For those of you on enbrel, have you ever used the enliven services? I'm registered, and a nurse called me a few weeks ago to ask if I had any questions. Well, I did have questions at the time, but she was obviously following a phone script and didn't allow questions until after she had gotten through a 15 minute speel. Then, when I finally asked my questions, she told me to ask my doctor? I just wondered if I would get a different response if I actually called the 800 number?
Elcamino
Current dx: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Current dx: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Suspected dx: Early Lupus/MCTD; Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Current Meds: Enbrel, Plaquenil, Aciphex, Ultracet, Zyrtec, Allavert-D, Zantac, Tylenol PM
Past Meds: Relafen, Vioxx, Mobic, Voltaren, Sulfasalazine, Entocort, Prednisone, Humira, Reglan
when i switched from the 25mg twicer's of enbrel to the 50mg weekly's i called Enliven services & spoke to the nurse there. i wanted to know why "I WAS SCREAMING LOUD ENOUGH TO WAKE MY TENANTS!" when injecting the 50mgs! LOL. of course i got the whole pH thing on the diluent; and really didn't get any info that i did not already know myself. but she was sweet & i suppose helpful too.
but yeah, that's the generic answer "call you MD" blah blah blah.
Active, Severe RA. Crohns Disease. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. AS. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg every 4 days; pred; Pentasa; Imuran; dilaudid; diazepam; Avinza 30mg; MiraLax & too many others.
Wow Erin, does 50 mg sting more than 25 mg? I started on 50 mg. The humira stung too, though.
Elcamino
Current dx: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Suspected dx: Early Lupus/MCTD; Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Current Meds: Enbrel, Plaquenil, Aciphex, Ultracet, Zyrtec, Allavert-D, Zantac, Tylenol PM
Past Meds: Relafen, Vioxx, Mobic, Voltaren, Sulfasalazine, Entocort, Prednisone, Humira, Reglan
Oh my GOD!!!!!!!! the 25 mg Enbrel shots were heaven. Yeah, ya had to do 2 injections...but NO STING! when i went on the Enbrel 50's i said "NO WAY" it was torture for me. so he put me back to the 2 enbrel 25's.
the Humira 40mg is a nice medium i think! just enough bite to let you know it's there. LOL.
but i feel that the Enbrel 50mg packed the most heat out of all 3.
Ciao!
Active, Severe RA. Crohns Disease. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. AS. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
the Humira 40mg is a nice medium i think! just enough bite to let you know it's there. LOL.
but i feel that the Enbrel 50mg packed the most heat out of all 3.
Ciao!
Active, Severe RA. Crohns Disease. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. AS. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg every 4 days; pred; Pentasa; Imuran; dilaudid; diazepam; Avinza 30mg; MiraLax & too many others.
Yeah, the 50's can be a mother of a shot... I usually let it sit out for about 15 minutes, then it's not so bad for me... good luck
Confirmed Diagnosis of - Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs
Confirmed Diagnosis of - Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs
Current Meds - Enbrel/Prevacid/Synthroid/Nitrofurantoin
Past Meds - Inderal/PTU/Prednisone/Voltaren/Feldene/Mobic/Cortisone and Steroid Shots
Additional Supplements - Multi-Vitamin/Bromelian/Acidophilus/Green Tea
I'm telling you girls, here's the ticket.
Load up you MTX syringe, I keep the vial in the fridge. Get your Enbrel syringe out. Let them both sit for about 15 minutes.
In the mean time, fill up a nice tumbler with scotch, iced in the summer, neat in the winter. Your choice for the other seasons.
Take Enbrel shot (it burns more), take MTX shot, drink scotch.
You'll start to look foward to shot nite
... Craig
Load up you MTX syringe, I keep the vial in the fridge. Get your Enbrel syringe out. Let them both sit for about 15 minutes.
In the mean time, fill up a nice tumbler with scotch, iced in the summer, neat in the winter. Your choice for the other seasons.
Take Enbrel shot (it burns more), take MTX shot, drink scotch.
You'll start to look foward to shot nite
... Craig
Sounds like a great plan...
Current dx: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Current dx: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Suspected dx: Early Lupus/MCTD; Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Current Meds: Enbrel, Plaquenil, Aciphex, Ultracet, Zyrtec, Allavert-D, Zantac, Tylenol PM
Past Meds: Relafen, Vioxx, Mobic, Voltaren, Sulfasalazine, Entocort, Prednisone, Humira, Reglan
I like your way of thinking! Although I'd probably choose a martini, I like the idea :)
Although I'd probably choose a martini, I like the idea :)
cbrossman said...
I'm telling you girls, here's the ticket.
Load up you MTX syringe, I keep the vial in the fridge. Get your Enbrel syringe out. Let them both sit for about 15 minutes.
In the mean time, fill up a nice tumbler with scotch, iced in the summer, neat in the winter. Your choice for the other seasons.
Take Enbrel shot (it burns more), take MTX shot, drink scotch.
You'll start to look foward to shot nite ... Craig
I'm telling you girls, here's the ticket.
