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--- Enbrel
I've been taking it for at least three years. If there ever was a miracle drug, this is it. Thank heavens I have good "medical insurance" as it costs me $9 a month instead of the across the counter approximate $1500 a month. I have psoriatic arthritis. I used to take up to five Vicodins a day. Now I take none and haven't taken any for a long time. It also totally wiped out my psoriasis, something no other drug put even a mild dent in. It doesn't work overnight but I expect you will see very palpable results within 6 months. If it had existed earlier I probably wouldn't be really bent over by my psoriatic associated ankylosing spondylitis. Enbrel works great for most on either rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. It is NOT used for osteoarthritis. My rheumatologist has had NO reported bad side effects associated with this drug. Good luck. Tom Roach kodakfilm@gmail.com
kodakfilm@gmail.com wrote: > Enbrel works great for most on either rheumatoid or psoriatic > arthritis. It is NOT used for osteoarthritis. My rheumatologist has had > NO reported bad side effects associated with this drug. > Good luck. > > Tom Roach > kodakfilm@gmail.com > Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira are all anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor biological medications that target a particular protein. It has been highly recommended that no one start one of these if they have any infection. Moreover, it has been recommended that one be sure they have no latent tuberculosis which can be determined by skin or antibody tests. The long term side effects of anti-TNF drugs haven't been determined to my knowledge. -- Bruce
One assumes you see a COMPETENT rheumatologist before you start on Enbrel or any other medicine for arthritis. I know plenty that don't. There's a word for these people - stupid. While a general practitioner can legally perform brain surgery, I don't think that would be a wise choice. Same thing for general practise dentists doing root canals. Leave this to an endodontist. As for how you determine if they are competent - listen carefully to what they say. Ask them questions and see if they answer them or are annoyed by them. It isn't that hard to find a good doctor. Do some research on the Internet. Over a period of 25 years I had my psoriatic arthritis misdiagnosed by: an opthamologist [treating me for uveitis - a condition that often accompanies psoriatic arthritis], a general practitioner who treated me for "rheumatoid" arthritis with aspirin, a dermatologist who treated me for psoriasis. Finally my feet were so swollen from arthritis I went to see a podiatrist. He took a foot X-ray and said, "Your bone deformation has a striking characteristic. You have psoriatic arthritis. See a rheumatologist immediately!" I did. Of course by then I was well on my way to getting ankylosing spondylitis which has crippled me [or rather has me bent over with a fused neck so I can't look up or to the side]. Oh yes, I did go see a "top-notch" osteopathic surgeon when I was about to retire from the military. He diagnosed me as "... either a hysteric or a malingerer," At this time I had already presented with the uveitis, arthritis [asymmetrical - another clue it's psoriatic arthritis], and a positive test for HLA-B27 blood factor, commonly associated with this disease. Well meaning people told me to wear a copper bracelet, eat tomatoes, don't eat tomatoes, try acupuncture and see any quack that practises homeopathic "medicine". I learned a long time ago just because you "believe" something doesn't make it true. I am sure there are many people whose brains are wired so they seek out chiropractors and worse. That's sad. The fact is many homeopathic practitioners and chiropractors actually pay attention to what their patients say and interact with them. This may explain why they have so many patients. This isn't always the case with what I call real doctors. Anyway, you beter learn to help treat yourself. These days the resources are available via the Internet and groups like this. In the end, it's you that suffer if you fail to seek and receive good medical attention. As for long term results not being in- well, most people with severe arthritis are interested in results - now! So there are risks in life. I just read today that there was an incomplete study with Vioxx [see Google News] which indicated Vioxx kept people with colon polyps from their polyps turning cancerous. So now if your off Vioxx [as if you had a choice!!] you may die of colon cancer instead of a heart attack. Well, for the weak of heart, just go buy a copper bracelet. It won't do squat but if you're happy that way - go for it. Of course who knows what the long term results of wearing a copper bracelet are. Be careful!!
One assumes you see a COMPETENT rheumatologist before you start on Enbrel or any other medicine for arthritis. I know plenty that don't. There's a word for these people - stupid. While a general practitioner can legally perform brain surgery, I don't think that would be a wise choice. Same thing for general practise dentists doing root canals. Leave this to an endodontist. As for how you determine if they are competent - listen carefully to what they say. Ask them questions and see if they answer them or are annoyed by them. It isn't that hard to find a good doctor. Do some research on the Internet. Over a period of 25 years I had my psoriatic arthritis misdiagnosed by: an opthamologist [treating me for uveitis - a condition that often accompanies psoriatic arthritis], a general practitioner who treated me for "rheumatoid" arthritis with aspirin, a dermatologist who treated me for psoriasis. Finally my feet were so swollen from arthritis I went to see a podiatrist. He took a foot X-ray and said, "Your bone deformation has a striking characteristic. You have psoriatic arthritis. See a rheumatologist immediately!" I did. Of course by then I was well on my way to getting ankylosing spondylitis which has crippled me [or rather has me bent over with a fused neck so I can't look up or to the side]. Oh yes, I did go see a "top-notch" osteopathic surgeon when I was about to retire from the military. He diagnosed me as "... either a hysteric or a malingerer," At this time I had already presented with the uveitis, arthritis [asymmetrical - another clue it's psoriatic arthritis], and a positive test for HLA-B27 blood factor, commonly associated with this disease. Well meaning people told me to wear a copper bracelet, eat tomatoes, don't eat tomatoes, try acupuncture and see any quack that practises homeopathic "medicine". I learned a long time ago just because you "believe" something doesn't make it true. I am sure there are many people whose brains are wired so they seek out chiropractors and worse. That's sad. The fact is many homeopathic practitioners and chiropractors actually pay attention to what their patients say and interact with them. This may explain why they have so many patients. This isn't always the case with what I call real doctors. Anyway, you beter learn to help treat yourself. These days the resources are available via the Internet and groups like this. In the end, it's you that suffer if you fail to seek and receive good medical attention. As for long term results not being in- well, most people with severe arthritis are interested in results - now! So there are risks in life. I just read today that there was an incomplete study with Vioxx [see Google News] which indicated Vioxx kept people with colon polyps from their polyps turning cancerous. So now if your off Vioxx [as if you had a choice!!] you may die of colon cancer instead of a heart attack. Well, for the weak of heart, just go buy a copper bracelet. It won't do squat but if you're happy that way - go for it. Of course who knows what the long term results of wearing a copper bracelet are. Be careful!!
I've been taking it for at least three years. If there ever was a miracle drug, this is it. Thank heavens I have good "medical insurance" as it costs me $9 a month instead of the across the counter approximate $1500 a month. I have psoriatic arthritis. I used to take up to five Vicodins a day. Now I take none and haven't taken any for a long time. It also totally wiped out my psoriasis, something no other drug put even a mild dent in. It doesn't work overnight but I expect you will see very palpable results within 6 months. If it had existed earlier I probably wouldn't be really bent over by my psoriatic associated ankylosing spondylitis. Enbrel works great for most on either rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. It is NOT used for osteoarthritis. My rheumatologist has had NO reported bad side effects associated with this drug. Good luck. Tom Roach kodakfilm@gmail.com 1 2 Next » Related Discussion: how the Medicare topic is shaping-up in the newsgroups newsgroups [updated December 02] (1 posts) Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic Lupus Erythematosus. (1 posts) Another newby (2 posts) Experiences with "Move Free Joint Strenghtener"? (1 posts) Top Discussions From Our Archives Im getting Tired of this ( Exercise = BG Rise!! ) Weight Training whats is safe???? Other Discussion Categories Diabetes Symptoms Health Care Policy Health Care Providers HMO
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