatigue and some joint pain (I am able to work, but pace

myself), but this baseline has been slightly better on the Enbrel than on

prednisone. Most importantly I have no fever and no nasty prednisone side

effects.

in Virginia

Question about Embrel

*Hi,*

*After reading Lauri's post about Embrel, I have a question or actually a

few questions about this medication. I am hoping that some of you might be

able to answer a few of them for me.*

*I have read in some of your posts that Embrel is actually helping so you

could stop taking Prednisone. In what way? Is it allowing you to function

and actually be able to get out of bed in the mornings without a 2 to 3

hour

" trying " to get out of bed?*

*I also read in your posts that it has allowed your bodies to fall victim

to

infections and viruses. Do any of you have chronic sinusitis before

starting

Embrel? And if any of you have, what has happened with the sinusitis?*

*I am researching these meds. we take in the hope to find one that I can

replace the Prednisone with. My last visit with the Rheumy wasn't very

encouraging. He put me back on Prednisone after I weaned almost off of it.

I

was not doing well at all.*

*Thanks for any information you can provide.*

**

*, Oregon*

--

SPEEDY :-)

Meds:

MTX 15 mg; Prednisone 5mg; Leucovorin 5 mg; Armour Thyroid 60 mg

Supporters:

MSM; DHEA 25 mg; Omega3 fish oil 8 daily; Vit. C; Vit. D; B-Complex; Vit

B-12;

Lithium Ortate; Osteo Comlex; Glucosamine & Chondroitin; and Essential

Minerals, AND cALCIUM 1500 mg

" Love endures all things. "