Arthritis and infections

donnas

Hello, I only seem to come here when I'm struggling with something and for that I apologise, I don't like sitting in front of the computer all the time.

Anyway, I've had three stomach infections/vomiting viruses in the past while. My unhelpful (and downright nasty) rheumatologist insists that these are nothing to do with my arthritis or medication, but I don't know anyone who gets sick as much as me, and it's an autoimmune disease, so surely there's a connection. Anyway. I'm worried - going to my GP tomorrow, and worried about work absences yet again. Nothing I can do though, can't go to work with vomiting and diarrhoea and not eating for days on end.

Anyone got any suggestions or thoughts on the matter?

(p.s. my toe pain after steroid injection is better now, after over a week housebound with a stomach virus at the beginning of the month)

julie47

Hi donnas

Sorry no advice just wanted to say hope the sickness passes quickly and good luck with gp tomorrow.

juliepf x

carola

Sorry to read of your pain and frustration.

What meds are you on? Many meds can upset tummy and toilet especially in the early days however your Rheumy says no?

Also, remember stress can upset your tummy BIG style.

Good luck with your doc and hope you feel better very soon.

Carol

donnas

I'm on Sulfasalazine, but given that one of the illnesses caused meningism and the other a fever, it's not related to that. I'm most worried about my immune system.

I've recently been moved at work and I'm quite a bit less stressed than I have been apart from being off work FOUR times in the past few months.

Thanks for support.

dreamdaisy

I think I am right in saying that sulph can reduce one's immune system, as does meth and cyclosporin etc etc etc. As a result one is left more open to infection. I don't go anywhere now without hand gel, all visitors are liberally doused with the stuff as soon as I see them - as is Mr DD. He works in an office and so can bring home god-knows-what on his mitts. So far, so good: no bugs . . . .yet. DD

donnas

Surely as rheumatoid arthritis is an auto immune condition it leaves you open to infection as your body is too busy attacking itself to remember to ward off infection. Add a drug with an immunosuppressant effect and there you go, come on in infections. But I can't get my doctors to agree with that. I't not normal for someone to have vomiting illnesses three times in a few months. I don't know anyone who gets that.

I work in a healthcare environment and wash my hands or clean them with alcogel ALL THE TIME. But it doesn't work for me.

dreamdaisy

It was explained to me thus: your body attacks itself as the immune system is in overdrive, ie being too responsive to things that should not trigger it. It will still react to illness tho, and work to shift it, hence the production of symptoms etc. Switching it off via drugs is the clumsy approach that rheumatologists use to try and minimise this, that is why one is left open to infection - and one doesn't necessarily know that one is ill as no symptoms are produced.

If you are only on sulpha then your immune system is not that compromised - you are producing symptoms in reaction to infection. Why you are continually ill I have no idea - there are others about on AC who also have great trouble in shifting bugs etc.

Right, I've spent far too long sitting in front of my computer, telling you stuff you already know. Time to go! DD

donnas

Well, I didn't know that, actually.

Consultation with GP was good this morning, despite me being weak as a kitten and close to tears. She thinks it's sulphasalazine that's causing it (and yes it's been worse for the past 6 months since I've been on it - 3 sickness bugs in that time rather than my usual one a year), will consult with rheumatologist and keep checking my blood. If not, they'll refer me to immunology.

Still ill but poorly.

skezier

hi Donnas,

are you not having regular bloods done anyway? i was on sulfa for a while and had to have them monthly in the end i think. its to make sure its not gone too far the other way cus as DD said its meant to damp down the immune system but if it drops below a figure i can't remember you have t come off it for a couple of weeks till the bloods improve.

hope you soon feel better. Cris x

dreamdaisy

Sulpha doesn't suit everyone. I have been on it for years with no problems, but another forum member who recently started it hasn't been getting on so well. Don't hang about waiting for your GP to sort things - do you have a rheumatology helpline you can ring? It might be better to talk directly to a specialist nurse, see what they say. DD

donnas

Ah no, that's part of the problem, there is no rheumatology helpline and I don't have a rheumatology nurse. Senior GP just phoned and agrees with junior that despite the borderline normal bloods my presentation isn't normal and it links in with the date of starting the sulfasalazine. They're working on it for me.