Living with RA: The Difference Enbrel Makes for Me

*** This post is part of my Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis series.

Do you remember my "Can't Do" checklist?

• Unscrew a grape juice bottle for the first time.
• Unscrew a pickle jar lid that had previously been opened.
• Peel a potato with a knife.
• Quickly descend a flight of stairs.
• Stay awake passed 8 PM.
• Open my mouth wide enough to bite into a hamburger.
• Get up off the floor by myself.
• Squat down to talk to a child.
• Kneel on the floor.

Enbrel helped change all of that.  Nine years after I formed that mental list I can now do everything on it, except peel a potato with a knife.  Unfortunately, Enbrel CAN'T reverse permanent damage that already exists.

In fact, my current rheumatologist and I have joked that I do so well on the medication that I should be a "poster child" for Enbrel.  And now I am!!  :)

So, what can I do now?

• Sit on the floor and play games with my daughter.
• Push my four year old son on the swing.
• Zip up my 1 year old's pajamas.
• Cut apples into quarters with a knife every day for lunch.
• Brush my daughter's hair into ponytails.
• Take hikes with my family into the New Hampshire mountains.
  

The list of "Can Do" is endless.  The main thing is that I can do all the normal ordinary "Mom Stuff" that most moms do without thinking.

Enbrel helps me be the Mom (and Wife) I want to be.

And that is priceless.

But it isn't without risks.  The pamphlet enclosed with each month's supply (see right) details the risks of this relatively new medication:

"serious infections including TB; nervous system problems, such as multiple sclerosis, seizures, or inflammation of the nerves of the eyes; rare reports of serious blood problems (some fatal); heart failure, including new heart failure or worsening of heart failure you already have; allergic reactions; immune reactions, including a lupus-like syndrome and lymphoma (a type of cancer)."

Never mind just having to give myself a shot once a week!!

For me this is a matter of what WILL happen versus what MIGHT happen.  I MIGHT have one of those terrible side effects.  But without Enbrel (or a similar medication) I WILL have deformed hands in a matter of a few years.  I WILL have no energy to play with my children.  I WILL be unable to kneel, or squat or sit on the floor.

And so I choose to take the risk.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor do I pretend to be one on TV. This post is intended to tell my experiences NOT to serve as medical advice. If your symptoms sound similar, please consult a physician.

Disclaimer: I have not been asked by a pharmaceutical company or any related organizations to write these posts. I have not been compensated for these posts in anyway (including money, medication, or medical treatments).