Site of enbrel injection

[foder]

I have been on Enbrel for about 2 years now. Recently I have added MTX to the mix. I have had a bad flare since my son was born 4 months ago. I am on 15mg MTX and 50mg 2x's week Enbrel. My rhuemy who is also a researcher asked me where I inject the Enbrel. When I was pregnant and before that it was always in the thigh. Then when they came out with the prefilled and after the birth I switched to my stomach. He has noticed and doing studies that the people that inject in the stomach and upper arm do not do as well as the people who inject in the thigh. Has anyone else every heard this? How he was explaining it made sense. I have since switched and it seems to have helped with the p but not yet with the pa.

[PJ66]

foder,
Hi! I have only done 3 shots so far. I have only injected in my thighs. I am having really good results already. I have never heard of that before. I guess I will stick to the thighs.
Polly

[ouchyk]

Foder,

I haven't heard that either. I was told to rotate the injection sites and found when I used my arms my ISR's were not as bad. For some reason when I injected my thighs the ISRs were horrid leaving bruises after, so I stopped early on after talking to my rheumy.

My thought would be that the location of the injection wouldn't make a difference as long as the medication was being absorbed, but heck, I'm not a doctor...Are there better areas in the body for absorbtion?

How did he explain the difference? Was he specifically talking about PA, P or both?

I'm glad that your finding injecting your thighs helpful for your psoriasis and hope that it will work wonder's on your PA as well.

Congratulations on the birth of your son! :) and I hope that your PA is relieved soon, it must be really difficult with a lil baby.

Feel better,
Karen

[Okie2]

I noticed the same thing, always took th eshot in the thigh area, switched to the stomach and seemed to have had lesser results. Thought it was just me. Now I am taking Enbrel again and been giving my shots to the stomach and noticably a slower reaction. I will switch back to the thigh tomorrow.

[ouchyk]

Okie2,

Is it a slower reaction for your P or PA? And does anyone think that the same would hold true for humira?

Thanks,
Karen

[foder]

He said it had to do with fat in those particular areas(stomach and arm). I had initially switched because of the burning and the reaction in the thigh. I wasn't getting the reaction on my stomach. I still rotate spots on thighs and rotate thighs. The absorb rate is more difficult through the layers of fat and being that the injection is only subq your going to inject it into fat in the stomach and backarm.. He was talking about both p and pa becasue I have both very severe.

Thank-you for the congratulations. I love being a mother. It does depress me a little that I have difficulty picking him up or doing certain things because of the pain but I have no choice. My son was born with vaters syndrome (a whole other chat room :) Speaking of my rhuemy he is also writting a report on enbrel and vaters. I have always been a guinea pig on p and pa treatments, and try to help out as needed but I never wanted this. When it gets published I'll let you all know.

[PJ66]

Then I will keep injecting in my thighs. I have had no ISR's. Not even any bruising. Heck it doesn't even bleed when I pull the needle out.
Polly

[mb2]

That's really interesting! I'd switched from my thighs to my stomach in the early summer sometime bec it seemed less painful and easier to grab a bunch of skin. I've since had my wrists, elbows and heels get sore. Maybe the Enbrel hasn't been absorbed as well. It seemed like it was helping me and then stopped. I did the last 2 injections in my thighs for a change and now it seems like things are going better.

Or is it just my imagination? Thanks for sharing this info with us.

Best wishes and congratulations on your new baby!

Mary

[ouchyk]

Thanks for the explanation.

I will have to say that my stomach is pudgy, however my arms are very thin, much more so than my thighs..I guess I will do a lil experimentation with injection sites and see if it makes a difference.

Please do let us know about your sweet baby and vaters syndrome ( I looked it up ) he's in my good thoughts and prayers ( you are too ). Hopefully soon, you'll be able to pick up your son without any pain. :) .

Hang in there, keep us posted.

Karen

P.s. Polly, glad that enbrel isn't giving you any isr's and that your thighs are working out well. :) I hope it works wonders for you.

[PJ66]

Karen,
Thanks. Yes, it is working wonders for me. I just took shot #3 last Wed. Today I feel like my old self. I'm not hurting and my p is clearing. You can hardly tell I have it anymore. My arms are just white patches now. Legs are smooth. It's still there. Some of it is turning to white patches. I am so amazed. I never thought it would work so well. Now if I can just get over the fear of jabbing the needle in I'll be ok.
Polly

[ttiben]

Karen,
Thanks. Yes, it is working wonders for me. I just took shot #3 last Wed. Today I feel like my old self. I'm not hurting and my p is clearing. You can hardly tell I have it anymore. My arms are just white patches now. Legs are smooth. It's still there. Some of it is turning to white patches. I am so amazed. I never thought it would work so well. Now if I can just get over the fear of jabbing the needle in I'll be ok.
Polly

I am sooo glad you are having good results. I have noticed by P has cleared alot, its the PA that is giving me dosage trouble. I think I may have it figured out.

[PJ66]

Thanks Tom!!! I hope you do get it figured out.
Polly

[SandraJean]

Hi,

I've never done the enbrel but have been doing the Humira. My injection site is always in my stomach. When the nurse has done it for me if I have an appointment on the same day I'm to do the injection, he always gives it to me in my arm. I've never tried the thighs yet. I have to go to the rheummys next week and I think I'll ask him if I can do the injections in other places too. I've never had any injection site reactions yet either, maybe just a few tiny black and blue marks just a couple of times. This is interesting.

Sandy