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...
so we decided to go with enbrel. my rheumy set up the specialty pharmacy order with me at the office and said she'd check to see if they had any samples so i could get started right away. i had MORE FREAKING BLOOD drawn and was sent on my way.... huh?
i asked about my samples, and the woman at the station was like NO WE MUST TRAIN YOU. and i said my rheumy said that she was going to give me some samples so i could start right away. then i was told i'd have to wait until the rx came in the mail, then call to make ANOTHER APPOINTMENT to be trained. which would take another 3-4 weeks from today. i was like, listen, i don't need to be taught how to use a syringe. i've been watching my dad inject himself for over 20 years. i've already had all the background blood work done. and my rheumy was happy sending me home with the samples. finally they were like well, talk to her nurse over there and pointed.
so i walked up to her nurse and told her that my rheumy was going to see if i could take samples home to get started right away. the nurse pulled up my file, checked the notes, and was like sure - hold on a second. came back with three weeks worth of auto inject pens.
my rx is for the syringes because i think i'll like those more, but whatever gets that enbrel in my body for now. i'm eager for it to start working because my hips have been driving me absolutely crazy.
now, my question is: when do i do it? is it like mtx, should i do it before bed and sleep it off? will it affect how i feel? should i do it first thing in the morning? should i do it now? and i also have my husband here, ready to stick me if i chicken out. (personally, i think he quite fancies himself reenacting that injection scene from 'pulp fiction'. not so much, darling.)
i asked about my samples, and the woman at the station was like NO WE MUST TRAIN YOU. and i said my rheumy said that she was going to give me some samples so i could start right away. then i was told i'd have to wait until the rx came in the mail, then call to make ANOTHER APPOINTMENT to be trained. which would take another 3-4 weeks from today. i was like, listen, i don't need to be taught how to use a syringe. i've been watching my dad inject himself for over 20 years. i've already had all the background blood work done. and my rheumy was happy sending me home with the samples. finally they were like well, talk to her nurse over there and pointed.
so i walked up to her nurse and told her that my rheumy was going to see if i could take samples home to get started right away. the nurse pulled up my file, checked the notes, and was like sure - hold on a second. came back with three weeks worth of auto inject pens.
my rx is for the syringes because i think i'll like those more, but whatever gets that enbrel in my body for now. i'm eager for it to start working because my hips have been driving me absolutely crazy.
now, my question is: when do i do it? is it like mtx, should i do it before bed and sleep it off? will it affect how i feel? should i do it first thing in the morning? should i do it now? and i also have my husband here, ready to stick me if i chicken out. (personally, i think he quite fancies himself reenacting that injection scene from 'pulp fiction'. not so much, darling.)
i really love my rheumy, i feel so lucky to have found her on my first try. she's so personable and spends time with me and lets me ask all my silly questions (i type out a 'medical cheat sheet' on my computer, adding things i think of to ask. i print it out the morning of my appointment).
i watched the videos on the enbrel site. twice. i don't have any allergies, but know they can occur at any time. i never try a new medication without my husband around.
been about 4 or 5 hours, no side effects, no reactions, no nothing. i'm tired but that's pretty normal for this time of night. didn't hurt much at all - the click scared me more than anything. i'm still looking forward to using the syringe instead of the auto pen. i don't do well with noises like that.
you go! good for you.
i had no training Steph, I just passed on it and the office said fine. I'm not a nurse, have mo medical background and lived with two la la land preteens at the time :). the online videos and the kind nurse on the humira and/or enbrel site for the auto inject pen was kind of helpful. i had someone on this site also volunteer to skype or phone with me first time. but it was all hitchless.
for some of the med switches since I live alone i had someone come over and stay over the first time of injection with me.
i do agree that the first auto inject click is so stingy that i can see how some would feel like pulling the flame out just to lose 1,000 worth of medicine on the floor. BUT the histrionics you tubes out there with folks wailing and being held down are not always helpful to a newbie that live alone so I would shut those videos off pronto 7 years ago.
i had no allergic reactions at the site, ever either with the auto inject pens or the syringes. but there are plenty on this site that did or do.
the auto inject pen was a huge waste of money for me and hurt so bad because of the speed that the crap goes in is what the specialty pharmacist told me when I called her babbling.
i do the syringes at work on a break anywhere i'm alone for 2 seconds. i do not ice anymore for years. and I have a sharps container at home, in my car, and in my office locked up.
pick your day based on your schedule.
kudos :)
Ros
@51percent. I agree with Jen completely re possibility of an allergic reaction and needing to be near your Rheumy.
Jen, not all the injectable biologics are in a Sure-Click syringe now. Orencia weekly self-injections are in a hypodermic syringe and Actemra is coming out next year as a self-injection once a week, so my Rheumy told me.
Atm I am on Actemra infusion every four weeks and I think I might stay with that even when the injections come out.
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@ros, that's what my rheumy told me - the speed of the auto injector and not being able to control the injection speed hurts more. the auto injector is all that they had in samples and i wanted to get started like RIGHT NOW. i'm still excited for it to start working.
i was so scared to start and did so much research and tried to figure out what was gong to be best for me, but after the last 5 days i've had, i really freaking want the pain to go away. and i'm willing to do whatever it takes, including this.
Therefore, I sleep through the worst part, but am up and about for the fully functional period.
I get a nasty headache the following morning. Not every injection but some. So I try to keep that morning clear.
Injected in the office also.
I won't miss that pen if or when I switch meds.
I've been counting 20 seconds as instructed. Although my 20 is probably others 10, as I mentally rush it, LOL.
Can't do the stomach either, just the thought has me flinching.
I am in medical so go figure.
Sammy