Re: Enbrel Reaction?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/23/2004 12:43:14 PM Eastern Standard Time,

wodell3320@... writes:

This skin though...it looks like the worst case of acne

you've ever seen....covering my chest !

Do you think it might be guttate psoriasis? I had an outbreak of that once

and my primary care doctor misdiagnosed it as chicken pox! It was very

itchy...

[Guest guest]

Do they look like little pimples? Could this maybe be guttate (or however it is

spelled) psoriasis? Maybe you have a strep infection and it is coming out in

guttate psoriasis instead of the usual sore throat achy body. I would INSIST on

going to a dermatologist immediately because if you aren't sleeping well your

health will really take a dump. I hope you get this under control soon. Please

update the list when you find out what it is since so many of us are on Enbrel

(including me) so if need be we can watch this for ourselves. I hope you feel

better soon!

Axelrod

[ ] Enbrel Reaction?

Help me....I'm going to scream from this skin. I'm up every night

scratching myself in my sleep. I went to my primary care Dr. and

she said my new itchy skin problems have nothing to do with the

Enbrel. She said if it was psoriasis it wouldn't be this itchy.

She said it's poisen " something or other " . I asked for a referral

to a dermatologist and she said I should try the topical steroid

cream for now. I've been treating it as she instructed for 3 days

now and it's going away in some spots but starting up fresh in

others. Everybody in my family who has seen it thinks it's

something more than the basic poisen ivy. If it's psoriasis it's

the most itchy case I've every experienced. I really think I'm

going to go crazy.....it's been over a week. I'm so afraid it's a

bizarre reaction to the Enbrel. I mentioned in earlier postings

that I haven't felt so good in over a year. I swear I have zero

joint pain. This skin though...it looks like the worst case of acne

you've ever seen....covering my chest ! I can't stand it....besides

driving me insane, it looks so disgusting. I'm sitting here

crying. I really can't take it. This is not the life I wanted.

Has anybody ever had such a wierd reaction from the Enbrel?

[Guest guest]

Yes, I have had this and the rhuemy told me a was a form of

psoriasis. It was the worst itching I ever had and it started after

the enbrel. However, it did go away and hasn't come back. I was used

to plaque psoriasis. The scaling and flaking kind, this type that I

later developed was like little pus heads all over. It drove me

insane on my feet back and chest. Like I said it ended up going away

on its own with continued use of enbrel. The enbrel has been a wonder

drug since then for my skin. Try to ride it out and see if it goes

away or call the dermatologist and have it checked out for your own

peace of mind.

In either case, I hope it starts to heal for you and you find relief

Pat

> Help me....I'm going to scream from this skin. I'm up every night

> scratching myself in my sleep. I went to my primary care Dr. and

> she said my new itchy skin problems have nothing to do with the

> Enbrel. She said if it was psoriasis it wouldn't be this itchy.

> She said it's poisen " something or other " . I asked for a referral

> to a dermatologist and she said I should try the topical steroid

> cream for now. I've been treating it as she instructed for 3 days

> now and it's going away in some spots but starting up fresh in

> others. Everybody in my family who has seen it thinks it's

> something more than the basic poisen ivy. If it's psoriasis it's

> the most itchy case I've every experienced. I really think I'm

> going to go crazy.....it's been over a week. I'm so afraid it's a

> bizarre reaction to the Enbrel. I mentioned in earlier postings

> that I haven't felt so good in over a year. I swear I have zero

> joint pain. This skin though...it looks like the worst case of

acne

> you've ever seen....covering my chest ! I can't stand

it....besides

> driving me insane, it looks so disgusting. I'm sitting here

> crying. I really can't take it. This is not the life I wanted.

>

> Has anybody ever had such a wierd reaction from the Enbrel?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/23/2004 12:43:09 PM Eastern Standard Time,

wodell3320@... writes:

Has anybody ever had such a wierd reaction from the Enbrel?

I also don't think it is the Enbrel. My daughter had poisen ivy and every

time one spot went away somewhere another would pop up in a different area. I

think she was allergic to it. Don't touch your face. She ended up in the

hospital because all around her eye it became severly swollen. Take a bath

in Aveeno oatmeal bath powder. It was one of the only things that soothed

it. Also the doctor prescribed a stong antihistamine to stop the itching. I

think it was Atarax but it is very stong and sedating.

Janet

[Guest guest]

I'm so sorry for your plight! I don't know about reaction to enbrel, I

don't seem to have any but my p itches unbearably! and always has. Luckily

I don't have much but what I do have when it is bad is horrible. Enbrel

seems to be keeping mine under control. I wish I could talk to your inept

doc!

[ ] Enbrel Reaction?

> Help me....I'm going to scream from this skin. I'm up every night

> scratching myself in my sleep. I went to my primary care Dr. and

> she said my new itchy skin problems have nothing to do with the

> Enbrel. She said if it was psoriasis it wouldn't be this itchy.

> She said it's poisen " something or other " . I asked for a referral

> to a dermatologist and she said I should try the topical steroid

> cream for now. I've been treating it as she instructed for 3 days

> now and it's going away in some spots but starting up fresh in

> others. Everybody in my family who has seen it thinks it's

> something more than the basic poisen ivy. If it's psoriasis it's

> the most itchy case I've every experienced. I really think I'm

> going to go crazy.....it's been over a week. I'm so afraid it's a

> bizarre reaction to the Enbrel. I mentioned in earlier postings

> that I haven't felt so good in over a year. I swear I have zero

> joint pain. This skin though...it looks like the worst case of acne

> you've ever seen....covering my chest ! I can't stand it....besides

> driving me insane, it looks so disgusting. I'm sitting here

> crying. I really can't take it. This is not the life I wanted.

