For several years I have been taking methotrexate for my arthritis. Certain numbers in my labs have started to rise and my doctor is talking about switching me to adalimumab (Humira?) or Enbrel. I have pushed off on switching due to the cost as these “biologicals” as they are expensive, even with insurance. It looks like the day is coming as to when I have no choice but to switch.
Anyone have any experience between the 2? Side affects?
My son had juvenile arthritis starting at age 3. His rheumatologist used methotrexate as the front-line medication any time he had a flareup, and then Enbrel if needed (which it almost always was).
I think it made a major difference in the progression of his disease. At his age, they really want to make sure it does as little joint damage as possible, and comparing his outcome with those of sufferers ten or twenty years his senior, there’s a huge, visible difference. Lots of kids born in the late 80s and 90s with it ended up with swollen joints, stiff joints, lower range of motion, things like that - but he’s had none of those kinds of problems (and he’s been off the drug and in remission for over five years).
In terms of side effects, he would occasionally be nauseated the first day or two after the first dose when resuming Enbrel, but it never lasted long.
You’re probably looking more for someone with adult experience with the drug, but I can say it made a big difference with my son.
I’m afraid I have no first hand experience, but I do have a family member with ankylosing spondylitis and they have cycled through many of the biologics over the past 20ish years. Enbrel gave the most “comfortable stability” in terms of side effects, but apparently a form of resistance builds up and they’ve had to stop using it for a while, then eventually try using it again. These cycles are on the order of years, though, so overall a drug that has served them well.
Humira was an absolute disaster for them, lots of awful side effects including psychological ones. Another whose name I forget was entirely ineffectual. Remicade is less good for the arthritis pain than Enbrel but still working well (I think that’s what they’re currently on, I’d have to reach out and ask).
One thing for certain; their life would be much, much worse without the biologics. They’ve used everything under the sun for over 30 years including Vioxx and oxycodone and methotrexate and who knows what else. The biologics mostly work.
I don’t know how costs are covered; usually under government/manufacturer funding I think (in Canada).
Former humira patient here, for ulcerative colitis. I’m now taking a biosimilar called simlandi. Thee cost difference is stark: my humira was about 16k per month (yay, I meet my deductible in January!) vs simlandi is about 2k per month. Technically that is the cost every 4 weeks, not per month…
I don’t feel side effects that I’m aware of from the rather high dosages I am on to keep me in remission. I was switched by my insurance to simlandi this year, but prior to that I’ve been on humira for 15+ years.
I have a family member with rheumatoid arthritis, and Enbrel has made an immeasurable difference for her. Similar to your case, she’d been on methotrexate for a long while but it was causing more issues than it was helping. She was hesitant at first to switch because of the expense and the injection factor, but it really has been a godsend. She’s in her 70s and is by nature an extremely active person and it has allowed her to continue doing the things she loves (carefully, but still …) I can’t speak to other side effects, but I don’t think it’s too awful.
The huge downside is that she has to be SO careful about not getting sick because then she has to go off the Enbrel for a while and feels like hell from the cold/covid + dealing with the return of arthritis pain. Doing things like grocery shopping or out for a meal feel pretty dangerous for her 
Thanks for the responses. I am leaning toward Enbrel if I have a choice.
I take both methotrexate and Humira for my RA. I should say, I was on Humira for years until a couple of months ago when insurance decided I had to switch to the generic Adalimumab. Interesting how my insurance has also decided that I pay $30 more each time I order the generic than I did for the Humira.
I tried Enbrel years ago, I seem to get better results with the Humira.
My father started on Enbrel as soon as it was approved and it helped him enormously.