Re: Drug Choices

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the valuable input, and good luck with the Hemrhhoidectomy.

drug choices

> Hi ,

>

> When I was given the choice of Enbrel or Remicade by my rheumatologist I

> chose Enbrel because......My rheumatologist told me that he had AS

patients

> on Remicade that had started taking a certain amount of Remicade every

eight

> weeks and now have to take more Remicade and also have to take it more

> often. This could get very expensive. Another reason I chose Enbrel was

> that I could inject it myself without having to go to the Remicade clinic

> for an infusion. The third reason was that Enbrel is cheaper (even though

> my plan covers it 100%).

>

> When I started taking Enbrel my smallest aches and pains were the first to

> disappear and after about two months I had what I considered to be maximum

> benefit. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being me in tears..... I was

having

> two " 3 " days three " 5 " days and two " 8 " nights. Since my last dose of

> Enbrel on Wednesday (Had to stop Enbrel as I am scheduled for a

> Hemrhhoidectomy on Thursday) I have noticed that the pain is coming back

in

> the same order it left.

>

> I haven't tried Remicade but I highly recommend Enbrel.

>

> Good luck,

>

> ~~~Faye~~~

> As and fusing

>

>

>

>

>

> -------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

On Mon, 11 Nov 2002, Faye Dunn wrote:

>

> When I was given the choice of Enbrel or Remicade by my rheumatologist I

> chose Enbrel because......My rheumatologist told me that he had AS patients

> on Remicade that had started taking a certain amount of Remicade every eight

> weeks and now have to take more Remicade and also have to take it more

> often. This could get very expensive. Another reason I chose Enbrel was

> that I could inject it myself without having to go to the Remicade clinic

> for an infusion. The third reason was that Enbrel is cheaper (even though

> my plan covers it 100%).

Well hmmm. I had been waiting for enbrel but had not been able to be

awarded the chance to take it. So my rheumy got me on Remmy.. about 350

mg I think per infusion. At first it helped a lot but it seems like as

time passed it takes longer after each infusion to level off. Now my

rheumy has moved and i have a new one (whom I do not plan to keep btw...)

who moved me up to 400 mg for this coming infusion Friday. I do'nt konw

exactly whqt to do in finding a good solid rheumy. I cannot go to the

group in town because ONE of those drs took a dislike to me and refuses to

see me.. therefore the whole clinic won't see me either. ..office policy.

I've been going to Omaha to the rheumy's there for two years now and had

finally settled on the one who just moved.. he's easy to work with and

knowledgable.

As for the ease of enbrel though i would do very badly at taking daily

shots.. i know me too well. I space off things when i get into the down

side of my bipolar.. important things like brushing my teeth even. I'm

just afriad the same would be true of enbrel shots. I don't mind going for

the infusion at all. I love the nurses, I get to relax and just watch tv,

sleep,read, and they serve me a nice lunch. I almost look forward to that

(if it wasn't for the fact I was taking a drug that could destroy my

liver..)

My thoughts=--and responses to tohem? Summarily I really don't like the

idea of having to keep having my dosage of remmy raised all the

time...things get so confusing at times and i wonder if i am making the

right choices....sometimes though I have NO choices.. my body makes them

for me..that and the medical community.

