ENBREL Reviews (ETANERCEPT)

Average Rating: 3.7 (533 Ratings)

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 TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA INHIBITORS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

ENBREL  (ETANERCEPT):  This medication is used alone or in combination with an immunosuppressant (such as methotrexate) to treat certain types of arthritis (such as rheumatoid, psoriatic, juvenile idiopathic, and ankylosing spondylitis). Some brands of this medication are also used to treat a skin condition called psoriasis. These conditions are caused by an overactive immune system (autoimmune disease). The immune system attacks the body's own healthy cells, causing inflammation in the joints and skin. Etanercept controls your body's defensive response by blocking the action of a certain natural substance (TNF) that is used by the immune system. Treatment decreases redness, itching and scaly patches in psoriasis as well as the pain, swelling and stiffness of joints in arthritis. This medication can stop the progression of disease and joint damage, resulting in improved daily functioning and quality of life. This medication treats but does not cure autoimmune diseases. Symptoms usually return within 1 month of stopping the medication.    (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ENBRELCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 4  Psoriasis/Psoriatic Arthrits Medicine painful as it enters body. It is less so the fattier the injection site, avoid muscle if you can. Skin started to clear very quickly by 95% My joints are much less stiff but still quite painful. I have gained weight. The most difficult side effects have been strange pains: this started in my abdomen immediately, like tiny shards of glass, first under ribs then also lower making using my stomach muscles too painful. I have been having shooting pains in my lower back recently and after 6/7 weeks on enbrel I have developed chest pain, which feels slightly muscular and constricting. I was very worried and mentioned it to the specialist this week, who was unconcerned. Because I have been quite concerned about it, I bought a personal blood pressure monitor and I am ok on that front. It would be really good to know more about this side effect, whether its short-term or if there is a way of treat it. One other thing... I have always had ear infections and later psoriasis in my ear ca As uncomfortable as the side effects are, I am not giving up on enbrel. I worry it may be on me though as I am already seeing spots reappear. Someone earlier wrote that they did not realise quite how enormous the impact of their illness was on their life until they started treatment - I agree. I've been a shadow of myself for years - rarely pain free and unselfconscious at the same time in 20 years. Enbrel is like a weight off my shoulders giving me an opportunity to be hopeful and look forward. I am just crossing my fingers about the side effects and hoping for the best - I deserve it surely! F 33 8 weeks
3/28/2009
 5  Psoriosis Seem a little tired next day after injection. Weight gain over last several months, 10 pounds. Rather mild pain when wife injects me. Had a parsi score of 25 just before starting enbrel, down to 3 in 8 weeks after starting, amazing. Previously on Raptiva for about 10 months, but gave up due to it ceasing to have any effect with my psoriosis gradually getting worse. About 2 months gap between ending Raptiva and starting enbrel and psoriosis flared up more, should have kept up the Raptiva a bit longer before switching to enbrel. M 56 4 months
3/14/2009
 4  Recently determined have AS Seem to be more tired, only been on for 8 months but also seem to catch flu and colds more often. Seems pricing especilly because of the side effects and potential of harm that can be linked to the drug M 46 8 months
3/14/2009
 5  rheumatoid arthritis yeast infection in mouth - felt like pieces of skin growing inside my mouth - flaked off easily. Simple remedy was prescription tablets to suck on. rheumatologist thought it was due to imbalance of natural bacteria in mouth, probably due to enbrel. Am now experiencing burning in chest that's not responding to antacids. Family doc says dyspepsia and reflux can be side effects of enbrel, but rheumatologist never told me that. Enbrel has been a miracle drug for me, gave me my life back. Side effects so far have been manageable and minor compared to RA. I take the 25 mg shot 2x a week, zero pain and I actually only take it about 1 a week which holds me most of the time. When it flares up a little I go back to 2x a week for a couple weeks. F 51 3 years
3/13/2009
