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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First self shot of Orencia

mikejakus
mikejakus

Its almost 3:00 in the morning. I woke up with my right knee in sheer pain. This does happen and I'm sure it happens to many of us. But I gave myself my first shot of Orencia in my right thigh last night. Could it have anything to do with that, Has any of you that does Orencia ever get pain in the joint close to where you gave your self the shot. 

min63
min63
sorry your in pain i pray it dose not find my nees hugs min
rackerby
rackerby
Been giving myself a shot of Orencia for almost a year as well as a shot of MTX for even longer. I prefer to do it in the abdomen where I can pinch up a bit of skin. The Orencia pre-filled syringes are a bit harder to work the plunger but otherwise less trouble and less messy than filling a syringe as I do with MTX. I suspect your joint pain is the RA and not related to the injection site.

Orencia takes a long time to work for most people–months for the most part–but it's been the most effective biological I have used (Enbrel is the only comparison I have).
oceans11
oceans11
I'd like to ask either of you, do you have to do this on a daily/nightly basis? Or is this an injection "when needed"?
californialynn
californialynn
I've self-injected with Humira [in the abdomen area] for over five years. I don't believe that your Orencia shot is the trigger to the knee pain. Coincidental, I'm pretty sure.
mikejakus
mikejakus
I think all of you are right, had nothing to do with Orencia, was early and in pain, not thinking clear headed. Or maybe not thinking at all...LOL that seems to be a bit of a task in its self. Ocean orencia is a once a week shot.
MarleneJ
MarleneJ
I've been on lots of biologics and Orencia self injected for about a year, too! I have never had a problem with a joint near the injection getting inflamed. I would say that is RA messing with your head!

However, on Xeljanz, I had constant ankles flares. I had never had a flare in my ankle in 17 years with the disease. And those ankle flares were gone a week after I went off Xeljanz because it didn't work. There is no doubt in my mind, that I never had a flare in my ankles in 18 years with RA, except the 5 months I was on Xeljanz.

I also hate the needle for Orencia. I used to inject Kineret daily needles and they hurt, but they were easy to use. And mthx was easiest of all, with those nice diabetic needles. Oh, well, I'm sure I won't be on it forever, and just enjoy the hassle of trying to depress that stupid needle with my flared and now very damaged hands.
altoclef
altoclef
Mike, here's another vote for "coincidence."

I have just come off Orencia after 2 1/2 years on it. For me, it had no side effects, and I'm now convinced it was doing me far more good than my doctor thought. You do have to be patient, though. I found that the effect takes awhile, and never was dramatic; just a slow ebbing of pain.
PW39
PW39
You might have just had the first shot jitters. I just took my first ever biologic shot one week ago. Although it was Humira instead of Orencia. I try not to think about it but I find myself watching for new symptoms and side effects that the new medication might be causing. I found myself drained of energy for about 3 or 4 days which I felt is strange cause it seems from what I have read most folks have a boost instead of a drain. I would guess if this happens to you from time to time before the med then it's more likely the Ra. Wish you the best and hope your knee flare is feeling better by now.