Update on my Enbrel progress

[Guest guest]

It's one month and my eighth shot of enbrel. My p is clearing very

nicely. Even the worst recalcitrant plaques are looking more like a

flakey sunburn than a festering build up of knarly crust that makes

my own doctors turn there heads into their notebooks as fast as they

can.

As for the arthritis, the swelling is down. My pain has gone from

mostly 6's and sometimes 3's, to the opposite of mostly 3's and

sometimes 6's. (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being worst of course)

I asked my rheum if he would consider cutting my dose of

methotrexate down and he cut it in half, which thrills me to no end.

I will have to increase it if there are problems down the road, but

truthfully I would rather increase the enbrel, so that will be my

next hint to him, if I run into trouble. I still suffer from

fatigue, my thyroid is okay. So just to be on the safe side, lung X-

rays and ob/gyn to rule out cancer. But I'm hoping as things

continue to improve physically the fatigue will subside also.

Lori

reposted from my other group 'psorchat'

[Guest guest]

Lori, that all sounds terrific. I am a month ahead of you with Enbrel. I

was having similar improvement until I quit taking prednisone two weeks ago

and now I am wondering if a little more Enbrel might be in order. I don't

want to go on prednisone again if I can help it. Try to join the Saturday

chat. I will be there if will cooperate. It booted me off again last

week and wouldn't let me back on. I hope things continue to be so good for

you. Is a chest xray a typical thing to do after a month on Enbrel? Cheri

> As for the arthritis, the swelling is down. My pain has gone from

> mostly 6's and sometimes 3's, to the opposite of mostly 3's and

> sometimes 6's. (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being worst of course)

>

> I asked my rheum if he would consider cutting my dose of

> methotrexate down and he cut it in half, which thrills me to no end.

> I will have to increase it if there are problems down the road, but

> truthfully I would rather increase the enbrel, so that will be my

> next hint to him, if I run into trouble. I still suffer from

> fatigue, my thyroid is okay.> Lori

> reposted from my other group 'psorchat'

>

>

>

>

>

> Please visit our Psoriatic Arthritis Group's informational web page at:

> http://www.wpunj.edu/pa/ -- created and edited by list member

aka(raharris@...).

>

> Also,in August 2001,list member Jack aka Cornishpro@... began

to conduct extensive research which he publishes as the " Psoriatic Arthritis

Research Newsletter " , monthly in our email and digest format. Many thanks to

Jack. Back issues of the newsletter are stored on our PA webpage as well as

the archives of the list.

>

> Don't forget that the list archives comprise a tremendous amount of

information (Over three years of messages and answers).Feel free to browse

them at your convenience.

>

> LET'S HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU LURKERS out there! If you have a comment or

question, chances are there is a person who has been around a while who can

help you out with AT LEAST an educated guess for an answer! If not,we can

steer you in the right direction with a good website to go to,

>

> Blessings and Peace,

>

> Atwood-Stack, Founder

> Alan , Web & List Editor

> Jack , Newsletter Editor

> Pat Bias, List Editor

> Ron Dotson, List Editor

> Orin, List Editor

> , List Editor

> and any others who help in any way (thank you!)

>

>

[Guest guest]

No, chest x ray and ob/gyn are to make sure I don't have cancer,

because I have extreme fatigue. He wants to make sure I don't have

cancer because enbrel would be very counter productive for such

disease. He said cancer can cause extreme fatigue. They tested me

for thyroid and it came out normal. Basically, it's just a

precaution, I think my fatigue comes from being on mtx for 16 years

and living with p and pa for 32 years. Been fighting this battle for

a long time and I'm exhausted. Hopefully, the enbrel will continue

to work through my cutback on mtx and I'll get back to a better

energy level.

Lori

> Lori, that all sounds terrific. I am a month ahead of you with

Enbrel. I

> was having similar improvement until I quit taking prednisone two

weeks ago

> and now I am wondering if a little more Enbrel might be in order.

I don't

> want to go on prednisone again if I can help it. Try to join the

Saturday

> chat. I will be there if will cooperate. It booted me off

again last

> week and wouldn't let me back on. I hope things continue to be so

good for

> you. Is a chest xray a typical thing to do after a month on

Enbrel? Cheri

>

>

>

>

> > As for the arthritis, the swelling is down. My pain has gone

from

> > mostly 6's and sometimes 3's, to the opposite of mostly 3's and

> > sometimes 6's. (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being worst of course)

> >

> > I asked my rheum if he would consider cutting my dose of

> > methotrexate down and he cut it in half, which thrills me to no

end.

> > I will have to increase it if there are problems down the road,

but

> > truthfully I would rather increase the enbrel, so that will be my

> > next hint to him, if I run into trouble. I still suffer from

> > fatigue, my thyroid is okay.> Lori

> > reposted from my other group 'psorchat'

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Please visit our Psoriatic Arthritis Group's informational web

page at:

> > http://www.wpunj.edu/pa/ -- created and edited by list member

> aka(raharris@y...).

> >

> > Also,in August 2001,list member Jack aka Cornishpro@a...

began

> to conduct extensive research which he publishes as the " Psoriatic

Arthritis

> Research Newsletter " , monthly in our email and digest format. Many

thanks to

> Jack. Back issues of the newsletter are stored on our PA webpage as

well as

> the archives of the list.

> >

> > Don't forget that the list archives comprise a tremendous amount

of

> information (Over three years of messages and answers).Feel free to

browse

> them at your convenience.

> >

> > LET'S HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU LURKERS out there! If you have a

comment or

> question, chances are there is a person who has been around a while

who can

> help you out with AT LEAST an educated guess for an answer! If

not,we can

> steer you in the right direction with a good website to go to,

> >

> > Blessings and Peace,

> >

> > Atwood-Stack, Founder

> > Alan , Web & List Editor

> > Jack , Newsletter Editor

> > Pat Bias, List Editor

> > Ron Dotson, List Editor

> > Orin, List Editor

> > , List Editor

> > and any others who help in any way (thank you!)

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I just joined the group and found this on Enbrel. I didn't see the

original message, so I do not know how long you have been on Enbrel or

what your methotrexate dosage is. I have been on Enbrel for just over

a year now and am almost completely free of the psoriasis. I have one

spot on my back and more like dry scalp.

As for pain, it has gone down. I am stiff at times depending on what

I have been doing or the weather.

I was on so many different medications that I was also drowsy and

lacked energy most of the time. I now only take Enbrel (twice a

week), Methotrexate (8 a week), Fosomax (once a week), Folic Acid, and

Celebrex (very little).

I was finally diagnosed in 1994 after several trips since 1985 to

different podiatrists, with even coming close to being diagnosed in

1992!

[Guest guest]

Oh Lori, I hear you on the fatigue. It is bone crushing for me this past 2

weeks. I just keep telling myself....I NEED REST. I hope your program

works. Cheri