reaction to enbrel?

[susieb]

I am 43yr old female and have pa and as (they think...) moderate I am told. I started enbrel 3 weeks ago when other meds werent working.I developed a cold (runny nose, itchy eyes and sinus headache) 2 days after my 2nd injection. It has continued now for a week and my chest is getting tight...uri? Is this really common? Also...I use the 50mg sureclick and I let it sit at room temp for 30mins prior to injection but it still burns when med is released. Is that normal too? Thanks...

[Che]

Hi! Don't know if you'll see this since you wrote so long ago. But...I had the cold stuff happen to me on the methotrexate. I've been on the Enbrel for 5 weeks now and not had that reaction. As for the injection well that still hurts like the dickens and I'm told by a LPN friend who administers these to her patients it won't stop hurting for a long while. But did tell me to put my leg out straight when doing my thighs and that has helped some. HTHs

[Jamie]

Hi. Do your injections still hurt? My mom does mine and I never even feel it. Can you try using your arm instead of your legs?

[Jena]

I'm about to do my 4th Enbrel SureClick and I'm dreading it. So far I've injected into my leg and was wondering if anyone has had less burning in the stomach area verses the thigh.

[NCRA]

I have no pain from injection and no side effects other than a mild headache

[Jeremy]

Jena wrote:

I'm about to do my 4th Enbrel SureClick and I'm dreading it. So far I've injected into my leg and was wondering if anyone has had less burning in the stomach area verses the thigh.

I use the tummy and it's not bad. I let it warm up for 30 minutes and go slow

[Heather]

I felt the burning many of you have posted to the Enbrel SureClick, followed by a raised red and itchy injection site reaction that would persist for 4-5 days. My Rheumatologist switched me to the powdered 25mg version. He thought that I might be reacting to the preservatives in the SureClick preparation. I don't have the burning sensation so I'm inclined to agree that freshly prepared Enbrel is better. Having to do two injections myself is something I have easily gotten used to for the benefit of being pain free.

[Beth]

The pain of the injection is from how quickly the medicine is injected into the body. Auto-injectors I've found are worse because you can't control the flow and it burns like heck. I prefer the pre-filled syringes. If you can get over facing the needle which can be a biggie, you can control how slowly the medicine enters and virtually eliminate the burn. I don't even feel the needle entering, slap the area a few times just before you clean it, the needle will slide right on in without any pain. It still stings a little once withdrawn, but that's it.

[Brendan ODonoghue]

One other word of advice, do not take out the needle for 30 seconds, just count 1 - 30 and then withdraw, it makes sure that the total injection stays in. Tip from a diabetic friend.
Brendan

[ayr2]

Enbrel is #12 in top 20 drugs with adverse drug reaction in second 2007 quarter:
www.adverse-drug-reaction.net/drugs.aspx

[Dawn E]

Are you still using the Enbrel sureclick? I just started 2 weeks ago and was relieved to find your comments. I have a very high pain tolerance and every injection burns so bad I scream. I have discussed this with Enbrel and the MedMark pharmacist. they all say they have never heard of such a thing and it is no where in the Enbrel information according to them, ie, no reports of this type of burning with the med. I guess they haven't read our notes! Are you still using, and has the burning pain ever stopped? Thanks.

Che wrote:

Hi! Don't know if you'll see this since you wrote so long ago. But...I had the cold stuff happen to me on the methotrexate. I've been on the Enbrel for 5 weeks now and not had that reaction. As for the injection well that still hurts like the dickens and I'm told by a LPN friend who administers these to her patients it won't stop hurting for a long while. But did tell me to put my leg out straight when doing my thighs and that has helped some. HTHs

[susana]

Dawn, I read your first 2 sentences and agree with you 100%! I call the damn things Torture Sticks! I also get huge red welts that are still on my thighs 3 weeks later. I'm being switched to the hypodermic injections next week.(Got an instant sinus infection this week after exposure to a sick relative.) Theory is that the 'pure' enbrel will not sting, as you control the speed of injection and there are no side effects from the additives. What's happened with you since this post?

