Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Enbrel

Jnyptn
Jnyptn
So I have been on Enbrel for 1 1/2 years. It seems that after I take it my heart will start racing. I sometimes have trouble catching my breath. I am now feeling a little anxious today. I just wanted to see if anyone has these same symptoms.
jteach
jteach
I have been on Enbrel for about 2 years. I don't have a racing heart, but I also don't like that weekly shot. Do you think it could be anxiety related? Just a thought.
Juls
MarleneJ
MarleneJ
Some of these biologics have enzymatic reactions, and shortness of breath can be one symptom. I was on Rituxan for 3 years, and it was bad from the get-go. By the time 3 years was up, I couldn't walk up one step at a time. It didn't work well enough, but that is another story.

I am on Orencia for 7 months now, and starting to feel the same way. But there is nothing left, unless the provincial drug plan lets me go back to a drug which failed when the DMARDs failed. But I hadn't tried Arava, which seems to be helping a bit.

As for needle anxiety,, my first biologic was a daily needle. It was big and thick and the needle was big. I had huge injection site reactions every day, all over my body. But I felt so good again, I stuck it out till the DMARDs failed. The injection site reactions did go away on their own after a year.

I hope you get it figured out. I did take Enbrel once, but it gave me the worst headache of my life, from 1/2 hour after I took it, for days. I couldn't get off my bed. So I said no! Too bad, I should have stuck it out, and maybe I would have a biologic left?
nerot
nerot
I am going through the same thing with Orencia and had the same trouble with Enbrel. Didn't mind the injections and Enbrel helped with the RA but I could hardly take ten steps without stopping to rest. I used to sleep sitting up right after I took the injections. I felt very anxious.