still ill and stopping Mtx

salamander

I'm still really ill with respiratory infection/asthma and now my joints are beginning to flare up as steroids/methotrexate leave my system - been a month since my last injection. Rheumy thinks I might not go back on it again. I just can't clear my chest even though I'm on two antibiotics, oral steroids and various inhalers, steaming 3 x a day. Making chicken soup today in vague hope it might help. I haven't had anything like this for years and it is scary. Seen the doctor three times in the last week and she thinks I'm slowly getting better but it is very slow.
Very worried about my joints as my legs have stiffened up and my knee is very painful. Will ring the nurse again on Monday but don't know what else I can do really.
Thanks for all the support you've given me over the past couple of weeks, think I might have fallen apart without it.
xx

dreamdaisy

Oh salamander I am so sorry. What a really rough patch for you, I have no bright ideas apart from how about taking some zinc tablets to support your immune system? Now you are off the meth it should be firing up again and fighting the infection but it's not doing such a good job of it, is it? Zinc will give your immune system a boost and then perhaps it will start clearing the infection faster. I wish you well. DD

carola

Salamander

I am so sorry that you are getting such a rough ride just now.

Don't have any practical help I'm afraid however sending you lots of support and encouragement as well as a huge bag of positive thoughts.

Carol x

chris7

Oh Sally

So sorry you are still having a scary time there and feeling so poorly. I do hope you soon start to feel so much better. I send lots of healing thoughts your way and hope for better days soon.
Just leaving him but he promise to hug gently, to let you know we are thinking of you.


love
Chris

skezier

Hi Sally,

I am sorry your still feeling ill and got the infection. I know mtx helps the bones but if you get an infection you have to come off it. Is there something they can give along the anti-inflammatory line that they can give you for the time being? Sending you a ((( ))) and a hope you will soon feel so much better. Luv Cris xx

coco67

sorry your feeling so rough, i hope you get better soon xxx

ironic

Hi Sally,

Just wanted to say I'm thinking of you. Hope you are managing to sleep ok.
Hope the soup was ok.

Loads of hugs,

Ix

marion1952

Hi Sal

Sorry to hear you are still feeling so rough.. those antibiotics will also leave you prone to pickign things up now, as they will have destroyed all your natural bacteria,.. can you take something like yakult?? Also, I find those fortisip drinks very helpful - you can get them on prescripton - I only like the strawbrry and orange though..

Will you let us know how you feel tomorrow??

Marion

deborahjane

hope you feel better soon,it,s such a pain in the butt,you take the methx and then you get ill.you stop them and get flare ups,im sat here wondering if i should take mine tonight,cause of side effects,

Wonkylegs

HI Salamander

so sorry you are still struggling without the MTX and with the infection.

It really is rough without it isn't it? (I'm keeping up with you on the number of doses missed - not pleasant is it!)

You are doing all the right things so far .... your body is just craving the rest it needs in order to recover, so eat little and often, plenty of rest, think nice kind thoughts about how you are helping yourself get better by resting, and try not to worry about what happens without the MTX.

I am sorry that isn't that helpful, but it is all I can do myself at the mo!

Have you tried another NSAID to see if that can help more? My GP changed me from Ibuprofen to Naproxen a week or so ago. She said it can often trigger a better response if they change the NSAID rather than upping the pain-relief.

hugs
WOnky

salamander

Thanks everyone for your very kind messages. Esp. the tips for zinc and yakult etc. Don't know what I would do without you all! You won't believe my day- after making the chicken soup I thought I would go up to my allotment (which I can no longer do 'cos of my joints so is a bit of a risky strategy to start off with) to see if there were any raspberries to cheer myself up - figured I felt rotten at home so may as well feel rotten in the sunshine and see some of my friends. Well, got rear ended by someone on the way home and have spent my evening in casualty. I've got whiplash. Unbelievable! On the positive side, the wait was only 2 1/2 hours and I think the time in the sun did me some good. Can things get worse? Probably

Wonkylegs

OH no :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

sorry to hear that ...... can't believe it

sending you very gentle hugs and hoping you get some sleep tonight.

hugs
WOnky

polly24

hi had same problems as u but it will get better u must take one day at a time if u find that too much then take one hour at a time if u need 2 talk mt email is on this i know what its like ur not on ur own thats wats brill about this site we ar all the same not ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? like some people think we r and morn all the time if they had one hour of our pain the world wod b a better place i wish i was a polititan i wod give them my pain and let them see what we have 2 put up with sorry babe love polly

frogmorton

Oh Sal

It never rains but it pours doesn't it??

