I have been doing the MTX and Enbrel for about 2 months now. Is it just me or is the actual injection of Enbrel extremely painful?? I have always been good with needles, usually dont bother me. BUT!!! This weekly injection of Enbrel is one of the most severe pains Ive ever felt! I literally tell myself "dont cry...you already know how much this will hurt." But i cry every single time I do my injection; I just cant help myself. Then of course my leg gets a big welp which doesnt fully go away until about a day before im due for my next shot the following week. This treatment has been MISERABLE FOR ME...does anyone else feel like this??
Hi there Renee, lots of people report injection discomfort. In fact another member asked exactly this same question recently.
Are you adequately warming your Enbrel by leaving out on the counter for a good 30+ minutes? Are you using pre-filled syringes or the auto-injector pens? And what about trying it in your tummy rather than your thigh?
Tell us a bit more so we can reply in more detail and hopefully offer up some of the solutions we've found for ourselves.
Are you injecting or using autopen? My granddaughter self injected Enbrel with no problem. We practically have to hog tie her to do Humira, so it does vary. I have had no problem with either. The Enbrel is a thicker med so you may have try different sites. so its absorbed more quickly. Outside of leg etc.
You’re not alone at all. I had welts the size of a the outline of my hand for the first several weeks. Then that gradually got better. Now, a couple of years on, I occasionally get a big bug bite on the injection site. Don’t know why that happens.
I hated the injection into the thigh, and had to play mind games to get it done. It was like a hot poker going in. When I switched to the tummy fat, it was sooooo much easier. Give that a try and let us know how it goes.
I am currently using the pen. I am making sure to take it out of the fridge a while before injecting. I will try the stomach I guess...If I can get the guts to do it! It really is like a mind game to actually go through with the injection. Even though the pain is temporary...its terrifying!!!!!!! Thanks for everyones responses!
Renee, definitely ask for a try with the regular syringe. It is a night and day difference and if you find the skin extra sensitive in one spot you move and try another. I found the auto-pens the most brutal contraptions on the planet, the syringe by comparison is the most gentle kiss on your skin .... I tell you how bad, the pharmacy sent me a pen by mistake, it ended up in the bin, I just couldn't do it to myself. You will be fine ... and just remember how much better you're soon going to be feeling from the Enbrel too.
You’d think that the tummy would be more sensitive than the leg, but for some reason, it’s not. Sometimes I feel a bit of a sting, other times, I have had to look to see whether the little yellow thingy is moving. Really. Give it a go. And when this box is done, consider getting the syringes instead.