Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion General Message Board for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Related Diseases Anyone experienced large Enbrel injection site reaction (8-10 ") lasts over 3-4wks?

I was hoping if people can give me advice. I have been on Enbrel 50 mg sure clikc for 5 weeks. After 3rd injection, I got 2 inch red rash, which still has not gone away. On 4th injection I got 9 inch rash, which also still has not gone away. after 5th injection I got 10-11 inch red rash. red rash does not go away but faded a bit. The rashes are very hot, inflamed and Benadryl cream only takes away the itch..... I use ice to cool it down.

My doctor said that after 6th injection it will get better. Is that what y'all experienced? I am concerned that it will not get better or something worse may be happening inside my body. I need advice or comments would be greatly appreciated...

Wow, I haven't had that happen. Maybe a very small red mark or bruise. I hope you get some other help from someone and stay in touch with the dr about it.
Gail

I also had terrible injection site reactions to Enbrel. I was using the 25mg twice weekly and had no reactions until the 4th injection. Then, not only did that site react, but the previous 3 did as well, with smaller welts according to when I injected. After that, I only reacted at the new injection site.

These reactions started small, but got progressively larger before they finally started getting smaller again. Mine were not as large as yours, but did get up to about 6 inches. The ones on my thighs were the worst. However, since I was only getting half themed at one time, that would explain my smaller reactions.

I can't remember how long it took for them to begin to get smaller, but they did. I used a steroid cream on the reactions in the meantime and that helped to settle them down. You might want to ask your Doc for a prescription steriod cream to use until they settle down.

This all happened two years ago, so my memory isn't exact, ut I think it lasted long past the 6th injection (or week). I can't see how you're Doc could predict that. I do hope he's right though, but be prepared for them to gradually get smaller rather than to just stop altogether.

I had reactions that started small and progressed to the size of a softball. I switched from benadryl to cortizone because it worked much better. I also iced the area before and after I injected myself. I also used ice for a couple days after too. I give myself my shot on a Wednesday night and by Saturday night it would clear up. In the beginning I also switched legs every week so that the spot could clear up. I started Enbrel in January and now I get a small quarter size reaction, if any. Plus I started finding spots that would have no reaction. Hang in there it should get better. I wanted to cut my leg off it was so anoying. Then I remember how bad I felt without Enbrel. Like I said hang in there.

I had the same reaction to Enbrel. After my third shot, I developed a reaction at that injection site, and the other two injection sites reacted as well. Before the third injection, I didn't even have bruising or redness at the sites. Within 24 hours you couldn't even tell where I'd done the injection. But once they started reacting, it was pretty awful. They gradually grew to the size of dinner plates. Very, very hot and red with the red so deep it was almost purple towards the center. They were also raised up with very well defined borders and itchiness. I never took another Enbrel shot, so mine went away after 3-4 days from when the shot was due. My doctor said it was a not a classical allergic reaction, that it was a reaction to the protein used in Enbrel. Because the other sites reacted it was called a "reproducible reaction", which apparently isn't good.

I go to the Cleveland Clinic, where you would think they see just about everything, everyday, but they actually brought in 3 other doctors to look at it, and took pictures. They ended up switching me off Enbrel onto Humira (which has a different protein). No problems with Humira at all for me. The doctor told me that some people are able to continue on with the drug and it will go away, but for many it doesn't and can be dangerous, although he didn't specify specifically what could happen.

The other concern that the doctors had about the reaction was that it might be cellulitis, which can happen with the biologic drugs. It can look very similar. I believe they told me I would probably be running a fever with cellulitis and that because the first two injection sites didn't react until the third one did, it wasn't likely.

Hopefully yours will go away. Let us know how you're doing!
Lee

Thank you everyone for your response. I feel much better that some of you got experiences smaller reactions later.

MichiganWolverine, mine was like yours. My doctor also asked another doctor to see my reaction because this is the biggest they have seen so far. They suggested that I ice it long before and after I inject and try to inject deeply instead of subcutaneously. So the protein go in deeper.

Good News. But luckily all of them faded away quite a bit starting Sunday night. I can see where the reactions occured because those areas look darker. I can see the outline and the size of the reaction areas.

I was icing a lot and used Benadryl creams and oral Benadryl tablets together since Tuesday. So I think that helped. I will see what happens on Tuesday on my 6th injection. According to my doctors, she did say for many people reactions gets smaller and disappear eventually.

Sammimp, I will follow your advice of icing couple of days.

Hope you are having a great Monday.

Could you switch off to the 25mg injections until you adjust to the protein and stop getting reactions? Then you'd only be getting half the dose in each shot. Yes, you'd need to inject twice a week, but it would produce smaller reactions. Just a thought.

I hope the reactions start getting smaller soon.

Have you tried using your stomach instead? I had a horrible reaction spot on my thigh the first couple of shots I did, they pretty much covered the entire top of my thigh. Then I started using my stomach & had no reaction there. I recently started alternating thighs again, reactions have been about nickel size, not near as bad as they used to be.

I second what Janet said, maybe try your stomach. My reaction was in my thighs. When I switched to Humira I started using my stomach because my legs were still sore. Even if it doesn't change the reaction, the pain is a lot less in the stomach.

I'm a little leery of the idea of trying to inject deeper. It's supposed to be a Sub-Q (skin) injection not IM (muscle). I would call the Enbrel helpline before I'd try that.

I'm glad your reactions are going down. Mine looked dark and sort of smooth and shiny for a while, but eventually it completely faded.

Lee

I have. Mine lasted well over 2 weeks. It does get better. Try benedryl oral, that helps waaay more than topical.