Enbrel

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Anne W. Neisser - 03 Jul 2004 08:49 GMT

Does anyone know of a study being done on the combination of Enbrel and Pred
? I have resisted Methotrexate and low dose pred & Enbrel works for me. Do
get the side effects from pred and Doc would rather I switch to
Methotrexate. Feel wonderful and have energy again.

dtogrannie

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Harvey R. Stone - 03 Jul 2004 14:18 GMT

> Does anyone know of a study being done on the combination of Enbrel and Pred
> ? I have resisted Methotrexate and low dose pred & Enbrel works for me. Do
> get the side effects from pred and Doc would rather I switch to
> Methotrexate. Feel wonderful and have energy again.
>
> dtogrannie

Hi Anne, I understand how prednisone helps you because it did the same
thing for me. Pred. and Methx are not in the same medicine family. In
most cases it is not an either,, or situation but it is normally taken with
the main medicine that controls your RA. Having said that, their is a
price to pay for taking prednisone everyday. Thinning bones, excess weight
gain and if taken for several years even type 2 diabetes.
With Enbrel, I was able to stop Methx and prednisone all together and
you may too. You need to find out from your RD if the doctor is still
seeing on going RA changes taking place with your body. Some people need
two or more dmards to get control of RA or PA, AS, ect.
I have said the above not to make you afraid of your medicine but to
respect it. I still have a prescription of prednisone but I only use it to
slow down a flare and then stop it again after cutting slowly back on it
until I can stop it again.
High stress situations or for whatever reason can still cause you have the
feeling that your RA is getting out of control again but this is not the
case most of the time.
I want to welcome you to ASA. Please read and take part here because
sooo many people have been where you are and understand what it is like to
live with inflam.arth. and want to help you to do as well as can.
Harv

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Mercy - 05 Jul 2004 02:13 GMT

I would give just about anything to get off MTX and on to Enbrel. My
insurance, however, will not pay for Enbrel unless you fail on MTX. MTX
literally makes me sick for about 1-2 days with headaches, overall achiness;
kind of like I was kind by a truck. I am very happy for anybody who is able
to use enbrel instead of MTX.

Nettie

>
> "Anne W. Neisser" <dtogrannie@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:SEtFc.12057$z81.779@fed1read01...
> >
> > Does anyone know of a study being done on the combination of Enbrel
and
> Pred
> > ? I have resisted Methotrexate and low dose pred & Enbrel works for
me.
> Do
> > get the side effects from pred and Doc would rather I switch to
> > Methotrexate. Feel wonderful and have energy again.
> >
> > dtogrannie
>
> Hi Anne, I understand how prednisone helps you because it did the
same
> thing for me. Pred. and Methx are not in the same medicine family. In
> most cases it is not an either,, or situation but it is normally taken
with
> the main medicine that controls your RA. Having said that, their is a
> price to pay for taking prednisone everyday. Thinning bones, excess
weight
> gain and if taken for several years even type 2 diabetes.
> With Enbrel, I was able to stop Methx and prednisone all together
and
> you may too. You need to find out from your RD if the doctor is still
> seeing on going RA changes taking place with your body. Some people
need
> two or more dmards to get control of RA or PA, AS, ect.
> I have said the above not to make you afraid of your medicine but to
> respect it. I still have a prescription of prednisone but I only use
it to
> slow down a flare and then stop it again after cutting slowly back on it
> until I can stop it again.
> High stress situations or for whatever reason can still cause you have
the
> feeling that your RA is getting out of control again but this is not the
> case most of the time.
> I want to welcome you to ASA. Please read and take part here
because
> sooo many people have been where you are and understand what it is like
to
> live with inflam.arth. and want to help you to do as well as can.
> Harv
>
>

Reply to this Message

Patty - 05 Jul 2004 15:50 GMT

>insurance, however, will not pay for Enbrel unless you fail on MTX. MTX
>literally makes me sick for about 1-2 days with headaches, overall achiness

Sounds to me like you *have* failed on mtx, Nettie. You're still in a lot
of pain and having terrible side-effects. Your disease is not being held in
check. That's considered drug failure. If your RD wrote a letter to your
insurance company explaining that, I'm guessing Enbrel would be approved for
you. That's how it went for me. The disease needs to be treated every bit as
aggressively as the pain. Please push your doc to get you on a better med for
your RA. Good luck!
-------------
Hoping your hills are never too steep!
Be well, Patty

Reply to this Message

Kelly Cobb - 05 Jul 2004 16:07 GMT

> >insurance, however, will not pay for Enbrel unless you fail on MTX. MTX
> >literally makes me sick for about 1-2 days with headaches, overall achiness
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Hoping your hills are never too steep!
> Be well, Patty

Plus, in most cases, Enbrel needs a drug like mtx to be most effective. I
was still on mtx when Enbrel was added and then did so well that my dr. took
the mtx away later.

Yup, the Dr. needs to explain this to the ins. co. for you. That usually
does the trick.

