Re: Update from e van Gils

[Guest guest]

Well I gave myself the first Enbrel dose yesterday, and I was amazed at how

painless it was. The biggest aggravation as far as I am concerned is having to

mix the solution and go through all the steps to put the darn thing together. I

was supervised by my wonderful rheumy's wonderful nurse, who offered to give me

the shot. But I said you know what, I CAN do this. I can't say enough about the

supportive care I have been receiving from them. This morning I had a general

physical appointment with my GP who is equally caring. How blessed I am!

Now if the stuff will only do its thing so I can get on with my life.

I have a question regarding the " limp digits " syndrome as I call it. My left

hand had been very inflamed and swollen these last few weeks, and that

pre-empted my moving onto Enbrel. Withn the last several days, first my pinkie

and today my ringfinger just hang down. They don't hurt, and I can move and

grasp things - carefully. But I can only move the digits down, not up. My rheumy

had warned me this might happen. Question: have any of you experienced this, and

have you seen the symptoms improve or reversed after being on Enbrel? I take

another dose tomorrow, and starting next week will be on a regular routine of

Tuesday and Saturday. Still on the MTX for now, but will be weaned off if the

Enbrel is successful - and I expect it to be (got to stay positive).

Thanks to all for kind words of support.

e van Gils

[Editor's Note: You rock! That first injection is always the hardest. I'm on

Humira which comes pre-mixed and already in the needle, but I've heard that

Enbrel will do that too in the near future. That should make it even easier for

everybody who uses Enbrel. Many rheumies also have people on Enbrel and MTX at

the same time rather than prescribing Enbrel as a monotherapy. My fingers

periodically become really painful and have limited movement. When they get

really bad, my rheumy injects cortisone directly into the wrists and I'm good to

go for a long stretch. Good luck to you on the Enbrel - I hope it is the gift to

you that it has been to so many. Kathy F.]

[Guest guest]

Hi e,

Don't know if this is the same thing but the pinkie on my right hand and the

finger next to it on my left hand have shortened nearly half an inch and the

way I describe them is like rubber fingers (I've spoken about this before) My

Rheumy called it pencil/cup syndrome. It is where the joint of the finger

would normally be like a ball joint but the " ball " has worn away to a pencil

shape and sunk deeper into the joint, shortening the finger. My other pinkie is

currently going through the same process. Its very painful when it is

happening but when its is finished there is not too much pain and you can bend

your

finger in ways you wouldn't normally be able to but with me the affected

fingers wont close properly although I can bend them backwards more than I

should be able to. It isn't really too much of a problem but if it happens to

the

important fingers, the hand will be just about useless. Hope the Enbrel works

ok for you. I still waiting for them to ok it for me.

Take care,

[Guest guest]

e-

I agree with you - it really doesn't make sense to have to do so much

manipulation with Enbrel when you are taking the injection because you have

problems

with such things as dexterity & *#$%^. My husband has been in the hospital and

the CICU nurse gave me my last shot - she was real sweet about it. I am at

the stage where I am getting reaction site rashes - they look like a burn and

itch like crazy. The enliven nurse said that this would go away?

Please keep me posted on how you are doing - I started Enbrel 2 months ago.

Gentle Hugs,

Carol M. in CA

[Guest guest]

-Hi e,

Call your doc immediately. You may have ruptured a tendon. One

tendon operated the pinkie and ring finger. I hope not but to be

safe, let them know because intervention is best done quickly!!

take Care,

Marti-

- In , e van Gils

<avangils@e...> wrote:

> Well I gave myself the first Enbrel dose yesterday, and I was

amazed at how painless it was. The biggest aggravation as far as I am

concerned is having to mix the solution and go through all the steps

to put the darn thing together. I was supervised by my wonderful

rheumy's wonderful nurse, who offered to give me the shot. But I said

you know what, I CAN do this. I can't say enough about the supportive

care I have been receiving from them. This morning I had a general

physical appointment with my GP who is equally caring. How blessed I

am!

> Now if the stuff will only do its thing so I can get on with my

life.

>

> I have a question regarding the " limp digits " syndrome as I call

it. My left hand had been very inflamed and swollen these last few

weeks, and that pre-empted my moving onto Enbrel. Withn the last

several days, first my pinkie and today my ringfinger just hang down.

They don't hurt, and I can move and grasp things - carefully. But I

can only move the digits down, not up. My rheumy had warned me this

might happen. Question: have any of you experienced this, and have

you seen the symptoms improve or reversed after being on Enbrel? I

take another dose tomorrow, and starting next week will be on a

regular routine of Tuesday and Saturday. Still on the MTX for now,

but will be weaned off if the Enbrel is successful - and I expect it

to be (got to stay positive).

>

> Thanks to all for kind words of support.

>

> e van Gils

>

> [Editor's Note: You rock! That first injection is always the

hardest. I'm on Humira which comes pre-mixed and already in the

needle, but I've heard that Enbrel will do that too in the near

future. That should make it even easier for everybody who uses

Enbrel. Many rheumies also have people on Enbrel and MTX at the same

time rather than prescribing Enbrel as a monotherapy. My fingers

periodically become really painful and have limited movement. When

they get really bad, my rheumy injects cortisone directly into the

wrists and I'm good to go for a long stretch. Good luck to you on the

Enbrel - I hope it is the gift to you that it has been to so many.

Kathy F.]