Metho vs. Humira.

Thanks for your responses.  I was given the pred. to start off and it has been really helpful! 

How is enbrel for you?  What are your side effects?

as the other person commented, the prednisone reduced the inflammation.  when all of this started for me, i was swollen for weeks and all the meds prescribed was to get me out of this highly inflamatory state: metho, pred, diclofinac, a water pill.  the metho was once a week and i had to not work that day because it was such a punch to my system.  i was never on meds before, never ill.  i finally switched Drs and in that switch got weaned off pred because that will eventually affect your heart.  i took the lead and said to wean me off.  got off the metho after 6 weeks after seeing bad bloodwork. those were the first tier of meds. at arthritis foundation website, it shows the tiers of meds Drs prescribe for RA.  the final tier is the Enbrel, Humira, etc.  the most expensive, the 'biologics,' but the ones that stop joint damage and pain.  no side effects to Enbrel, it's just that is lowers your already-out-of-whack immune system, so........i have noticed that i am constipated/bloated more, thus gain weight and sluggish and that in itself will affect joints.  so, i started prune juice every day and it helped.  other concerns are what's listed is you read up on Enbrel.  concerns for TB and cancer.  granted, that would take some time.  my neighbor has been on/off Enbrel for 10 yrs. and swears by it.  he has had infections and when he does, he goes off Enbrel. 

other than that, no side effects to speak of, only fear of what could come.  to that end, this month i decided to get a mammo, pap and colonoscopy...i have to start policing myself and because of my age (54) and a lower immune system.

i just want you to know that in the 2 years since being diagnosed, i took it on and 'policed' the dr's...i made a spreadsheet of my bloodwork to keep the numbers in check because the file the Doc has, is just a bunch of sheets of paper.  i liked seeing the numbers over time, in one, concise place.  then, i told them to get me off as much meds as possible and now i'm on Enbrel and Plaquenil, because they work well for me.

i was floored - jaw fell - when 6 mos. ago i asked my Doc....'so what's the plan w/ me?' and he said, 'we wait for you to tell us.'  what???  i was waiting for him to tell me!  at least he was honest.  i had to research on internet, watch how my body reacted to meds, and take the lead.

I would rather not be on an immune-supressant drug, so that i don't have to worry about having the swine flu or other contagious diseases, but i have to.  the pain is not worth it.  hope this helps.