Anti TNF treatment

[airdlass]

This is my first posting on this message board(as opposed to replying) so please be gentle with me.
Wondered if anyone has been lucky enough to be prescribed anti tnf treatment for arthritis?
It is a relatively new treatment but unfortunately very expensive.
I started on the treatment about 15 months ago and it has completely changed my life. The type of anti tnf I am on is Etanercept or Enbrel and I have to inject myself twice a week.(Small price to pay for pain free life)
Up until then I had been on various treatments,medication etc, spells in hospital but nothing seem to work for any length of time.I was in constant pain and very stiff.
Now I waken up in the morning completely pain free, and no stiffness.
It seems that it can be a bit of a postcode lottery as to whether you can get the treatment.
Would be very interested to hear your thoughts.
Fiona

[Moira]

Hi Fiona

I don't suffer from arthritis myself, thankfully, but I know a few people who do, and I'm sure they'll be interested to read your post. What type of arthritis do you have? I'm not familiar with the types or treatments but knew of one person a few years ago, who was given "gold" injections, which seemed to help for a time.

[airdlass]

Hi Moira
I have psoriatic arthritis - had psoriasis as a teenager,but thankfully no sign of it now.It's not so well known as the other types but can be just as painful. I have been on the gold treatment,aswell as various others. Most of them worked for a while but then began to be less effective.
Fiona

[Moira]

Thanks for posting back. It's good to know this new treatment is working so well for you - constant pain is very wearing. Will be interesting to see if any fellow sufferers of arthritis come in here to let us know if this drug is known to them or available here. Your observation on the "postcode lottery" is sad but true.

[wickerinca]

Hi there. Thanks for the posting.............my husband has psoriatic arthritis and he has been on some new treatment but must check with him. Must mention it to my Dad also has he has osteoarthritis and I know that he is in much pain with that.
I'll be home next month so if he could be helped by this treatment and he isn't getting it, his doctor had better have a really good reason!
Glad to hear that it has helped you so much:D

[airdlass]

Hi Wickerinca
Although the treatment is relatively new in this country I believe it has been in the states etc for longer.
I was sceptical at first as to how much relief etc I would get as I've been on so many drugs etc for over twenty years since I was a teenager and they all worked for a while and then stopped or they never quite took the pain,stiffness away completely.
I can't tell you the feeling it is to have virtually NO PAIN at all. As you will know along with these types of chronic illnesses you can suffer from depression etc, I feel great now and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it lasts for a few years, but if it doesn't well at least I can say I had a wee while.
Fiona