Load up you MTX syringe, I keep the vial in the fridge. Get your Enbrel syringe out. Let them both sit for about 15 minutes.
In the mean time, fill up a nice tumbler with scotch, iced in the summer, neat in the winter. Your choice for the other seasons.
Take Enbrel shot (it burns more), take MTX shot, drink scotch.
You'll start to look foward to shot nite
... Craig
Oh dear Lord!!!!!!! I can see it now....Admin is gonna come along and say, "Do we need an AA intervention here?" LOL 
My poison? A very strong KAMAKAZI.
Before & after.
Cheers!
Active, Severe RA. Crohns. AS. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. Partial complex seizures. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung & Heart. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Active, Severe RA. Crohns. AS. Chiari Malformation & Right Brain venous anomoly. Partial complex seizures. Emphysema. Rheumatic Lung & Heart. MVP and Tricuspid prolapse. Had Lymes disease for 10 years.
Meds: Humira 40mg Q 4 days; Pred; Pentasan 4G; Imuran 50mg; Dilaudid; Diazepam; Avinza 30mg; Meclizine; MiraLax & too many others.
The real truth is that I usually have a beer or two, not scotch.
I do feel it really helps, but I would not recommend it to those of you who have liver issues. Of course we all get that tested every 6-8 weeks.
... Craig
I do feel it really helps, but I would not recommend it to those of you who have liver issues. Of course we all get that tested every 6-8 weeks.
... Craig
Craig - what would we do without you? :)
Confirmed Diagnosis of - Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs
Confirmed Diagnosis of - Psoriatic Arthritis/Spondylitis/Graves Disease/GERD/Scoliosis/Hiatal Hernia/Graves Disease of the Eyes/Chronic UTIs
Current Meds - Enbrel/Prevacid/Synthroid/Nitrofurantoin
Past Meds - Inderal/PTU/Prednisone/Voltaren/Feldene/Mobic/Cortisone and Steroid Shots
Additional Supplements - Multi-Vitamin/Bromelian/Acidophilus/Green Tea
I too had to go back to the twice weekly because it was so caustic. Even the twice weekly burns and gives me a localized reaction that welts & itches, but I have a small area on my hip that is numb all the time so I use that area to inject. That way I don't feel the burn or itch.
Confirmed diagnosis of: Lupus, currently in remission,
RA, Narcolepsy, Hypothyroid, Gerd/Reflux,
Barrett's Esophagus, Asthma, Allergies,
Recurrent Rotator Cuff and Glenoid Labrum Tears
Migraines, Chronic Pain, Reynaud's
Current Meds: Enbrel, plaquinel, Nexium, AlleRx, Adderall, Synthroid, Lasix,
Singulair, Trazadone, Ambien
PRN Meds: Norco, Vistaril, Imitrex
Confirmed diagnosis of: Lupus, currently in remission,
RA, Narcolepsy, Hypothyroid, Gerd/Reflux,
Barrett's Esophagus, Asthma, Allergies,
Recurrent Rotator Cuff and Glenoid Labrum Tears
Migraines, Chronic Pain, Reynaud's
Current Meds: Enbrel, plaquinel, Nexium, AlleRx, Adderall, Synthroid, Lasix,
Singulair, Trazadone, Ambien
PRN Meds: Norco, Vistaril, Imitrex
When I got my first injection site reaction, I called Enliven, thinking that I could get an idea of whether my reaction was normal. HA! All they did was collect their "data" on my reaction and then I was told to call my MD. Well, if it had happened during normal business hours, I would have called him.
I never repeated that mistake. It was pretty obvious to me that the folks at Enliven might be very nice, but they were far from helpful.
I never repeated that mistake. It was pretty obvious to me that the folks at Enliven might be very nice, but they were far from helpful.
Keah a.k.a. Wormy
God helps those who help themselves.
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Crohn's Forum Moderator
The services for patients that are prescribed all of these new TNF meds (Enbrel, Humira, etc...) even though they do have Registered Nurses to assist...are really there to do exactly what you said "collect data".
And thank heavens for that...the ongoing collection of data & patient reactions is wonderful because the info in the pamphlets will be current.
I really didn't find them too helpful either...VERY SWEET!...but nothing was told to me that I already didn't know. I suppose they really can not fall back on anything beside "Call YOUR DR."...
But it is CRUCIAL that people DO call these telephone services & REPORT reactions and such...it will only help future patients.
Arthritis Forum Moderator
Active Severe Rheumatory Arthritis. Crohns Disease. A.Chiari Malformation & right brain venous anomoly. Partial Complex Seizures (under control!). MVP & Tricuspid Valve Prolapse. Rheumatic heart & lung. Previous Lymes Disease for 10 years.
Meds: Remicade infusions 300mg Q3weeks; Intra-articular knee injections when needed; Mercaptopurine 50mgQD plus 75mg weekly; Mesalamine 4GramsQD; Prednisone 20mgQD mantainance; Entocort 9mgQD; Meclizine; Augmentin; Tigan 300mg; Reglan; LidoDerm Patches; Diazepam 5mg for AS back spasms; Restaril; Dilaudid 4mg tabs for pain.