Why mtx w/enbrel?

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tejoyo@yahoo.com - 19 Apr 2005 19:43 GMT

Since I'm still fairly new to all this and trying to educate myself I'm
getting it piece by piece. I understand about immunosupressants like
plaquenil and mtx and how they function and I'm sort of understanding
biologics (well, not really)such as enbrel and remicade but why do
people take both? What does one do that the other doesn't? I can't
tolerate mtx at all which scares me since so many people seem to do so
well on it.

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RoseB - 20 Apr 2005 04:09 GMT

>Since I'm still fairly new to all this and trying to educate myself I'm
>getting it piece by piece. I understand about immunosupressants like
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>tolerate mtx at all which scares me since so many people seem to do so
>well on it.

Each drug works in a very specific way, and they complement each
other. I found a very good website that explains the results of
clinical trials of combination therapies. You have to sign up to
become a medscape member, but it is free, and you have access to all
sorts of medical information. Please check the following, and you can
view a slide show/audio presentation. One of the speakers is Dr.
Steven Paget, who has been mentioned as the author of an outstanding
book on RA. This site also discusses the impact of TNF antagonists on
the spondyloarthropathies.

http://www.medscape.com/viewprogram/3649?src=hp27.cme

Rose @}>->--
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB

Please remove "Ima" to reply.

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RoseB - 20 Apr 2005 04:15 GMT

Also check:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/rahandout.htm

Rose @}>->--
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB

Please remove "Ima" to reply.

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tejoyo@yahoo.com - 20 Apr 2005 14:31 GMT

Thanks Rose, I will do that. I also have his book.

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Duckie - 21 Apr 2005 00:41 GMT

I don't think I know of anyone on both Enbrel and
Remicade. I am on Remicade and Arava. Some people are
on Enbrel and plaquenil and MTX [I think that is what
Char is taking]. I can't take MTX either.
I am getting ready to take part in the end of the FDA
approval for a new drug called Rituxan which is being
added to my Remicade. Nervous but need to as my disease
is out of control again.
Duckie

> Since I'm still fairly new to all this and trying to educate myself I'm
> getting it piece by piece. I understand about immunosupressants like
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> tolerate mtx at all which scares me since so many people seem to do so
> well on it.

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Mary Z - 21 Apr 2005 01:18 GMT

>why do
>people take both? What does one do that the other doesn't? I can't
>tolerate mtx at all which scares me since so many people seem to do so
>well on it.

As Rose mentioned the drugs attack inflammation from different avenues
so the therapy works better in combination. Some people do extremely
well on Enbrel alone and for others, like me, have a very poor
response without mtx. Ultimately Enbrel faded out, but I am not sure
I would have had much of a response on Enbrel alone. There are loads
of people who do well on Enbrel alone. Sometimes it is simply trial
and error before your Dr figures out what works. -- MZ

Visit my website:
http://www.mzuschlag.com

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