Dawn E wrote:

Are you still using the Enbrel sureclick? I just started 2 weeks ago and was relieved to find your comments. I have a very high pain tolerance and every injection burns so bad I scream. I have discussed this with Enbrel and the MedMark pharmacist. they all say they have never heard of such a thing and it is no where in the Enbrel information according to them, ie, no reports of this type of burning with the med. I guess they haven't read our notes! Are you still using, and has the burning pain ever stopped? Thanks. <quoted text>

[susana]

Dawn, I read your first 2 sentences and agree with you 100%! I call the damn things Torture Sticks! I also get huge red welts that are still on my thighs 3 weeks later. I'm being switched to the hypodermic injections next week.(Got an instant sinus infection this week after exposure to a sick relative.) Theory is that the 'pure' enbrel will not sting, as you control the speed of injection and there are no side effects from the additives. What's happened with you since this post?

[Leisha]

This topic is over a year old so, I don't know what to expect. I use the sureclick and experience the excrutiating burning. I have using Enbrel for nearly 8 years for severe JRA and it has been a miracle. I have considered switching back to the regular hypodermic because I just really have to push myself to do the sureclick. Is there anyone who has figured out a way for the sureclick not to burn?

[7yritch]

I started enbrel about 8 months ago. I started injecting in my thighs but the burning was too intense. I changed to injecting in my stomach.... much, much better. Not sure why but my derm says many of her patients say the same thing. So, try the stomach, below the belly button. Pinch some fat and inject.

The only problems I have encountered is joint or muscle pain. It is severe in the mornings and I have alot of muscle pain in my back. I have been to a reumy and he didn't think it was PA. No swelling my my joints. I think its more muscle. There are times when I wonder if all these drugs are hurting us more than helping. I flare on the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet. My hands cleared and have stayed clear for over 6 months. My feet, well just let me say I have severe cracks and walking is sometime very difficult. A warm shower helps and I can make the day.

I have also found that I am clearer when I am out in the sun and keep a tan. Bad when your derm says "go ahead and tan!" geez!
Best Wishes to All
7yritch

[Nahnica]

I started using Enbrel 3 months ago. Couldn't do the hypo, so am using the Sure Click. It does burn, but it's only 15 seconds and for me it is better than seeing that needle pierce my skin (all over body shudder on that one). Good luck to everyone, hope it helps all of us.

[7yritch]

To everyone who experiences the burn from the sure click.... don't inject in the thigh! Injecting in the stomach is much better. I know it sound bad, but once you try it you will never inject in your thigh again. 1st, let the injector sit out and warm up for at least 15 min then pinch some fat under the belly button and inject. Rotate from side to side each time so you don't inject in the same spot next time. Try it.... You'll like it! Sometimes I don't feel it at all.... and 50% of the time it just feels like an ant bite! No comparison to injecting in the thigh. When I first started I wasn't sure I could do it because it hurt so bad. Then my derm suggested the stomach.... wow what a difference!
7yritch

[Kasey]

Is the red raised reaction a bad thing? Thats exactly what it does to me!

Heather wrote:

I felt the burning many of you have posted to the Enbrel SureClick, followed by a raised red and itchy injection site reaction that would persist for 4-5 days. My Rheumatologist switched me to the powdered 25mg version. He thought that I might be reacting to the preservatives in the SureClick preparation. I don't have the burning sensation so I'm inclined to agree that freshly prepared Enbrel is better. Having to do two injections myself is something I have easily gotten used to for the benefit of being pain free.

[mllbbunny]

I was told by the nurse at the rh office not to inject in my stomach as I'm thinner and it hurts less in an area with more fat which for me is in my thigh. I don't experience the burning with the auto injectors but it does hurt. But the weird thing is that it hurts worse after the shot than it does during the shot. A day later I'm getting the big welts which get bigger each time. I get the welts when I don't bleed after the shot... if I bleed I bruise instead of getting a welt.

I have no clue if I'm having an allergic reaction. I need to get into the doctor and find out.

[mllbbunny]

Oh and the welts itch like heck! My lasest is the size of a softball. How big are the welts you guys are experiencing? Again they have gotten bigger each time.