 5  PA, P, MCTD Have slight red spot at injection site. No other side effects. I could barely get out of bed before taking Enbrel. Prior to Enbrel, I was receiving weekly injections of Methotrexate and taking Prednisone with little results. Now taking Enbrel 25mg syringe every 5 days since 12/18/2008. Have very positive results within 24 hours. Enbrel has given me my life back. F 46 3 months
3/13/2009
 5  for Rheumatoid Arthritis RASH ON FACE...FIRST AT CHIN AREA...THEN SPREAD AFTER HAVING MY BABY TO FACE NEAR NOSE AREAS AND FOREHEAD..LOOKS LIKE ROSACEA AND ARE BUMPY WITH ITCH AND CLEAR LIQUID, CAUSES FLAKY SKIN AND REALLY DRY...ENBREL HELPS ME DO MY DAILY LIVING BUT I AM SCARED THE RASH WILL GET WORSE...NOW IT HAS SPREAD TO MY LEFT HAND ON TOP OF THE KNUCKLES...MY SINUSES ARE SEVERE NOW...I CAN'T EVEN BREATHE, HAVE TRIED ALL KINDS OF ANTIBIOTICS AND STILL THE SAME...I HAVE A COLD LIKE SYMPTOM WITH "OLD MAN" SOUNDING COUGH (SOUNDS GROSS BUT THIS IS WORSE), TOO MUCH MUCOUS DRAINAGE IN THE THROAT/NOSE AREAS...I BELIEVE ENBREL HAS CAUSED THIS... I WANT TO STOP IT AND DOCTORS SAID I SHOULD NOT... I'M SCARED TO CONTINUE TREATMENT..ALSO SLOW HEALING WOUNDS AND SORENESS OF HEAD AREAS AND OVERALL SKIN SORENESS... F 31 5 years
3/11/2009
 4  Ankylosing Spondylitis, Iritis At the time of injection I would have to try really hard not to squirm because the injection was so painful. I discovered that it hurt less to inject it into the fattest part of my thigh. I've had more frequent sinus infections on Enbrel, but these were a problem before. Just now they are closer together. WIERD symptoms I've had are bruising and skipped menstrual cycle. F 25
3/10/2009
 5  Psoriasis No side effects at all for the year I was on it. Slight weight gain...but I don't know if it was related. My psoriasis cleared up completely...from Scalp, arms, legs, torso and about 50% on my nails. My dermatologist recommended I stop after 1 yr of twice weekly injections to see if it would stay clear. Well I have been off it for 4 months and my scalp is back to where it was...but the rest had yet to come back. Since I have stopped injecting the Enbrel I've had recurring veginal infections (and have never had any issues "down there" in my life). I'm sure its a side effect...but why would I get them now...only after stopping the medication? Anyone else have this problem? So now I wanna get back on it...but am weary of the damage it's done even after getting off the medication. F 26 1 years
3/4/2009
 5  Ankylosing Spondylitis Metalic taste in mouth after first injection, flu like symptoms for a day after 1st two injections-all tolerable & worth it for the pain relief. After 4th injection, severe bright red rash (about 3 inches by 4 inches at each prior injection site), swelling, heat & itching at all 4 injection sites, along with systemic itching over rest of body. Unfortunately, my rheumy made me stop the injections when this happened. After already having had one hip replacement, I had high hopes this could stop the deterioration of my other hip, and of my spine. Unfortunately I had to discontinue it due to side effects. Doc plans on starting me on humira in a couple weeks, once the Enbrel clears out of my system. Low back pain (extreme!) & stiffness came back full force and them some 2 days after missing my last injection. F 51 2 weeks
3/2/2009
 4   Caution:After on it 9 months. Dizzy,memory problems, feet tingling, shaky hands, blurred vision, weak muscles. Doctors denied Enbrel as reason; restarting prooved they were wrong. On Enbrel for aboug 6 months when I noticed that 36 hrs later I was having Dizzy, blurred eyes problems. 3 months later I had major problems and was bed ridden; doctors at first thought Ms because of the Enbrel; Then decided no. So after I healed 3 months later I restarted it because they didn't believe it was the Enbrel. By the 5th injection my systems were coming back stronger. I have discontinued it. Advice: Listen to yourself; sometimes you just know. F 48 1 years
2/26/2009
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 4  Inflammatory Arthritis Weight gain, depression, injection side pain F 42 2.5 years
2/24/2009
 5  Psoriasis (0) side effects from 50mg weekly injections. Been on this stuff for over 4 years and am 97% clear. No illnesses during that time, maybe a couple lethargic days that may or may not have been related to meds. 27 years of P and have tried it all. This really works for me. M 53 4 years
2/19/2009
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 5  PA I have gotten a slight urinary tract infection.Headaches sometimes.On my second month of Enbrel for the first time,Im feeling a lot more side effects than I ever have.Sureclick pen hurts a little more than pre-filled injection but I feel its better because you dont have to monitor the flow. My second week of Enbrel(I do on wed.and sun.)I saw a dramatic difference in my skin.My arms were almost cleared.For the first time in 30 yrs.I can wear shorts in public with no one staring.I feel the benefits outweigh the side effects.Its made a difference in my life.I'm so happy the public is becoming more aware of psorisis so we are not treated as aliens.I know everyone has felt at one point or time like we were the only ones with this disorder.Now we have others we can look to and help with support.I Thank Everyone~ F 49 5 weeks
