Enbrel - Patient Info

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What important information do I need to know about taking ENBREL®?

All medicines have side effects. Medicines, like ENBREL®, that affect your immune system can cause serious side effects. The possible serious side effects include:

• Serious infections. There have been rare cases where patients taking ENBREL® orother TNF-blocking agents have developed serious infections, including tuberculosis(TB) and infections caused by bacteria or fungi that have spread throughout their body (sepsis). Some patients have died from these infections. If you tend to get infections easily or if you develop an infection while taking ENBREL®, you should tell your doctor right away. Taking ENBREL® with Kineret® (anakinra) is not recommended because this may increase your risk of getting a serious infection.

• Nervous system diseases. There have been rare cases of disorders that affect thenervous system of people taking ENBREL® or other TNF blockers. Signs that you could be experiencing a problem affecting your nervous system include: numbness or tingling throughout your body, problems with your vision, weakness in your arms and/or legs and dizziness.

• Blood problems. In some patients the body may fail to produce enough of the blood cells that help your body fight infections or help you to stop bleeding. If you develop a fever that doesn’t go away, bruise or bleed very easily or look very pale, call your doctor right away. Your doctor may decide to stop your treatment. Some people have also had symptoms that resemble lupus (rash on your face and arms that getsworse in the sun) that may go away when you stop taking ENBREL®.

• Heart problems. You should also tell your doctor if you have ever been treated for heart failure. If you have, your doctor may choose not to start you on ENBREL®, ormay want to monitor you more closely.

• Allergic reactions. Some patients have had allergic reactions to ENBREL®. If you develop a severe rash, swollen face or difficulty breathing while taking ENBREL®,call your doctor right away.