Liz

~~~

" I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget

what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EMAIL: juliette@... **ICQ 49746198** MSN & AIM LizKP1952**

PERSONAL HOMEPAGE PAGE http://members.tripod.com/~LizK

ADDult HOME PAGE: http://members.tripod.com/~LizK/addult.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been on Remicade since 2000. I sit in a chair or on a bed as I prefer at an infusion center, or your doctors office as youd like. They put a warm towel on my arm to relax the vein. Some people dont mind having the IV administered in a hand vein, but I do. I have my right inner elbow for blood tests and my left for the IV. The drug should be administered slowly. I take MTX to help keep my body from rejecting the remicade and it is working very well. I wasnt taking MTX with it for the longest time, and realized my body had built up a resistance. Its always a good idea to stay well hydrated (drink water and juices, etc.) The nurses etc at my infusion center are very very good to me and while terribly busy with other patients, will get me anything I want, at any time. Some places will serve you lunch or have a cafeteria and bring something up for you. They have HD TV and I just lay there for three hours, doing nothing but watching TV and relaxing. I hate, and I do mean abhore needles, and so once every 8-10 weeks is perfect for me. My last infusion was 10/5. I will have another 1/4. While I do have osteoporosis in my hips and spine, I do not have erosions or deformities. Having a hyperactive thyroid and hormonal issues caused that. Remember that this medication is given through the blood stream. I dont take claritin or anything else, which I should to reduce any reactions. I just made them slow the infusion rate. Too high of an infusion rate could cause a reaction. Going from 10-20-80-150-250 is much too fast. I make them slow it down after 80 to 125 then 175 then 200 then 250. It takes more time but it helps so much. I was very afraid of this drug and I shouldnt have been. You only hear the bad things about a drug, not the good things. This is a great biologic and I hope you will consider it. Yours, Deborah

[Guest guest]

Hi its good to hear it works well for someone. I hope you are

successful with it. My old rheummy and I talked about it..but have

VERY poor venous access so this would not be an option unless they

put in a PICC Line or some other type of access which I will not

allow knowing that this many not work and it wold be a total waste of

time.

I even had the anethesialogist that was with me for my weight loss

surgery attest to the fact that I was VERY difficult to get an IV in

for surgery...so for remicaide it would be impossible and they do not

have time to leave the hospital and come to the clinic for me. I

would need a line.

I just wish they would create a new oral med that could be used

instead of more injections or IV meds.

So far I have been researching to find that my new insurance will

probably NOT pay for any of the injectables because this is the way

the employer set this health plan updue to cost. Which is fine for

with me because this is my way out...I am tired of docs trying to

force you and drugs that you do not want to take.

Toni

>

> Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been on Remicade since 2000. I

sit in a

> chair or on a bed as I prefer at an infusion center, or your

doctors office as

> youd like. They put a warm towel on my arm to relax the vein.

Some people

> dont mind having the IV administered in a hand vein, but I do. I

have my right

> inner elbow for blood tests and my left for the IV. The drug

should be

> administered slowly. I take MTX to help keep my body from

rejecting the remicade

> and it is working very well. I wasnt taking MTX with it for the

longest time,

> and realized my body had built up a resistance. Its always a good

idea to

> stay well hydrated (drink water and juices, etc.) The nurses etc

at my infusion

> center are very very good to me and while terribly busy with other

patients,

> will get me anything I want, at any time. Some places will serve

you lunch or

> have a cafeteria and bring something up for you. They have HD TV

and I just

> lay there for three hours, doing nothing but watching TV and

relaxing. I hate,

> and I do mean abhore needles, and so once every 8-10 weeks is

perfect for me.

> My last infusion was 10/5. I will have another 1/4. While I do

have

> osteoporosis in my hips and spine, I do not have erosions or

deformities. Having a

> hyperactive thyroid and hormonal issues caused that. Remember that

this

> medication is given through the blood stream. I dont take claritin

or anything

> else, which I should to reduce any reactions. I just made them

slow the infusion

> rate. Too high of an infusion rate could cause a reaction. Going

from

> 10-20-80-150-250 is much too fast. I make them slow it down

after 80 to 125 then

> 175 then 200 then 250. It takes more time but it helps so much. I

was very

> afraid of this drug and I shouldnt have been. You only hear the

bad things

> about a drug, not the good things. This is a great biologic and I

hope you will

> consider it. Yours, Deborah

>

[Guest guest]

My experience with Remicade is much like Deborah's and I recommend it to anyone for whom it is prescribed. God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: dbargad@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 1:48 AM

Subject: Re: Re: Drug Choices

Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been on Remicade since 2000. I sit in a chair or on a bed as I prefer at an infusion center, or your doctors office as youd like. They put a warm towel on my arm to relax the vein. Some people dont mind having the IV administered in a hand vein, but I do. I have my right inner elbow for blood tests and my left for the IV. The drug should be administered slowly. I take MTX to help keep my body from rejecting the remicade and it is working very well. I wasnt taking MTX with it for the longest time, and realized my body had built up a resistance. Its always a good idea to stay well hydrated (drink water and juices, etc.) The nurses etc at my infusion center are very very good to me and while terribly busy with other patients, will get me anything I want, at any time. Some places will serve you lunch or have a cafeteria and bring something up for you. They have HD TV and I just lay there for three hours, doing nothing but watching TV and relaxing. I hate, and I do mean abhore needles, and so once every 8-10 weeks is perfect for me. My last infusion was 10/5. I will have another 1/4. While I do have osteoporosis in my hips and spine, I do not have erosions or deformities. Having a hyperactive thyroid and hormonal issues caused that. Remember that this medication is given through the blood stream. I dont take claritin or anything else, which I should to reduce any reactions. I just made them slow the infusion rate. Too high of an infusion rate could cause a reaction. Going from 10-20-80-150-250 is much too fast. I make them slow it down after 80 to 125 then 175 then 200 then 250. It takes more time but it helps so much. I was very afraid of this drug and I shouldnt have been. You only hear the bad things about a drug, not the good things. This is a great biologic and I hope you will consider it. Yours, Deborah

[Guest guest]

-

I agree with Harold remicade works great for me and I would recmend

it to anyone I have been on it for over 5 years now and it has

helped me alot Happy Hollidays everyone and a pain free New Year

Sherrie

-- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " Harold Van Tuyl "

<hvantuyl@c...> wrote:

>

> My experience with Remicade is much like Deborah's and I recommend

it to anyone for whom it is prescribed. God bless.

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: dbargad@a...

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 1:48 AM

> Subject: Re: Re: Drug Choices

>

>

> Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been on Remicade since

2000. I sit in a chair or on a bed as I prefer at an infusion

center, or your doctors office as youd like. They put a warm towel

on my arm to relax the vein. Some people dont mind having the IV

administered in a hand vein, but I do. I have my right inner elbow

for blood tests and my left for the IV. The drug should be

administered slowly. I take MTX to help keep my body from rejecting

the remicade and it is working very well. I wasnt taking MTX with

it for the longest time, and realized my body had built up a

resistance. Its always a good idea to stay well hydrated (drink

water and juices, etc.) The nurses etc at my infusion center are

very very good to me and while terribly busy with other patients,

will get me anything I want, at any time. Some places will serve

you lunch or have a cafeteria and bring something up for you. They

have HD TV and I just lay there for three hours, doing nothing but

watching TV and relaxing. I hate, and I do mean abhore needles, and

so once every 8-10 weeks is perfect for me. My last infusion was

10/5. I will have another 1/4. While I do have osteoporosis in my

hips and spine, I do not have erosions or deformities. Having a

hyperactive thyroid and hormonal issues caused that. Remember that

this medication is given through the blood stream. I dont take

claritin or anything else, which I should to reduce any reactions.

I just made them slow the infusion rate. Too high of an infusion

rate could cause a reaction. Going from 10-20-80-150-250 is much

too fast. I make them slow it down after 80 to 125 then 175 then

200 then 250. It takes more time but it helps so much. I was very

afraid of this drug and I shouldnt have been. You only hear the bad

things about a drug, not the good things. This is a great biologic

and I hope you will consider it. Yours, Deborah

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have been on Remicade since May 2005, but I've had to stop

treatment twice due to infections. Only in the last 2 months I've

started MTX along with it. The Remicade gives me migraine

headaches, which I've never had before in my life. So I have to

take extra meds which are very expensive to combat the headaches.

The MTX makes me nauseaus and basically knocks me out for 24 hours.

BUT, I have started to see very slight improvements in my RA. I've

taken so many drugs with no result that I'm willing to keep trying

this as long as there is even a glimmer of hope.

>

> Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been on Remicade since 2000.

I sit in a

> chair or on a bed as I prefer at an infusion center, or your

doctors office as

> youd like. They put a warm towel on my arm to relax the vein.

Some people

> dont mind having the IV administered in a hand vein, but I do. I

have my right

> inner elbow for blood tests and my left for the IV. The drug

should be

> administered slowly. I take MTX to help keep my body from

rejecting the remicade

> and it is working very well. I wasnt taking MTX with it for the

longest time,

> and realized my body had built up a resistance. Its always a good

idea to

> stay well hydrated (drink water and juices, etc.) The nurses etc

at my infusion

> center are very very good to me and while terribly busy with other

patients,

> will get me anything I want, at any time. Some places will serve

you lunch or

> have a cafeteria and bring something up for you. They have HD TV

and I just

> lay there for three hours, doing nothing but watching TV and

relaxing. I hate,

> and I do mean abhore needles, and so once every 8-10 weeks is

perfect for me.

> My last infusion was 10/5. I will have another 1/4. While I do

have

> osteoporosis in my hips and spine, I do not have erosions or

deformities. Having a

> hyperactive thyroid and hormonal issues caused that. Remember

that this

> medication is given through the blood stream. I dont take

claritin or anything

> else, which I should to reduce any reactions. I just made them

slow the infusion

> rate. Too high of an infusion rate could cause a reaction. Going

from

> 10-20-80-150-250 is much too fast. I make them slow it down

after 80 to 125 then

> 175 then 200 then 250. It takes more time but it helps so much.

I was very

> afraid of this drug and I shouldnt have been. You only hear the

bad things

> about a drug, not the good things. This is a great biologic and I

hope you will

> consider it. Yours, Deborah

>