>

> Has anybody ever had such a wierd reaction from the Enbrel?

[Guest guest]

When I first started Enbrel I had alot of itching. I am prone to itching in

my allergy times, so I just renewed my Rx for Atarax and it helped. I take

one before I got to bed at night - knocks me right out. BUT then (3 weeks

after start) I had injection site reactions, swelling, severe itching in all

places I had ever been injected (?) etc. and the Atarax did not work. My Dr.

said to use Benedryl spray the next day if I had that kind of reaction .....it

worked. has another cure using Arnica Gel - that also works. It

is just easier for me to squirt it with Benedryl the next day if it starts to

swell or itche. The best part is that I have gotten over that and it doesn't

happen now - 3 months later - I have been on Enbrel since April of 2004. It

really does help.

Gentle Hugs,

Carol M. in CA

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to update the group on my Enbrel itching. First I want to

thank those of you who replied. The information was extremely

helpful....more so than what I heard from my primary or

Reumatologist.

I showed my Reum. Dr. the horrible looking rash. She was amazed by

the huge improvement, so fast, in my joints but " slightly " concerned

about the rash. She thought it was unrelated to the Enbrel but

suggested I stop taking it for a week or until the " rash " cleared.

She was more concerned that the open cuts from the scratching could

cause a secondary infection. I stopped the Enbrel for 2 weeks and

by then it was mostly gone ...slightly fresh (more mild) on my leg.

At this point my joints started tightening up and I made a decision,

to start the Enbrel again even though there was still some type of

issue going on.

I've been on it again for 3 weeks and although not intensely ugly

and itchy as before, I do have something wierd going on again. I'm

getting isolated, itchy spots which are welling up...making the area

almost hard and very hot to the touch. The build up is about 2-3

days, peaks and then goes down again leaving a little sore mark

which feels like a little bruise with a tiny grayish scab. This has

happened in at least 3 different spots. I put Diprolene on the last

one and it could be coincidence but it seemed to cool it down.

I still don't know what's happening but the good news is I finally

got my primary to refer me to a dermatologist. I think I scared

them into it when I started talking about Enbrel risks with

infection. The derm I'm going to is familiar with PA, prescribe

Enbrel and will work in conjunction with my Reum....meaning they

would speak to each other. Imagine that ?!!!? Thanks to this group

I'll go well educated. Some of you mentioned the possibility of

Guttate Psoriasis. I looked it up and the horrible rash from last

month looked alot like the pictures. The info I read on Guttate

said it can be aggravated by sunburns or insect bites. When the

outbreak happened I was peeling from too much sun and was in a

heavily infested mosquito area. No doubt...it's a good

possibility. I see the derm. at the end of this month and will let

the group know.

I hope this skin issue goes away b/c my joints have never felt

better !! My husband is away and tomorrow I take Enbrel TOTALLY on

my own for the first time. Wish me luck.

> Help me....I'm going to scream from this skin. I'm up every night

> scratching myself in my sleep. I went to my primary care Dr. and

> she said my new itchy skin problems have nothing to do with the

> Enbrel. She said if it was psoriasis it wouldn't be this itchy.

> She said it's poisen " something or other " . I asked for a referral

> to a dermatologist and she said I should try the topical steroid

> cream for now. I've been treating it as she instructed for 3 days

> now and it's going away in some spots but starting up fresh in

> others. Everybody in my family who has seen it thinks it's

> something more than the basic poisen ivy. If it's psoriasis it's

> the most itchy case I've every experienced. I really think I'm

> going to go crazy.....it's been over a week. I'm so afraid it's a

> bizarre reaction to the Enbrel. I mentioned in earlier postings

> that I haven't felt so good in over a year. I swear I have zero

> joint pain. This skin though...it looks like the worst case of

acne

> you've ever seen....covering my chest ! I can't stand

it....besides

> driving me insane, it looks so disgusting. I'm sitting here

> crying. I really can't take it. This is not the life I wanted.

>

> Has anybody ever had such a wierd reaction from the Enbrel?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Good luck with the injection. Good to hear the bones are feeling better. Now

for the skin eh?

Hope you can get that sorted out too.

Take care,

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,

My chest is still itching but as long as the joints feel so great

I'll deal with it. (at this point it's stopped being visable to

others...just an annoyance. Hopefully the itching eventually goes

away as it did with others on the posting board.) I'm in NJ and

today the remnants of Ivan are passing through. 6 mths. ago weather

like this would have me bed ridden with pain. Instead I've been

running around all over the County. I love Enbrel !

This past Thurs. I did my first injection.....completely alone. I

was a little nervous but...when it was said and done, I think I

might prefer doing it myself than having my husband. No fear of

somebody coming at you with a needle (even if it is someone you

love). I also have zero bruising ! I finished feeling very strong

and self sufficient.....never thought I'd be able to do something

like this. We're all stronger than we give credit.

> Hi ,

>

> Good luck with the injection. Good to hear the bones are feeling

better. Now

> for the skin eh?

> Hope you can get that sorted out too.

>

> Take care,

>

>

>

>

>