Please help me anyone!!!! ?

Question

sadly i have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis which is a chronic and often progressive condition that primarily involves pain and inflammation of the joints of the spine. AS affects the joints between the vertebrae and the sacroiliac joints (the area where your spine meets your pelvis). The dr. told me i have to be on ENBREL which is a type of protein called a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker that blocks the action of a substance your body's immune system makes called TNF. People with an immune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, or psoriasis, have too much TNF in their bodies. ENBREL can reduce the amount of active TNF in the body to normal levels, helping to treat your disease. But, in doing so, ENBREL can also lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. and its a life treatment. Has anyone been on ENBREL and if so how did you feel about it? I'm soo scared please help

Answer 1

  I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I know it can be a scary and confusing time. I have been struggling with Psoriatic Spondylitis since I was 19 and tried many treatments including, acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicines, NSAIDs, steroids, methotrexate and am currently on Enbrel. I have had a number of reactions to other treatments namely methotrexate, and NSAIDs, and I seem to have a hypersensitivity to most medicines. That being said my reaction to Enbrel was mild in comparison, but was nausia and general weakness for a few days following my injection (once weekly), I have yet to experience any relief because it can often take up to 6 months for results, although some people begin feeling better in as little as two weeks. You may take one (50 mg) or two (25mg) injections weekly. Because it is a very expensive drug, upwards for 1,500 - 2,000 $ a month, it will most likely require pre-approval from your insurance, this can take days, or weeks. Luckily there are programs that can help expedite the process and or send you a month of free medicine, no co-pay which can sometimes be hundreds or dollars a month, and if your copay is too high for you to afford you can ask your rheumatologist about a quick assist card which will help or take care of copay . Enliven services has toll free number (1-888-436-2735) you can call and speak to a registered nurse about any questions or concerns you might have about Enbrel, they can also help with your insurance which can often be a headache.  I wish you all the best with your AS, and hope that if you decide to start the Enbrel that it works for you. If nothing else remember to stay positive, even though it can be hard when it is painful to look up, it is still really important. If there is anything else I can do to help you don't hesitate to e-mail, and again best wishes