Kelly C.;o)

Reply to this Message

Mercy - 06 Jul 2004 01:30 GMT

Kelly, you know, you are right. I should not have to suffer like this and
it has been a very long time. I got this song and dance years ago about the
$$$/insurance dilemna. I guess I need to start fighting back for my rights.
Thanks you. I really don't want to live like this.

Nettie :>)

>
> "Patty " <pattydfx1@aol.com.go.away> wrote in message
> news:20040705105059.04588.00000959@mb-m10.aol.com...
> > >insurance, however, will not pay for Enbrel unless you fail on MTX.
MTX
> > >literally makes me sick for about 1-2 days with headaches, overall
> achiness
> >
> > Sounds to me like you *have* failed on mtx, Nettie. You're still
in a
> lot
> > of pain and having terrible side-effects. Your disease is not being
held
> in
> > check. That's considered drug failure. If your RD wrote a letter to
your
> > insurance company explaining that, I'm guessing Enbrel would be
approved
> for
> > you. That's how it went for me. The disease needs to be treated every
bit
> as
> > aggressively as the pain. Please push your doc to get you on a better
med
> for
> > your RA. Good luck!
> > -------------
> > Hoping your hills are never too steep!
> > Be well, Patty
>
> Plus, in most cases, Enbrel needs a drug like mtx to be most effective.
I
> was still on mtx when Enbrel was added and then did so well that my dr.
took
> the mtx away later.
>
> Yup, the Dr. needs to explain this to the ins. co. for you. That usually
> does the trick.
>
> Kelly C.;o)
>
>

Reply to this Message

Mercy - 06 Jul 2004 01:34 GMT

Oops... that was Patty sating that too; so sorry.

Nettie

> Kelly, you know, you are right. I should not have to suffer like this
and
> it has been a very long time. I got this song and dance years ago about
the
> $$$/insurance dilemna. I guess I need to start fighting back for my
rights.
> Thanks you. I really don't want to live like this.
>
> Nettie :>)
>
> "Kelly Cobb" <kellcobb@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:2kt95nF68pi2U1@uni-berlin.de...
> >
> > "Patty " <pattydfx1@aol.com.go.away> wrote in message
> > news:20040705105059.04588.00000959@mb-m10.aol.com...
> > > >insurance, however, will not pay for Enbrel unless you fail on
MTX.
> MTX
> > > >literally makes me sick for about 1-2 days with headaches,
overall
> > achiness
> > >
> > > Sounds to me like you *have* failed on mtx, Nettie. You're
still
> in a
> > lot
> > > of pain and having terrible side-effects. Your disease is not
being
> held
> > in
> > > check. That's considered drug failure. If your RD wrote a letter
to
> your
> > > insurance company explaining that, I'm guessing Enbrel would be
> approved
> > for
> > > you. That's how it went for me. The disease needs to be treated
every
> bit
> > as
> > > aggressively as the pain. Please push your doc to get you on a
better
> med
> > for
> > > your RA. Good luck!
> > > -------------
> > > Hoping your hills are never too steep!
> > > Be well, Patty
> >
> > Plus, in most cases, Enbrel needs a drug like mtx to be most
effective.
> I
> > was still on mtx when Enbrel was added and then did so well that my
dr.
> took
> > the mtx away later.
> >
> > Yup, the Dr. needs to explain this to the ins. co. for you. That
usually
> > does the trick.
> >
> > Kelly C.;o)
> >
> >
>
>

Reply to this Message

Kelly Cobb - 03 Jul 2004 14:49 GMT

Hi Anne and welcome to the group. This is a viewpoint that I have not seen
before. I am the opposite...I have spent a lot of time resisting pred. and
taking mtx. I don't take it anymore because Enbrel is working for me with
just Plaquenil now, but the mtx side effects didn't scare me as much as the
pred. ones did.

Pred. certainly has its place in RA treatment, but the potential for bone
loss and some of the other side effects made it something I don't ever want
to be on for the long-term.

I hope someone comes along who can better respond to your concerns.

Kelly C.

Reply to this Message

Jo Firey - 03 Jul 2004 18:15 GMT

Its up to you and your doctor what you decide to take.

Personally I'm far more afraid of prednisone over time than I am of MTX.

To me the side effects are fewer for MTX and not as scary. Not because it
doesn't have possible serious side effects. I'm aware of those and get my
lab work done on time and see my doctor regularly.

With Prednisone the side effects of long term use are not probable, they are
certain. I already have bone loss from interminant use. I already weigh
far too much for my heart, comfort and health. And I've already developed
cataracts that had to be removed from my eyes at age 55. And that is only
from intermitant use to treat asthma. Will I still take it on occasion?
Absolutely. On a daily basis? Never.

Jo

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Caroline Marold - 04 Jul 2004 02:46 GMT

How about Enbrel and Arava? I am on Remicade and Arava instead of
Remicade and MTX. Arava is a pill that is taken once a day. Anyone else
take Arava with Enbrel?
Since Enbrel is an injectible you must have other reasons for not
wanting to add MTX. If we knew those reasons, it might help us with your
question. My reason was that my liver enzymes were already elevated and
they wanted to do a liver biopsy before starting MTX. I declined. So
they found something else.
Duckie

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