enbrel 50 mg syringe or two 25 mg shots possible?

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nikki - 30 Jun 2005 22:40 GMT

I posted this message as a reply to Peter's "Enbrel once a week", but I
thought it better to start a new thread.
Here goes:

Hi,

I am wondering; until some time ago I was on 7,5 mg pred plus twice a
week 25mg Enbrel, lowered the dose to 5 and that managble just.
I am now on 2,5 mg pred and twice a week, no,I should say every 4th day
on Enbrel as my rd wants me to come of Pred because of it's side
effects and my age. The 2,5 mg is just not enough, I have tried for
almost 3 months now and am scared to think what I will feel like on just
being on Enbrel. I was thinking of either shoot Enbrel every 3rd and
every 4th day since my rd told me many people who are on 50mg once a
week need to take the shots more frequently in the end anyway and there
were more side-effects. He reckoned there was no use in shotting 50mg
once a week.
BUT reading about your taking a shot once a week, I would like to give
it a try, if it were just to see if I can avoid the twice a week fade.
What worries me though is the burning.
I never used to be afraid of needles, but since I experienced a really
rough dr who apparently thought of the needle as a darts-arrow, I would
rather go for 2 needles at the same time once a week than a bigger
needle that burns.
What do you think, anyone done this before?

Nikki

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Alison DeLorme - 01 Jul 2005 04:48 GMT

It's worth a try... Why not just take both shots on the one day? Lots of
folks did this for 2+ years before Amgen came out with the 50mg single shot.
You have to do two shots at once, but that's not too big a deal. Toward the
end, I even began just using one shot: mixing one vial, shooting that into
the second to mix and then drawing up the whole mixture in one shot - I only
used one syringe of liquid. but switched the needle just before I pricked
myself. Never had a problem. I know they don't give directions for this but
I know it's done with other meds and there doesn't seem to be a reason why
you couldn't do it with enbrel. Still, like I said, two shots isn't that
difficult, if you don't want to experiment... I would try the once a week
with your 25mg shots now. If you're seeing an improvement, then you can
either ask for the 50mg or just keep inj. 2 at the same time...

alison

>>>BUT reading about your taking a shot once a week, I would like to give

it a try, if it were just to see if I can avoid the twice a week fade.
What worries me though is the burning.<<<

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nikki - 01 Jul 2005 19:44 GMT

thanks for your reply Alison, I feel for the mixing vial thing.
I would like to make sure though; is the fluid from just one syringe enough to mix with the two
vials of enbrel?
What did your rd think? Sounds good to me but I would just like to know,

Nikki

> It's worth a try... Why not just take both shots on the one day? Lots of
> folks did this for 2+ years before Amgen came out with the 50mg single shot.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> it a try, if it were just to see if I can avoid the twice a week fade.
> What worries me though is the burning.<<<

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Alison DeLorme - 03 Jul 2005 02:17 GMT

>>>I would like to make sure though; is the fluid from just one syringe
>>>enough to mix with the two

vials of enbrel? What did your rd think?<<<

I never told him I was doing the one syringe thing... I know _bad, bad, bad
_. But I never had a problem with the second vial not dissolving, which
would be the main problem that could happen. And if you think of it, the new
50mg shot comes with only 1cc of liquid as well. In fact, that's when I
decided to try mixing the vials - when they had announced how they would
manufacture the single dose syringes... Ask you RD. no harm in checking it
out. Tell him/her that a crazy lady you know from a newsgroup did it with no
problems... LOL

alison

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