2/19/2009
 5  RA injection site hive - take benadryl at night and Tagamet during the day What a lifesaver. It started working within a week and my rheum says she would never know I had RA now. I was/am fearful of the lymphoma issue. However my 27 yr old sis is fighting Hodgkins and she's never taken a biologic and has no risk factors other than our sketchy DNA. I really believe it's the disease that causes cancer and not the drugs. I even stayed on Enbrel while pregnant and my son is 7 months and ahead of all his developmental milestones. Thank you to Amgen Wyeth for giving me my life back! F 37 2 years
2/10/2009
 5  RA I am in my early thirties and have been on Enbrel for two years and within a couple of weeks it completely resolved my RA and gave me my life back . I went off it for a year and a half to have a baby. Three months after I went back on it, I developed severe headaches and nausea for a couple of days, assumed it was migraine. Got progressively worse and developed a small rash on tummy-in short I had developed shingles which had progressed to Viral Meningitis. After hospitalisation for a month with anti viral treatment , I was fine again. I was reluctant to go back on the medication but had no choice due to deterioration of RA-. Despite the severity of the side effect- I am happily back on Enbrel-meningitis is curable, joint damage and deformity is not- I am taking my chances... F 34 3 years
2/5/2009
 5  psoriatic arthritis Absolutely none. The 50 mg. injection can be slightly painful, but I learned that this can be lessened significantly by letting the syringe warm up a bit after taking it out of the fridge. I wait 15 minutes and then inject. Also, the best place to inject is around the naval. Enough fat there to absorb the needle easily without hitting any blood vessels! This is a miracle drug. I have been on Enbrel for almost ten years, and let me tell you, it gave me back my life. I am no longer in constant pain, the bone in by finger joints has regrown and my fingers do not appear as misshapen, and I no longer need to take Celebrex or any other NSAID. The scientists at Immunex who developed this drug should be given the Noble Prize. Think about it. Kids who were in wheelchairs are now playing football. An absolute miracle drug. M 52 9.5 years
2/4/2009
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 4  RA been on Enbrel 2 months. Have constant headache, sinus problems big time, slight weight gain. Shot IS painful. Auto inject more so. but syringe under arm to warm up med for a few minutes really helps.(a hint from my nurse) This medication really helps. My RA was progressing quickly and I was really getting worried. It's not a miracle drug, but HAS improved my life. Not sure how long term I want to use Enbrel because of other possible side-effects, but for now, it works for me. F 57 2 months
2/4/2009
 2  Ankylosing Spondylitis Severe head aches & pains - very tender areas on head. Weight gain. Enhanced pain in legs and feet making walking much more difficult Not the wonder drug for me, I think having had AS for 30 plus years my skeleton is too badly damaged to benefit from this drug M 57 3 months
1/26/2009
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 4  RA After being on this drug for about a month, I developed shingles on my scalp--very painful and disruptive to my life for awhile. My doctor warned me that this may happen. This drug has made an incredible difference in my quality of life. I had very little range of motion in my joints and a great deal of pain, to the point where I was barely able to dress myself. For now--the side effects are worth having my life and mobility back. Do I enjoy the sure-click injection? No. Am I concerned about my immune system response? You bet. Am I going to continue taking this drug, barring any major complications? Definitely. F 53 2 months
1/24/2009
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 4  PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS/PSORIASIS A FEW HEADACHE, SORE AND SOME ITCHING ON THE INJECTION SITE. HAVE A COLD, BUT SURE IF ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRUG. I READ SOME REVIEWS, I HAVE JUST BEEN ON ENBREL FOR A MONTH. I FOUND SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS COULD BE FROM THE DRUG. BUT SO FAR I AM VERY PLEASED. I HAVE HAD NO PAIN SINCE I STARTED THE TREATMENT(WHICH WAS FEET, KNEES, WRIST AND HANDS). THE ONLY THING THAT DOES WORRY ME IS THE MAJOR SIDE AFFECTS. F 48 1 months
1/22/2009
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