Enbrel question
My mother has RA, and has recently begun taking Enbrel, after having no results with plaquinel, methotrexate - the usual meds.
She has taken 2 doses so far. The first week, she felt fabulous - less pain, more energy, was doing wonders.
Now, she's back to where she was before - pain in the joints, and very very tired...
She's feeling a little dissapointed since it seemed to be helping then stopped - anyone else have any experience with this, and oes it get better?
Thanks.
Unfortunately this happens quite a bit. While some people find relief from a medication for years, others only get temporary relief. Make sure you let the rheumatologist know. He may want to switch medications, or perhaps just add some medications. Make sure your mother speaks honestly with him and expresses her concerns. I hope your mother finds relief soon! Good luck and best wishes!
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If your mom has only taking two doses of Enbrel so far, my best advice to you (and her) is this: don't panic! Anytime I have started a new medication, it's taken a while for it to build up to a level in my body where it has maximum effect. I started Enbrel three years ago and although I did have that first dose jump in well-being that feels so wonderfully miraculous, things slowed down after that. Although I had some ups and downs, depending on level of activity, weather, etc. - because the disease is still there, just suppressed - the general progression continued to be towards improvement.
Your mom's pain and fatigue could be partly caused by having done too much in the first week and now her body is asking her to slow down a little or it could simply be that she needs to be on Enbrel for several more weeks or a few months in order for it to have a consistent impact. Another thing to consider is to in consultation with her rheumatologist play around with the dose - I started out at a low dose and it gradually got increased. And the final factor is that TNF blockers such as Enbrel and Humira can have side effects of fatigue and joint/muscle pain. The good news is that such side effects are usually related to the time around the injection, disappearing after a few days. Your mom will get to know the pattern as she continues to take the medication - in my experience with Enbrel and Humira, not every day is good, but many more days are much better than they were before. Be patient, relax and suggest to your mom that maybe she could slow down a little and let the Enbrel take its time to work. I have a pretty active mother myself and I know that that's easier said than done. If all else fails, I suggest sitting on her! ;)
If we can help in any other way, don't hesitate to write again.
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