Poor poor you :shock:

Sounds like two things doesnt it? ! a flare massive and 2. ameth trashed immune system

until it picks back up you cant sort the infection out. - when you do it's back to the drawing board to try to get arthur back under some sort of control.

I hope you are ok today after the rear-ending?

Love

Toni xx

salamander

thanks polly, Wonky & Toni! Yes, you are right Toni, gotta to deal with one thing at a time. Although still not well I don't feel nearly as awful as last week so am obviously getting better. Shoulder/neck not too bad from rear-ending Wonky as far as I can tell. Taking doc's advice and taking pain killers and resting so hope no knock on effects, time will tell but I am making a really conscious effort not to aggravate it, so not much typing today!
xx

dorcas

Hi Sally

just catching up on your post as I've not been on the forums much since Thursday.

Wow! you have been going through so much Sally...and I'm sorry to hear about the whiplash on top of everything else you've had to put up with. :shock:

A little bit of improvement is so good to read Sally and it sounds as though you and your doc have it all labelled and under control.

I do hope you can now have a speedy recovery and can get the balance back in your immune system.

love and ((((hugs)))

Iris xxxx

dreamdaisy

Well done to you for trying to put a positive spin on it all. What a thing to happen, you are only trying to help yourself and end up with more trouble! I am so sorry salamander, sometimes events on this planet really do go against one! Be good, rest and take the painkillers - I am glad that the injury was not worse. DD

salamander

thanks DD and Iris. Just resting up today and trying to give my poor old body a chance to get back to normal!
Iris, how are you doing after your disappointing week?
xx

barbara12

Hi Sally
Sorry im late seeing you thread, I cant add to what others have said, I just want to send some hugs ((((((())))) and hope the small improvement turns into a big one very soon.
You get loads of rest.
Love
Barbara xx

salamander

thanks Barbara, it all helps. just trying to stay positive like DD says
xx

marion1952

Oh Sal - I don't believe it!!

You are sounding a bit better overall though.. I do hope you are on the right side of the infections now ...

Marion

salamander

I know Marion, just one thing after another. It's amazing how resiliant one can be. Still fighting the infection but gets just a bit better every day. Gotta have a conversation with hospital about drugs next week. I'm not going back on the Mtx - this infection has scared me.
Thanks for your support. xx

dreamdaisy

Don't dismiss the meth out of hand. Was it helping the arthritis? All the treatments reduce your immune system, so one is always vulnerable. I hope you are feeling OK today and not too sore. DD

salamander

No it wasn't working DD, mostly reliant on steroids in one form or another. Consultant would have to make a very good case for me to continue before I would even consider it.

dorcas

Hi Sally

glad you're making progress.... even if it's slower than you would hope.

It's worrying when you have had such a bad infection.... it did take you quite low didn't it! :roll: so the consultant will have to think carefully about the next treatment options.

DD is right about these heavy duty immune suppressants and the increased risks of infection :roll: the ant tnf's do the same.

so we are always having to potentially compromise one aspect of health to gain (hopefully) the benefits these sophisticated drugs can give in the fight against arther.

Has the doc considered putting you on anti tnfs Sally? how would you feel about that?

I hope today is a better day for you Sally and thanks for asking about me.... I'm feeling back to my 'normal'.

Iris xxx

salamander

Hi Iris, glad you are feeling back to normal. I would love just a bit of normality.

I chatted to the biologicals nurse this morning on the phone and she said 'I think you are heading my way.' As I understand it, I may have to try another Dmard before anti tnf's but that may not be gospel. I'll see what consultant says. My joints are slowly seizing up, couldn't walk very well when I got up this morning, so the sooner they make a decision the better! Also, throat getting sore again today. Grrr! Thanks for keeping my spirits up though - and that's to you all!!
take care
xx