It’s true, you know, that you learn something new just about every day. I’m a newbie to biologics, only started them in July. I’m on Benepali a biosimilar to Enbrel.
After the second week I just knew it was working. Literally it was like the me I used to be capacity wise was just reappearing and rapidly too. You’ve no idea of the elation that caused either.
One month later I needed to get a tooth out. I was put on antibiotics as a precaution (because I was taking Benepali actually as it was deemed more likely I was more at risk of getting an infection following the extraction) so no Benepali for just one week. So I started it up again and since then it’s like the me that was appearing was simply slowly just disappearing again. Yesterday evening it was such a lovely evening that we took the dog for a walk on some heathland, which consequently is relatively flat and easy. After about 30 minutes I found a log to sit on while my partner and dog continued their walk.
This morning I called my rheumy nurse helpline. I’m off on holiday soon and I’m now concerned I just won’t manage much of it, not if last night’s experience is anything to go by.
So what I learned is that if you have to stop/start a biologic like I did in the first 12 weeks it can be slower, much slower to do its stuff again and you end up in the ‘slow responder’ box even though I wasn’t in that box initially. And that anyway different batches of the drug can have an effect too and I shouldn’t be surprised if one month is less good than another. Mine gets delivered once a month.
Who knew that? As I certainly didn’t. Thankfully a short dose of steroids has now been prescribed and I have my review appointment later in October as well. Phew!